( 2 )
5. Cholera.—There was a satisfactory fall in the mortality from this
cause during 1911. The number of deaths was 124,560 as compared with
162,611 during the previous year, and 177,306 the average of the last five
years. The scourge was most severe in Gaya, Muzaffarpur and Purnea
districts. Disinfection of wells with permanganate of potash was again
resorted to in many districts, and in Saran the Police and Presidents of
Panchayats were used as agencies for its distribution.
6. Small-pox.—The mortality recorded in 1911, viz., 4,741, representing
a ratio of .09 per 1,000, was the lowest since 1886. The mortality was
slightly greater among children of 10 years and less. Compared with 1910,
it was smaller in 27 districts and higher in 4. The highest mortality in
towns was recorded in Bhagalpur, where the rate was 4.65.
7. Vaccination.—The total number of operations performed during the
year was 2,054,756, the number of persons vaccinated being 2,040,693.
There was an increase of 45,705 in primary vaccinations and a decrease of
26,079 in revaccinations. The rise in the death-rate from small-pox in
Calcutta has led to keeping vaccination stations open on every day
of the week and combining them with the birth registration stations. Orders
have been issued during the year to ensure improvement in the work of
inspection. Hitherto, stress has been laid only on the number of cases
inspected. In future, increased importance will be attached to the amount of
touring done by the inspecting officers, the state of discipline, and efficiency
amongst the subordinate vaccinators.
8. Plague.—The upward tendency which was noticed last year in the
prevalence of plague, became more marked during the year under review, when
75,681 deaths were reported as compared with 46,584 during the previous
year. The intensity of the disease was chiefly confined to Behar, where Patna
returned a death-rate of 12.46 per mille, Saran 8.76 and Shahabad 6.89.
In Calcutta, the mortality was 1.93 per mille. Inoculation was carried out
in 1,529 cases, as compared with 349 in the preceding year. No attacks or
deaths from plague were reported amongst the inoculated. Among towns,
Revelgunge was the worst sufferer and lost 42.59 per mille. Nine of the
towns recorded a rate of over 10 per mille. Evacuation of infected houses
continues to be the most popular of all measures for the suppression of plague,
and proved very useful wherever it was adopted in time. Disinfection of
infected houses by the sun's rays and by the use of kerosene oil emulsion, was
also practised. In Gaya town. desiccation was resorted to. In Calcutta
and Darbhanga, the eradication of rats was stimulated by the payment of
rewards to rat-catchers.
9. Fever.—After a decline in the mortality from this cause during the
last two years, there was a regrettable rise from 1,031,929 to 1,081,349 in the
total number of deaths recorded. Fever was responsible for 63.03 per cent.
of the total deaths from all causes during the year under review, the corres-
ponding figures for the last year being 61.69. Shahabad continued to
maintain its bad reputation, and headed the list with a mortality of 30.21 per
mille. In eight of the districts the ratio was over 25 per mille. Among towns,
Kumarkhali in the district of Nadia was the most feverish and lost 37.41
per mille of its population. Anti-malarial measures were continued in North
Barrackpore almost entirely at the cost of Government, and are now being
wound up. It is expected that the general sanitary condition of the Muni-
cipality will be greatly improved. Anti-malarial measures were only carried
out fully in ten towns.
10. The Provincial Malarial Committee discussed the following subjects
during the year :—
(1) Teaching of malarial prophylaxis in schools.
(2) Popularization of the use of quinine.
(3) Diffusion of knowledge in malaria prevention.
(4) Distribution of quinine in " treatments."
(5) The connection between drainage conditions and malarial problems.
Major Fry, Special Deputy Sanitary Commissioner was at work in the
districts of Jessore, Cuttack, Puri, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, Champaran,
Patna, Gaya, Shahabad, Hazaribagh, Ranchi, Manbhum and elsewhere, and