§ MR. O'DONNELLasked the Secretary of State for India, Whether his attention has been called to the fact that 922 men per thousand in the Native Army of Bengal, mustering 58,873 strong, were admitted to hospital for fever during the year 1878; and, whether the Surgeon General of Bengal has reported that such excessive sickness is mainly due to the fact that "the dwelling-house of the Native soldier is unhealthy from top to bottom?"
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONSir, my attention has been called to both these statements, though the form in which the statement is put in the Question is not quite accurate. The admissions into hospital were 922 per 1,000 strength, not 922 men admitted per 1,000, as the same man may be admitted many times during the 12 months. The deaths from fever did not exceed 4.81 per 1,000. The remarks of the Army Sanitary Commission on these 220 Reports were forwarded to the Government of India, whose attention has frequently been called to the faulty construction of the Native Lines. Much has been done, I believe, towards their improvement, though much, doubtless, remains to be done; and the attention of the Viceroy will again be drawn to the subject.