54 On the Sickness and Mortality 



Among the most remarkable instances of these variations in salubrity, 

 there has been none more so, than the Military Station of Kurnaul, 

 which was at one time considered the most healthy, and is now 

 regarded as the most sickly, of the Military Stations in the Bengal 

 Presidency. The average rate of mortality of former years, compared 

 with that of latter, attests the general correctness of this view. In the 

 years 1835 and 1836, when H. M. 13th Light Infantry and 31st Foot 

 were cantoned there, the average rate of mortality was but 1^- per 

 cent. ; while in the year 1841, it ran as high as 1 1 per cent, in H. M. 

 3rd Buffs, and 7 per cent, in the H. C. 1st European Regiment. 



An inquiry into the circumstances which influence the varied states 

 of public health, or the absence or existence of disease, is most impor- 

 tant to determine what they are ; whether they be of climatic origin 

 and inevitable, or endemic, or of local origin and removable. 



It is important to determine the nature of the influential causes on 

 the health of particular localities, in order to point out what means 

 may be necessary to diminish or to counteract their effects. 



Should they be dependent on climate, an examination is important, 

 to determine what precautions are necessary to oppose or to counter- 

 act their prejudicial effects. 



Should they be dependent on local agency, to point out what 

 measures are requisite to obviate them, if entirely removable, or to 

 diminish them, if only capable of partial removal. 



Such are the results to be obtained by a careful and cautious 

 investigation into the several causes which influence the alternations 

 in the sanatory condition of certain localities. 



In illustration, I may adduce the inquiry into the causes of the sick- 

 ness and mortality of the Troops at Barrackpore, which I instituted 

 in 1840. On my return to India, and appointment to the medical 

 charge of the 57th Regiment N. I., then stationed at Barrackpore, I 

 was led by the great and fatal sickness, prevalent in that corps, to in- 

 stitute an examination into its causes. In the course of this inquiry, I 

 ascertained that the mortal sickness, then existent, was not confined to 

 that Regiment, but shared in by two others, the 3rd and 5 8th Regiments 

 N. I. ; and that the sickness was not epidemic and casual, but climatic 

 and permanent. In the progress of my inquiry, I obtained further 

 evidence of its being of climatic origin, and bore a relation to the 

 length of residence of the troops at the station. It was shown 



