OF THE DISEASES OF THE INDIAN ARMY IN EGYPT.
We have now arrived at the last part of these Sketches; where it is intended to offer some account of the diseases which we met with in Egypt.
The catalogue of military diseases is never extensive. If his peculiar way of life exposes the soldier more to some distempers, it entirely exempts him from many others. In an Indian army the diseases are even fewer than in any other; at the same time, that the practice of medicine is more simple. I am of opinion, that in India the practitioner goes on surer ground than in Europe, partly for the above reason, and partly from the causes of disease being less varied in that country. Though the diseases which occurred in the Indian army, when in Egypt, were not numerous, yet some of them were highly important, and on our arrival in Egypt were new to every one of the medical gentlemen, excepting Mr Bellars, of the 86th regiment, who had treated a few cases of the plague, which occurred in a detachment of that regiment acting with the Vizier’s army, and had himself suffered from the ophthalmia of Egypt.
I propose to include every thing that I have to offer on this part under two heads. Under the first, I shall notice two diseases which may be termed the endemics of Egypt, viz. the plague and the ophthalmia of that country.
Under the second, the other diseases which prevailed will be noticed. They are mostly tropical diseases; and with them the reader will not be long detained.