Observations on the means of preserving the health of troops, by selecting healthy localities for their cantonments / by Edward Balfour ; read by Joseph Hume ... before the Statistical Society of London, on the 19th of May 1845.

  • Balfour, Edward, 1813-1889.
Date:
[1845]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on the means of preserving the health of troops, by selecting healthy localities for their cantonments / by Edward Balfour ; read by Joseph Hume ... before the Statistical Society of London, on the 19th of May 1845. 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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    Let us now turn to Ceylon, in which an averafje force of 2,140 men lias en stationed since 1ft 17. The principal stations are Colombo, Kandy, Trin- malee, Galle, and Niuera Elia which has been occupied since 1829. (Ba- lia and Ratnapoora, at one time stations, were abandoned in 1832.) Tlie >Ie given of the rates of mortality will show that at some of the stations e ratio of deaths is quadrujile what it is at others. ! Stations in Ceylon. Ratio per 1,000 of Mean Strength Died. Average Strength. alle -from 1817 to 1836 - 23* 182 iueraElia,from 1831 to 1836 - . . 21- 116-6 atnapoora from 1817 to 1832 (now abandoned) 42*7 54 jlombo - from 1817 to 1836 - _ . 51-9 920 andy - „ „ ... 60-7 433 •incomalee „ „ ... 91-4 284 adulla - from 1817 to 1832 (now abandoned) 97-1 75 ; Considering the small size of the island of Ceylon, it cannot be neces- ;ry to submit to the loss of men which the unhealthy climate of some of '6 posts occasions. Indeed, the possibility of effecting a saving of life is ten the only point requisite to be known, and this fact is sufficiently esta- ished by the preceding Table. From the superior degree of health enjoyed T the few troops stationed at Niuera Elia, we may form an opinion of the mefit that would result from making this central position the principal ation in the island, and the passes leading itito the low country, and the plains id alluvial lands below, could be guarded by the black oy native troops, hose constitutions are fitted for the climate. Indeed this practice has been irtially adopted already ; “ a detachment of the Ceylon Regiment or of the ioneer Corps having generally been quartered about 12 miles from this ition, for the purpose of keeping opefi an extensive pass, connecting this ,rt of the country with the Kandy district.”* Galle, alone, of all the her stations, can compete with Niuera Elia as to salubrity, but its situation the extreme south renders it less eligible as a military position to command e whole island. It is almost unnecessary to follow this subject further; but it may be isirable to give a short description of some of the mountain ranges in India hicli have, already, been occupied as convalescent stations, as they afford any advantages for locating European troops conveniently with reference important districts, so as to enable us to withdraw them from the neigh- mring posts in the plains where they are now distributed, and are suft'eriug tich from sickness.t “The Neilgherries are an insulated range of mountains, extending between e Eastern and Western Ghauts, from west to east 34 miles, and from north south 15 miles, and rise almost in the centre of the peninsula of India, to le height of 7,000 or 8,000 feet above the level of the sea.f They also • Report, &c., 1841. t App. C. ^ Jackanairi is 5,659 feet, Jacktally 5,976 feet, Dimhutty 6,041 feet, Ootacamund 7,400 feet, d Dodapet 8,800 feet above the oceau level.