62 Dr. Burkes Reports. [Jan, 



In the 44th Regiment, which arrived from England in November 

 1822, the mortality was, 



Strength. Deaths. Proportion. 



In 1823 in Bengal 661 73 H'43 per cent. 



In 1824 at Chittagong > 5g8 88 , 4<96 



and Arrakan > 



In 1825 at Arrakan 500 203 4060 



There is a difference however in the mortality of young recruits of 

 Regiments when on active service, and the contrary ; as, for example, 

 in the 13th Light Infantry, which in 1826 in Bengal was joined by 

 600 recruits, of whom there died in that year 79, being a proportion 

 of 131 6 per cent in Bengal. 



His Majesty's 31st Regiment arrived in Bengal in June 1825, and 

 was joined in that year by 500 recruits, of whom there died 65, a 

 proportion of 11 per cent, in Bengal. 



The volunteers are generally men from the age of 30 to 35, in 

 which class the ratio of deaths from 1826 to 1829 (including a period 

 of active service) was 6*92, while during the same period, the ratio in 

 the class from 18 to 20 years was 16*12 per cent. 



Besides the sending from England of lads too young for the service 

 in India, there was another important circumstance as affecting their 

 health, which was that of their having been sent out at improper 

 periods ; for they arrived in Bengal at the hot and rainy seasons, found 

 to be more especially obnoxious to the lad or boy recruits ; and of 

 such, unfortunately, was the chief part of those sent out in 1826 to 

 1829, as well as before. 



From the difference of habits of* military and civil life, young 

 soldiers are in every climate peculiarly liable to disease, and cce{eris 

 paribus the younger the more susceptible to feel the change ; and 

 this change has a direct tendency to induce a highly inflammatory 

 diathesis, leading to such explosions of disease as witnessed here among 

 the recruits. The tendency to disease exists it is true in all seasons 

 in India in the young and plethoric, but it is in the hot and rainy 

 seasons, and particularly at the commencement and termination of the 

 rains, that endemial diseases are most dangerous, and fatal ; yet this 

 was the very time at which these recruits principally arrived in 

 Bengal. 



I took the earliest opportunity, and seized every occasion, to make 

 the strongest representations on these important subjects, and of 

 sending out soldiers for His Majesty's service to India at proper 



