1848.] 



Notices, 



mi 



Health of Troops in India. 



Colonel Sykes read a paper, contributed by E.Balfour, Esq., com- 

 prising his observations " On the means of maintaining the health of 

 Troops in India." It commenced by stating, contrary to the opinion of 

 Colonel Sykes, that no sufficient data were given in a pamphlet pub- 

 lished by the latter to support the idea that " habits of life" or *' the 

 quantity of spirits consumed" by the army in India are the chief 

 cause of disease. Intemperance would be found to add but a very 

 small proportion to the deaths from climaterial diseases, which were 

 known to continue in spite of the most regular and temperate habits. 

 There seemed to be an unjust impression abroad that a soldier was 

 a very intemperate character ; but it would be found that other 

 ©lasses of our countrymen did not enjoy a greater immunity from 

 disease. What was the proportion of deaths amongst the highly 

 temperate civilians of India, who were the most intelligent, best 

 ciad, best paid, best lodged and most independent servants of the 

 ludi-an Government ? Although the mortality amongst the same 

 class in England from 1801 to 1832, averaged only 9*1 per 1000 an- 

 nually, according to the accounts of the Equitable Insurance Society, 

 yet Mr. H. T. Frinsep informed them that in the twenty years from 

 1809 to 1828 inclusive, the Madras Civilians lost 23-8 per 1000, of 

 their strength, the Bengal Civilians 25"1 per 1000, and the Bombay 

 Civilians 31*7 per 1000. Tables were read to show that the human 

 race enjoyed better health in their own than in any foreign country, 

 whatever may be their rank, duties, or comforts. The paper con- 

 cluded by observing that some deaths may, no doubt, be attributed 

 to the nature and duties required by a military life, yet in most cases 

 they are attributable to the climate of the locality in which soldiers 

 serve. — Ihld. 



On Atmospheric Distm'bances throughout the world, and on a 

 remarkable Storm at Bombay, on the 5th of April, 1 848. Bt/ 

 Colonel Sykes. 



This communication, which partook more of the nature of an ela- 

 borate report than of that of a notice, characterizes the atmosphe- 

 ric disturbances and anomalies, which presented themselves in va- 

 rious places in Europe, Asia, Africa, and even America, for some 

 months past, as not less remarkable than the political agitations and 

 XV. K». xxxir. B b 



