Reports on mountain and marine sanitaria : medical and statistical observations on civil stations and military cantonments., jails - dispensaries - regiments - barracks, &c. within the Presidency of Madras, the Straits of Malacca, the Andaman Islands, and British Burmah from January 1858 to January 1862 / by Duncan Macpherson.

  • MacPherson, Duncan, M.D., 1812-1867.
Date:
1862
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Reports on mountain and marine sanitaria : medical and statistical observations on civil stations and military cantonments., jails - dispensaries - regiments - barracks, &c. within the Presidency of Madras, the Straits of Malacca, the Andaman Islands, and British Burmah from January 1858 to January 1862 / by Duncan Macpherson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    320/458 (page 272)
    9 272 NOKTIIERN DIVISION. SERIES VIII. Section VII. SECTION VIE S,\MULCOTTAII. 1st Extra Regt. There were seventy-seven sick in Hospital of the Regiment noted in the margin on the morning of my inspection. The general average for three months previously had been eighty. The prevailing diseases were syphilis and a light form of ague. The Cantonment is placed in the lowest, and sanitarily considered the worst, position that could have been selected. It is six miles from the sea and little above its level; two miles beyond the present site the ground rises, and there is an area of about a mile in circumference fully 100 feet above the sea, with a gentle slope on every side which secures free drainage. There is now free communication by canal from this station to Howlaisbwaram, and from thence to Ellore, as already observed, a chan- nel is being constructed to communicate with the Kistna from Ellore, and another channel is being formed from Samulcottah to Cocanada, a distance of six miles'; ere long there will, therefore, be a canal communi- cation, 1st.—Direct from Ma.sulipatam to Bezwarrah. 2nd.—From Cocanada to Bezwarrah; and gi-tP—From Cocanada to Samulcottah and Bezwarra, from the latter place, the Kistna is navigable for thirty to forty miles up the stream. The superior advantages which the port of Cocanada possesses over that of Masulipatam will make Samulcottah the chief Depot on this coast for communicating with the upper provinces, for the low swampy nature of the ground at Cocanada will be a bar to establishing the Dep6t there. It is a fortunate circumstance therefore, that so very desirable a position exists at this station on which the Depot can be placed. Dr. Donaldson of Samulcottah informs me “ that a good sea-sido “ .sanitarium for the station is available at a distance, called Oopada, “ equi-distantfrom Cocanada and this station, about twelve miles north- east of both, and so happily resting on a ])romontory rapidly stretching “ out to sea, that the south wind which prevails for six weeks or more “here and which at C icanada is long shore-wind, is there a pure and “ cool sca-breeze ; indeed the south-west wind may also bo called a sea- “ breeze at this favoured spot. There is a considerable native villago “ on the spot, and an excellent elevated position for European coiivale- scents ; lastly, there is a good harbour and anchorage for ships. u t