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

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