nobody who knows the it. The sepoy, either in the old or present day, could deny on service is, that if wounded he is soldier native the with feeling as well treated and cared for as his officers are. They appreciate to prove this assertion.
Suffice it that
being taken care of quite as much as the .rest of the world does. We have heard sepoys contrasting the medical arrangements of our army with what would obtain under a native State?the conveyance to the rear?the hospital for every care and comfort? the science that restored them to the ranks again?no one was ever left to perish uncared for, &c. Such feelings are not
despised when
to be men
you want a
good spirit
to animate your
in line of battle.
Take also the
emergencies
that arise in times of peace.
Tho
strength of tho Lahore and Peshawur Divisions, and Punjab Force, during the months of September, October, and November last year was about 17,000 men. In those months 19,287 were
admitted from fever and cholera,
strength, THE MEDICAL CHARGE OF THE NATIVE ARMY. has been
It
propounded
certain
in
quarters
Doctors?1st class, military, educated at are
good enough
for the medical
charge
a
of
Medical College? native
a
that the soldiers of the native army now in fact to be treated
by
Native Doctor, employment for
a
not afford sufficient tion of
project
a
Native
that
regiment; only require
because their ailments do the whole
care
and occupa-
Commissioned Officcr of the medical service.
has also been noted in the
retrenchment in the
department;
public prints, but
we
as a
This
matter for
consider that such
treatment of the sepoy would be mischievous and ungenerous.
The proposition is not new; a somewhat similar scheme mooted in Lord Canning's time, after the Mutiny. But
was
men's feelings had then got the better of them, and they were ready to deny the sepoy even the assistance of an English
Surgeon. The question
charge of a native regiment must not be looked on only from a professional point of view. The efficiency of native soldiers, as of all mercenaries, is much influenced by their belief that Government cares for them. Once let them get the impression that they are looked down upon?that anything is good enough for them?and they will quickly show that they can learn, and adapt themselves to, their new position. India can never hopo to be always at peace with the world. In October, 18G3, who would have thought that in the two or three following months 174 sepoys would have of
Umbeyla.
been
of the medical
killed and 610 wounded
Would Native
Doctors
have
on
the
been
heights
sufficient
to have met that emergency ? That class never had an idea of what was really to be done on actual service, neither could
they
ever
be
taught.
Under such circumstanccs, the absence of medical and surgical skill would havo been painfully apparent 5 no reserve could have been rapidly sent to the front, and in the want of surgical skill to restore men to the ranks, tho commander would have been crippled in his future
operations.
Ihe native soldier of all creeds and classes has, from his very earliest, employment, care taken of the fully appreciated hi in by the Government, in allowing him a European Surgeon.
Many historical
anecdotes could be
brought forward
or
113'5 per cent, to
and 429 deaths occurred. Would it havo
tended to
promote tho kindlier feelings of tho sepoy to the Government, if, during this season of prostration and death, 1st Class Native Doctors had been in medical charge of them ? In quiet times the Surgeon of a native regiment has but little actual professional occupation in it. Ilis principal and
important duty is then to guard tho health of his men, apply to them those principles of prevention and sanitation which only a scientific education can impart. But there are very few Officers who do not supplement their regimental duties with other work in the station. As a matter of fact, out of ninety-four medical officers in charge of regiments more than two-thirds havo other engagements which afford them full and useful employment. For the sake of finding employment for these few, the propriety of altering tho constitution of a regi-
most
and to
ment seems very
questionable.
There
are
many
days?perhaps
weeks?when the Commanding Officer and Staff, nay the regiment
itself,
lias
nothing
to do.
But
we
do not hear it on
that account recommended that tho discipline and
guidance
of tho
Officers.
regiment
should
ba handed over to Native
line of argument applies equally to tho regimontal and medical staff; and in both cases an efficient organization Tho
samo
requires
to
bo
kept
up.
there must be, and tho smaller it is the greater care Government must take in keeping it in the most efficient state. Whatever changes future economy may dictate, in a stato of inefficiency to meet regiments must not be A native army
an
kept epidemio in cantonments, by want skill, organization, and arrangements,
enemy in the
of medical
field,
or an