A treatise on the public health, climate, hygeine [sic], and prevailing diseases, of Bengal and the North-West Provinces / By Kenneth Mackinnon.
- MacKinnon, Kenneth
- Date:
- 1848
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: A treatise on the public health, climate, hygeine [sic], and prevailing diseases, of Bengal and the North-West Provinces / By Kenneth Mackinnon. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![compared with what formerly prevailed, hut much may yet he done, as 1 sliall endeavour to shew in anoti.er part of this work. We have seen that 2 per cent, the mortality in the Civil Service, can he arrived at, in the way of reduction ; so that at least 3.^ jier cent of the deaths depend upon the various circum- stances wherein the Private Soldier differs from the Civil Ser- vant. Let us hastily glance at these. He is more reckless and disrepardful of his own heahh, and pays no attention to the nteans which are at his disposal for its preservation ; he ex- poses himself to the sun, eudanjfcrs his brain, disturbs the circulation, gets heated, and ])ersi)ircs freely, without taking any precaution, such as changing his dre.ss, or avoiding draughts of cold air, while the skin is in this state of increased action, and consecpiently so liable to external impression. In diet, too, the Soldier is careless, especially in the use of half-ripe and acid fruits ; but the. great bane of his lite and comlort is the use of spirits.* This is so well known as the source of sickness and of crime, that the notice of it would seem idle, unless we had something to suggest as a remedy ; nor can we expect to be ori- ginal on a subject that is at present engaging much public at- tention. The great heat of the climate, and the. thirst and lassitude produced hy it, appear to be the great causes of drunkenness ; but the cotifmement within doors, the want of bo- dily or mental occupation, and the absence or distant prospect of reward for merit and good conduct, enhance their effect. The two last causes hinted at are removable, and I have no doubt that, when this is done, (the limited service seems to me to be in itself a boon and a reward) much improvement will be the consequence, liaise the Soldier in self respect, and in his * I find a return at page 557, volume 2, 18-U) and 1841, of the Lancet, shewing that for three years, when the 26th llegiuient consumed an annual average of spirits in three years of 1,0(10 gal- lons, the average of liver complaints was 128. In two other years that the consumption of spirits averaged 2500 gallons a year, the liver complaints w'ere ordy 60 per annum. To give good beer cheap would do great good: w'heu we cannot cure, we may often moderate symptoms. t'auscs which chiefly affect it. Exposure. Use of spirits. Suggestions.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b2870874x_0061.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
