Report on the attack of epidemic cholera in the Agra and Gwalior circle during the year 1862.
- John Murray
- Date:
- [1862]
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Report on the attack of epidemic cholera in the Agra and Gwalior circle during the year 1862. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.
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![[ * ] The great benefit of tho use of remedies, on the first appearance of looseness, or indigestion, was as strongly marked, as the inefficiency of any remedies, after collapse had supervened. In those cases when reaction took place, it appeared to be a stage of the disease, or an effort of nature. Alcoholic stimuli did not promote it, and those cases progressed most favorably, where they had not been used ; whilst the reactionary fever was very dangerous, where they were freely given ; inducing affection of the head, which generally proved fatal. The old Cholera Pill was most extensively used, with very favorable results. They were placed in each Barrack, under charge of the Sergeants, with instruc- tions to give one to any man who applied ; but if any one applied a second time, he was to be sent to Hospital. Any man whose bowels were open after tattoo was to get a pill, and if his bowels were again open, he was to get a second pill, and be sent to Hospital, Small bleedings were tried by Dr. Plank, without any marked benefit; small doses of Quinine were generally used in the morning, and the men inspected by a Medical Officer. Small fires of green- wood were kept up in Hospital, and charcoal fires in the Barracks. The Military duties were diminished as far as practicable, and the men encouraged to divert themselves. Natives were employed to champoo the severe cases, to fan them, and to attend to their wants. Six champooers were told off to each bad case, with one waiting man, a European soldier to superintend. The Champooers have answered admirably. I took care that they were well used, and only three ran off out of 75, and few of the other hospital servants deserted. It was a heart-felt relief to me, to see four of them steadily and carefully rubbing a poor cramped dying man, instead of four European soldiers, who might soon be in the same hopeless case, in consequence, and who thought so—none of the Champooers were attacked by the disease. The reappearance of the disease in the Secuudra party may be attributed to the Convalescents who joined from Cantonments. On future occasions, the sick and convalescents should be sent to a separate Camp. The ratio of deaths to cases in most of these returns is very high, arising from only the cases which advanced to the stage of collapse being called Cholera, by some of the Medical officers. Some Officers think that it would alarm tbe men to call the earlier stages Cholera. This may cause inconvenience, but there is danger in attempting to conceal the real name. When successful, it lulls the men into a false security, till tho disease has advanced beyond cure, and not only sacrifices the life of the sufferer, but he may engender and spread the fatal disease among his comrades. I have always gained the con- fidence of the men by a candid statement of the nature of the disease, with a confident assurance of its being remediable in tiie early stage, whilst allowing that the advanced stages were little under the power of the Surgeon. They have resorted freely to the remedies recommended, and I have had constant reports from Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and men of the decided benefit they had derived. I attribute much of the immunity of the 20th Hussars at Muttra, and of the Artillery at Agra, to this practice having been early pursued. Loud assertions of the non-existence of Cholera do not prevent the men suspecting its presence, and flying to Grog as the best remedy they know. The objections to moving troops into Camp, during the rainy season, are that it is disagreeable to the feelings, and injurious to the health. Under ordinary circumstances these objections are valid; but the change saves life, and prevents depression, when epidemic cholera prevails. This move ought not to be left to Regimental Authorities. During the present season, Fevers were unusually prevalent, in the 35lh Regiment at Agra, before the Cholera ap- peared. There wero 220 men in Hospital in Cantonments on the 10th August, before they were moved into Camp. After they returned to Cantonments on](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b22354384_0006.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
