Battling Typhoid & Malaria on the North West Frontier

On the 8th July 1918, 100 years ago today, James Othen, who had married Annie Cobbold (my great grand aunt in law), was taken sick again and admitted to hospital.

James had travelled to India with the 1/4th Battalion Royal West Surrey Regiment in October 1916 arriving in Bombay in late December that year. The 1/4th Queen’s had moved to Tank to join the Waziristan Field Force in early 1917. However, the battalion was so stricken by illness that soon after its arrival it was withdrawn and dispatched to Dagshai and Jutogh in the Simla Hills to recover.

James was stationed in Dagshai and then moved with the rest of the battalion to Lahore in the spring of 1918. James had been hospitalised with Malaria in March 1918

On July 8th 1918 James Othen, was admitted to hospital in Amritsar, in the Punjab region of North West India suffering with what was initially recorded as P.U.O. (Pyrexia of Unknown origin), which is generally associated with high fever and raised body temperature, this however is later crossed out and replaced with an M – which given James previous hospital admission probably means a final diagnosis of malaria. He remained in hospital in Amritsar until the 14th August 1918 as part of the Enteric group of patients (Enteric meaning intestinal problems) when he was then transferred to the Enteric convalescence hospital until the 21st September 1918

Enteric (typhoid) fever is a systemic disease characterised by fever and abdominal pain caused by dissemination of Salmonella

Typhoid fever, also known simply as typhoid, is a bacterial infection due to Salmonella typhi that causes symptoms which may vary from mild to severe and usually begin six to thirty days after exposure.Often there is a gradual onset of a high fever over several days.Weakness, abdominal pain, constipation, and headaches also commonly occur.  Some people develop a skin rash with rose coloured spots and in severe cases there may be confusion.Without treatment, symptoms may last weeks or months.

The cause is the bacterium Salmonella Typhi, growing in the intestines and blood.Typhoid is spread by eating or drinking food or water contaminated with the feces of an infected person. Risk factors include poor sanitation and poor hygiene.

James had originally enlisted with the 5th Reserve Battalion “The Queens” Royal West Surrey on the 5th October 1914 aged 34 years and 6 months and was 5 feet 5 3/4 inches. He was living at 71 Orchard Rise, Dorking, Surrey and was considered physically fit. James was employed as a bricklayer's labourer at that time.

The battle in India for the troops and for James Othen in particular seems to have been against the conditions and the diseases rather than enemy fire.

Hospitalised with Malaria

On the 26^th March 1918, 100 years ago today, James Othen, who had married Annie Cobbold (my great grand aunt in law), was admitted to hospital in Lahore suffering from Malaria. James had travelled to India with the 1/4^th Battalion Royal West Surrey Regiment in October 1916 arriving in Bombay in late December that year.

The 1/4^th Queen’s moved to Tank to join the Waziristan Field Force in early 1917. However, the battalion was so stricken by illness that soon after its arrival it was withdrawn and despatched to Dagshai and Jutogh in the Simla Hills to recover.

James was stationed in Dagshai and then moved with the rest of the battalion to Lahore in the spring of 1918.

James, aged 42, was admitted to hospital suffering from Malaria on the 26^th March 1918 and after blood tests was given in total 300 grams of quinine over the next few days to treat the effects until his release on the 6^th April. Research suggests that around 1.5 Million soldiers from all sides fell victim to Malaria (Malaria Journal 2014) with between 0.2 and 5% of cases proving fatal.

At home his wife Annie was looking after their seven children. Rosey (aged 13), Mabel (11), Alfred (9), Florence (7), Charles (6), Sydney (3) and their youngest Daughter, Edith (1) who had been born between Oct and December 1916, just as her father was embarking for India

Meanwhile over 5,000 miles away in Reigate, Surrey James’ sister in law, May Rosetta Cobbold (nee Graffham) and her husband Alfred George Cobbold (My Great Grandfather in law) were going through both joyous and harrowing times.

Between April and June 1918 their eighth child Lily was born in Reigate and during the same period their youngest child James J Cobbold passed away aged 3. May was also looking after her six other children, Doris (aged 14), Maud (13), Alfred (11), William (9), George (7) and Ethel (5). [Alfred George Cobbold was most likely serving with the 1st Divisional Signal Company, Army Service Corps, but research is on-going to confirm this]

May’s brother Corporal John Joseph Graffham had been killed in July 1915 serving with the 2^nd Battalion The Queens Royal West Surrey Regiment.