NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
ANNUAL STATISTICAL RETURNS
AND
SHORT NOTES ON VACCINATION IN BENGAL
FOR THE YEAR
1917-18.
BY
DR. C. A. BENTLEY, M.B., D.P.H., D.T.M. & H.,
Sanitary Commissioner for Bengal.
CALCUTTA:
THE BENGAL SECRETARIAT BOOK DEPÔT.
1918.
[Price—Indian,
7 annas ; English,
8d.]
ANNUAL STATISTICAL RETURNS
AND
SHORT NOTES ON VACCINATION IN BENGAL
FOR THE YEAR
1917-18.
BY
DR. C. A. BENTLEY, M.B., D.P.H., D.T.M. & H.,
Sanitary Commissioner for Bengal.
CALCUTTA:
THE BENGAL SECRETARIAT BOOK DEPÔT.
1918.
Published at the Bengal Secretariat Book Depôt, Writers'
Buildings, Calcutta.
Official Agents.
In India—
MESSRS. THACKER, SPINK & Co., Calcutta and Simla.
MESSRS. NEWMAN & Co., Calcutta.
MESSRS. HIGGINBOTHAM & Co., Madras.
MESSRS. THACKER & Co., LD., Bombay.
MESSRS. A. J. COMBRIDGE & Co., Bombay.
THE SUPERINTENDENT, AMERICAN BAPTIST MISSION PRESS, Rangoon.
MRS. RADHABAI ATMARAM SAGOON, Bombay.
MESSRS. R. CAMBRAY & Co., Calcutta.
RAI SAHIB M. GULAB SINGH & SONS, Proprietors of the Mufid-i-am Press, Lahore,
Punjab.
MESSRS. THOMPSON & Co., Madras.
MESSRS. S. MURTHY & Co., Madras.
MESSRS. GOPAL NARAYAN & Co., Bombay.
MESSRS. B. BANERJEE & Co., 25, Cornwallis Street, Calcutta.
MESSES. S. K. LAHI RI & Co., Printers and Book-sellers, College Street, Calcutta.
MESSRS. V. KALYANARAMA IYER & Co., Booksellers, &c., Madras.
MESSRS. D. B. TARAPOREVALA & SONS, Book-sellers, Bombay.
MESSRS. G. A. NATESAN & Co., Madras.
THE INDIAN SCHOOL SUPPLY DEPÔT, 309, Bow Bazar, Calcutta.
MR. SUNDER PANDURANG, Bombay.
MESSRS. A. M. and J. FERGUSON, Ceylon.
MESSRS. TEMPLE & Co., Madras.
BAKU S. C. TALUKDAR, Proprietor, Students & Co., Cooch Behar.
MESSRS. RAMCHANDRA GOVIND & SON, Book-sellers and Publishers, Kalvadevi,
Bombay.
MESSRS. BUTTERWORTH & Co. (INDIA), LD., Calcutta.
THE WELDON LIBRARY, 18-5, Chowringhee Road, Calcutta.
RAI M. C. SARKAR BAHADUR & SONS, 90-2A, Harrison Road, Calcutta.
THE PROPRIETOR OF THE NEWAL KISHORE PRESS, Lucknow.
THE STANDARD LITERATURE COMPANY, LIMITED, 13-1, Old Court House Street,
Calcutta.
MR. G. N. HALDER. Calcutta.
MESSRS. VAS & Co., Madras.
MESSRS. A. H. WHEELER & Co., Allahabad, Calcutta and Bombay.
M. R. RY. E. M. GOPALAKRISHNA KONE, Madras.
MESSRS. RAMA KRISHNA & SONS, Anarkali Street, Lahore.
THE MANAGER, "HITAVADA", Nagpur.
THE YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION PRESS, Calcutta.
MESSRS. LAL CHAND & SONS, 76, Lower Circular Road, Calcutta.
In Great Britain—
MESSRS. A. CONSTABLE & Co., 10, Orange Street, Leicester Square, London, W.C.
MESSRS. GRINDLAY & Co., 54, Parliament Street, London, S. W.
MESSRS. KEGAN, PAUL, TRENCH, TRÜBNER & Co., 68-74, Carter Lane, London,
E. C.; Oriental Department, 25, Museum Street, London, W. C.
MR. B. QUARITCH, 11, Grafton Street, New Bond Street, London, W.
MESSRS. W. THACKER & Co., 2, Creed Lane, Ludgate Hill, London, E. C.
MESSRS. P. S. KING & SON, 2 & 4, Great Smith Street, Westminster, London, S. W.
MESSRS. H. S. KING & Co., 65, Cornhill, London, E. C.
MR. B. H. BLACKWELL, 50-51, Broad Street, Oxford.
MESSRS. DEIGHTON BELL & Co., LIMITED, Trinity Street. Cambridge.
MESSRS. LUZAC & Co., 46, Great Russel Street, London, W. C.
MESSRS. OLIVER AND BOYD, Tweeddale Court, Edinburgh.
MESSRS. E. PONSONBY, LIMITED, 116, Grafton Street, Dublin.
MR. T. FISHER UNWIN, LIMITED, 1, Adelphi Terrace, London, W. C.
MESSRS. WILLIAM WESLEY & SON, 28, Essex Street, Strand, London.
On the Continent—
MR. ERNEST LEROUX, Rue Bonaparte, Paris, France.
MR. MARTINUS NIJHOFF, The Hague, Holland.
Diagram illustrating death-rates from small-pox during the year 1917-18 and degree
of protection afforded, 1911-12 to 1917-18.
NOTES.—Thin lines indicate the death-rates from small-pox.
Thick lines indicate the proportion of population protected by vaccination.
4
the benefits of free vaccination, I have succeeded in inducing the Burdwan
and Midnapore District Boards, to introduce this measure from next year
under the supervision of a District Sanitary. Officer. The Municipal Commis-
sioners of Burdwan, Darjeeling, Serampore Vishnupur. Kumarkhali and
Maniktala, have also been induced to abolish the system of charging fees
for home vaccination, so that people may fully avail themselves of this prophy-
lactic. The quality of lymph manufactured at the Animal Vaccine Depôt,
Calcutta, during the year was better than that of the previous year, but
similar difficulties were experienced in preparing the vaccine lymph owing to
the loss of shipments of lanoline and vaccine tubes by the operations of war.
Persistent endeavours have been made during the year to induce both Muni-
cipalities and District Boards to accept their full responsibilities in respect
of vaccination ; and in some directions these efforts have met with promising
success. But much more remains to be done and there is no prospect of any
material improvement being effected in the efficiency of vaccination through-
out the Province, until every district is provided with a full-time Health
Officer and a trained subordinate staff, who can both organise vaccination
work and carry out other much needed sanitary measures in addition.
17. The prescribed statements are appended to these notes.
CHAS. A. BENTLEY, M.B., D.P.H., D.T.M. & H.,
Sanitary Commissioner in Bengal.
DARJEELING.
The 10th June 1918.
vii
COMPARATIVE STATEMENT NO. IV—Showing the number of Persons primarily vaccinated, and the number of those Persons who were
successfully vaccinated in each of the undermentioned official years.
ESTABLISHMENT.
1
Government...
...
...
...
Municipal...
...
...
...
Local
Fund...
...
...
...
Dispensaries, etc... ... ... ...
Work done by ex Inoculators...
Total...
PERSONS PRIMARILY VACCINATED.
1908-1909.
Total
number.
2
5,850
90,061
12,275
1,313
1,622,835
1,732,334
Number
successfully
vaccinated.
3
5,686
87,445
1,225
1,172
1,597,818
1,704,377
1909-1910.
Total
number.
4
6,798
82,357
15,038
1,294
1,601,179
1,706,666
Number
success-
fully
vaccina-
ted.
5
6,487
78,824
14,987
1,179
1,542,850
1,644,327
1910-1911.
Total
number.
6
6,204
84,395
12,734
323
1,593,351
1,696,907
Number
success-
fully
vaccina-
ted.
7
5,900
76,762
12,651
153
1,340,951
1,636,407
1911-1912.
Total
number.
8
6,907
89,495
10,989
1,428
1,693,179
1,801,998
Number
success-
fully
vaccina-
ted.
9
4,986
85,222
10,816
1,247
1,630,184
1,732,455
1912-1913.
Total
number.
10
6,618
87,525
12,079
2,777
1,665,033
1,774,032
Number
success-
fully.
vaccina-
ted.
11
6,481
85,263
12,078
2,535
1,636,325
1,742,682
1913-1914.
Total
number.
12
7,085
84,480
14,677
2,788
1,457,815
1,566,845
Number
success-
fully
vaccina-
ted.
13
7,032
82,601
14,245
2,532
1,438,277
1,544,687
1914-1915.
Total
number.
14
6,387
86,220
1,225
1,296
1,026,427
1,132,589
Number
success-
fully
vaccina-
ted.
15
6,255
82,682
12,006
1,230
995,636
1,097,809
1915-1916.
Total
number.
16
8,082
74,792
141,859
2,458
1,030,972
1,258,163
Number
success-
fully
vaccina-
ted.
17
7,984
71,457
134,919
2,140
1,004,570
1,221,670
1916-1917.
Total
number.
18
7,466
76,724
148,874
2,084
1,065,434
1,300,582
Number
success-
fully
vaccina-
ted.
19
7,198
70,874
144,599
1,803
1,009,887
1,234,361
1917-1918.
Total
number.
20
7,473
82,457
191,320
7,083
1,064,246
1,349,579
Number
successfully
vaccinated.
21
7,296
78,439
188,953
6,915
1,025,332
1,306,935
x
STATEMENT NO. VII—Showing the protection afforded to Infants in each
Town in the Province of Bengal during the year 1917-18.
DISTRICT.
1
BURDWAN ...
BIRBHUM
...
BANKURA...
MIDNAPORE...
HOOGHLY ...
HOWRAH...
24-PAR-
GANAS.
TOWN.
2
Burdwan...
Kalna...
Katwa...
Dainhat...
Raniganj...
Asansol...
Total...
Suri...
Bankura...
Vishnupur...
Sonamukhi...
Total...
Midnapore...
Ghatal...
Kharar...
Chandrakona...
Ramjibanpur...
Khirpai... ...
Tamluk... ...
Total...
Hooghly and
Chinsura.
Bansberia...
Arambagh...
Serampore...
Uttarpara...
Kotrung...
Baidyabati...
Bhadreswar and
Champdani.
RishraKonnagar
Total...
Howrah...
Bally...
Total...
Total of the
Burdwan
Division.
Cossipore-Chit-
pur.
Manicktolla...
South Suburban
Tollygunge.
Number of births dur-
ing the year.
3
379
135
161
116
400
722
1,913
83
563
493
308
1,364
593
284
145
166
255
110
158
1,711
851
88
173
712
163
154
435
336
439
3,353
4,713
431
5,144
13,568
1,173
960
924
470
Number
of deaths
amongst
children
under 1 year during
the year.
4
51
35
37
43
85
129
380
6
98
90
51
239
81
57
27
28
70
29
25
317
156
28
40
116
18
25
77
68
84
612
1,164
80
1,244
2,798
310
438
106
45
Number of successful
vaccinations on child-
ren under 1 year dur-
ing the year ending
31st March 1918.
5
530
172
241
203
45
47
1,238
93
269
392
162
823
237
285
116
80
117
54
123
1,012
349
61
79
173
41
23
301
311
121
1,459
2,050
311
2,361
6,986
696
787
876
507
Date of extension of Vaccination
Act to town.
6
1st July 1883.
1st „ „
1st „ „
1st „ „
1st „ „
14th September 1910.
1st July 1881.
1st
„ 1883.
1st
„ „
6th „ 1892.
1st July 1883.
1st
„ „
16th August 1889.
1st July 1883.
1st „
„
1st „ „
1st „
1st September 1881.
1st July 1883.
11th February 1889.
1st March 1883.
1st April „ „
1st July „ „
1st „ „
1st „
„
(It formerly formed a part of
the Serampore Municipality.)
1st April 1882.
1st October 1884.
1st October 1883.
1st „ „
1st
„
„
Ditto.
(It formerly formed-
a part of the South Suburban
Municipality.)
xi
DISTRICT.
1
24-PARGA-
NAS—
concld.
CALCUTTA
..
NADIA...
Town.
2
Garden Reach...
Budge-Budge...
Baranagar...
Kamarhati...
Rajpur...
Baruipur...
Jaynagar...
North
Dum-
Dum.
South
Dum-
Dum.
South Barrack-
pore includ-
ing Barrack-
pore Canton-
ment.
Barrackpore ...
Panihati...
North Barrack -
pore.
Titagarh...
Garulia...
Naihati...
Halisahar and
Kanebrapara.
Bhatpara...
Barasat...
Gobardanga...
Basirhat...
Baduria...
Taki...
Total...
Calcutta...
Krishnagar...
Nadia...
Ranaghat...
Birnagar...
Santipur...
Chakdaha...
Kushtia...
Kumarkhali ...
Meherpur...
Total...
Number of births dur-
ing the year.
3
939
350
588
354
372
110
136
163
254
122
143
237
293
652
115
344
215
870
176
115
620
295
167
11,150
18,945
485
225
249
48
923
128
143
92
161
2,454
Number
of deaths
amongst
children
under 1 year during
the year.
4
203
49
175
57
50
24
35
35
31
16
9
45
72
137
24
57
21
77
17
15
93
26
11
2,178
4,490
92
37
48
16
165
25
13
18
20
434
Number of successful
vaccinations on child-
ren under 1 year
during the year ending
31st March 1918.
5
756
61
288
216
75
40
19
69
137
111
19
98
86
137
14
48
67
152
110
50
344
63
80
5,906
10,940
159
89
198
26
50
43
129
29
57
780
Date of extension of Vaccination
Act to town.
6
1st October 1883. (It formerly
formed a part of the South
Suburban Municipality.)
18th February 1902.
1st October 1883.
1st
„
„
(It
formerly formed a part of the
Baranagar Municipality.)
1st October 1883.
1st
„ „
1st
„ „
1st
„ „
1st
„ „
1st
„ „
1st
„
„
They
formerly formed parts of the
South Barrackpore Munici-
pality.
1st October 1883.
1st
„
..
(It
formerly formed a part of the
South Barrackpore Munici-
pality.)
1st October 1883. (It formerly
formed a part of the North
Barrackpore Municipality.)
1st October 1883.
1st
„
„
They formerly formed parts
of the Naihati Munici-
pality.)
1st October 1883.
1st
„ „
1st „ „
1st
„ „
1st
„
„
1880.
1st October 1883.
1st
„
„
1st
„
„
1st
„
„
1st
„
„
28th January 1887.
1st October 1883.
1st „ „
1st „ „
xii
DISTRICT.
1
MU SHIDA-
BAD.
JESSORE...
KHULNA...
RAJSHAHI...
DINAJPUR...
JALPAIGURI...
DARJEELING...
RANGPUR...
BOGRA...
PABNA...
Town
2
Berhampore ...
Murshidabad...
Azimganj...
Kandi...
Jangipur...
Dhuliyan...
Total...
Jessore...
Kotchandpur...
Maheshpur...
Total...
Khulna...
Satkhira...
Debhatta...
Total...
Total of the
Presidency
Division.
Rampur Boalia
Nator...
Total...
Dinajpur...
Jalpaiguri...
Darjeeling...
Kurseong...
Total...
Rangpur...
Bogra...
Sherpur...
Total...
Pabna...
Sirajganj...
Total...
Number of births dur-
ing the year.
3
630
345
286
315
373
353
2,302
97
247
59
403
204
208
112
524
35,785
742
140
882
244
229
290
196
486
227
129
87
216
277
430
707
Number of
Deaths
amongst
Children
under 1 year during
the 3year.
4
104
88
56
54
27
59
388
21
26
10
57
31
24
26
81
7,628
94
31
125
47
42
36
57
93
42
33
20
53
44
34
78
Number of successful
vaccinations on child-
ren under 1 year
during the year ending
31st March 1918.
5
170
69
11
279
249
221
999
20
100
34
154
29
121
94
244
19,023
96
16
112
55
97
145
165
310
95
56
18
74
228
348
576
Date of extension of Vaccination
Act to town.
6
1st October 1883.
1st „ „
1st
(It formerly formed a part of the
Murshidabad Municipality).
1st October 1883.
1st „ „
26th June 1910.
1st October 1883.
21st February 1884.
1st October 1883.
1st July 1887.
7th „ 1883.
1st October 1883.
1st June 1881.
1st January 1881.
1st January 1887.
1st „ „
1st September 1884.
1st January 1887.
1st July 1881.
1st January 1882.
1st October 1884.
1st February 1882.
1st January 1887.
xiii
DISTRICT.
1
MALDA...
DACCA...
MYMEN-
SINGH.
FARIDPUR...
BANARGANJ...
CHITTAGONG
TIPPERA...
...
NOAKHALI ...
TOWN.
2
English Bazar...
Malda...
Nawabganj...
Total...
Total of Raj-
shahi Division
Dacca...
Narainganj...
Total...
Mymensingh...
Muktagacha ...
Netrokona...
Jamalpur...
Sherpur...
Kishorganj...
Bajitpur...
Tangail...
Total...
Faridpur...
Madaripur...
Total...
Barisal...
Jhalakati...
Nalchiti...
Pirojpur...
Patuakhali...
Total...
Total of Dacca
Division.
Chittagong...
Cox's Bazar...
Total...
Comilla...
Brahmanbaria...
Chandpur...
Total...
Sudharam...
Total of Chitta-
gong Division.
Total for the
Province.
Number of births dur-
ing the year.
3
340
123
550
1,013
4,004
3,788
970
4,758
340
190
184
787
553
515
279
430
3,278
323
801
1,124
561
61
39
364
168
1,193
10,353
874
130
1,004
462
981
306
1,749
154
2,907
66,617
Number
of deaths
amongst
children
under 1 year during
the year.
4
77
28
67
172
652
784
180
964
74
36
21
111
91
66
24
84
507
47
177
224
62
14
6
45
25
152
1,847
191
19
210
37
204
41
282
23
515
13,440
Number of successful
vaccinations on child-
ren under 1 year dur-
ing the year ending
31st March 1918.
5
297
85
318
700
2,019
1,025
218
1,243
35
41
131
90
167
73
31
105
673
28
17
45
62
10
5
223
23
323
2,284
112
35
147
57
253
176
486
34
667
30,979
Date of extension of vaccination
Act to town.
6
1st March 1883.
1st April 1887.
12th May 1904.
1st July 1887.
1st „
„
1st October 1887.
1st
„
„
20th January 1890.
1st October 1887.
1st „ „
1st „ „
1st „ „
19 th February 1890
1st October 1887.
1st „ „
1st October 1887.
1st „ „
1st „ „
1st January 1890.
25th January 1894
1st April 1887.
14th November 1892.
1st April 1887.
1st „ „
22nd July 1898.
1st April 1887.
* Champdani Municipality in Hooghly.
† Kanchrapara Municipality in 24-Parganas.
xv
PROVINCIAL STATEMENT A.—Showing the degree of protection afforded to
infants during the year 1917-18.
DISTRICTS
1
Malda... ...
Darjeeling... ...
Rajshahi... ...
Murshidabad...
Nadia ...
Khulna...
Jalpaiguri... ...
Jessore...
Howrah...
Dinajpur...
Chittagong
Hill
Tracts.
Pabna...
Burdwan...
Hooghly...
Bankura...
Noakhali...
24-Parganas...
Midnapore...
Bogra...
Rangpur...
Tipperah...
Birbhum...
Faridpur...
Chittagong
...
Dacca...
Mymensingh...
Bakarganj...
Total of the Rural
Circles.
Calcutta ...
Mufassal Municipali-
ties, etc., etc.
GRAND TOTAL...
Rural population
among which
vaccinations
were performed.
2
962,765
240,971
1,448,930
1,288,791
1,521,928
1,337,579
890,895
1,737,066
741,719
1,671,918
153,879
1,384,535
1,444,185
938,615
1,081,464
1,295,081
1,885,590
2,738,301
970,366
2,368,901
2,372,434
926,342
2,089,710
1,475,289
2,823,975
4,404,353
2,380,293
42,575,875
896,067
2,011,184
45,483,126
Estimated
birth at 36.83
per 1,000 of
population
being the
birth-rate for
the province
during the
year 1917-18.
3
35,459
8,875
53,364
47,466
56,053
49,263
32,812
63,976
27,318
61,577
5,667
50,992
53,189
34,569
39,830
47,698
69,446
100,852
35,738
87,247
87,377
34,117
76,964
54,335
104,007
162,212
87,666
1,568,069
33,002
74,072
1,675,143
Mortality
among
infants
under one
year.
4
7,171
1,673
12,730
11,966
14,235
10,323
8,092
8,987
4,302
15,549
1,046
8,739
12,334
6,713
7,445
7,675
8,501
17,305
6,289
19,915
8,923
7,522
14,474
12,700
17,284
26,837
17,413
296,143
4,490
8,950
309,583
Surviving
population
under one year
available for
vaccination.
5
28,288
7,202
40,634
35,500
41,818
38,940
24,720
54,989
23,016
46,028
4,621
42,253
40,855
27,856
32,385
40,023
60,945
83,547
29,449
67,332
78,454
26,595
62,490
41,635
86,723
135,375
70,253
1,271,926
28,512
65,122
1,365,560
Number
successfully
vaccinated.
6
25,600
5,688
21,884
16,475
19,018
16,668
10,154
19,093
7,821
15,112
1,373
12,542
12,013
7,926
8,960
10,460
15,466
20,951
6,505
13,709
14,175
3,582
7,921
4,762
9,190
13,247
4,809
325,104
10,940
20,677
356,721
Proportion
of persons
successfully
vaccinated
per 1,000 of
population
as shown in
column 5.
7
904.97
789.78
538.56
464.08
454.78
428.04
410.76
347.21
339.80
328.32
297.12
296.83
294.03
284.53
276.67
261.34
253.76
250.76
220.89
203.60
180.67
134.68
126.75
114.37
105.96
97.85
68.45
255.59
383.69
317.51
261.22
Proportion
of persons
successfully
vaccinated
per 1,000 of
population in
1916-17.
8
869.51
878.74
720.19
491.98
466.59
519.71
379.73
443.77
377.09
373.32
443.89
277.64
336.96
467.82
478.06
251.13
521.80
299.12
289.15
254.78
166.91
212.99
101.67
114.86
117.72
97.72
67.44
302.15
404.78
344.21
306.26
In Chittagong Hill Tracts the registration of births and deaths is not carried on. The number of deaths among
infants has been calculated at the rate of infant mortality (184.60) obtaining in this Presidency in 1917.
GOVERNMENT OF BENGAL.
MUNICIPAL
DEPARTMENT.
Sanitation Branch.
CALCUTTA, THE 22ND JULY 1918.
RESOLUTION—No. 479San.
READ—
The Reports of the Sanitary Commissioner, the Sanitary Board and the Sanitary
Engineer, Bengal, for the year 1917.
READ ALSO—
The Annual Statistical Returns and Short Notes on Vaccination in Bengal for the
year 1917-18.
General results.—The year 1917 was remarkably healthy.
The
number of recorded births exceeded the number of deaths by 440,364,
representing an addition of approximately 1 per cent. to the population
recorded at the last census. The increase was more than double that
returned last year, which was the largest recorded since 1912.
2. Birth-rate.—The birth-rate rose from 31.89 per mille to 35.91 per
mille, which exceeds by 2.59 per mille the mean ratio of the previous quin-
quennium. The actual increase over the number of births recorded last year
was 182,281; and every district contributed to this increase except Howrah
and Bankura, where there was a decrease of 1.2 per mille.
Cause of death.
Cholera ... ...
Small-pox... ...
Plague... ...
Fever... ...
Dysentery and diarrhoea ...
Respiratory diseases...
Injury...
Other causes ...
All causes...
DEATH-RATE PER
MILLE.
1917.
1.0
.1
.003
19.5
.5
.2
.4
4.3
26.2
1912-1916
(Average.)
2.05
.3
.01
21.9
.6
.2
.4
4.6
30.2
3. Death-rate.—The death-rate fell from 27.37 to 26.19 per mille. the
actual mortality being nearly 200,000 less
than the average of the previous quin-
quennium. The decline was common to
both urban and rural areas; and, as
shown in the marginal statement, there
was a smaller mortality from all the
common diseases except respiratory di-
seases. Among the districts, Darjeeling
has the highest death-rate (38.6 per
mille), its unenviable position being due
to the unhealthiness of the Tarai, where
the Sanitary Commissioner records the
melancholy fact that 49.2 per mille of
the population fell victims to fever.
Among the towns of Bengal Kurseong heads the list, not for the first time,
its death-rate being 48.79 per mille. Its unhealthiness is ascribed to insani-
tary conditions and the want of a proper sewerage system. The Governor
in Council has determined to remedy this unsatisfactory state of affairs, and
a sewerage scheme will shortly be carried out with the help of a large
Government grant and loan.
4. Infantile mortality.—The number of infants dying during the first
year of life was only 18.5 per hundred births. There has been a steady and
progressive decrease in infantile mortality during the last four years, the
percentage falling from 22.14 to 18.5. The highest ratio (23.92) was recorded
in Calcutta, where, however, there has been considerable improvement during
recent years. The ignorance and inefficiency of Indian mid wives, coupled
with the insanitary conditions which attend child-birth in a crowded city,
constitute a special problem ; and the Governor in Council is pleased to
observe the success of the Lady Health Visitors and the midwifery orga-
nization under their control in preventing waste of child-life.
During
6
work can, in his opinion, be expected until there is a properly organized
public health department in each district. The Governor in Council
recognizes the steps already taken by District Boards to afford medical
relief by the establishment and maintenance of dispensaries, but hitherto
their energies have been devoted to the cure rather than the prevention
of disease. It has not been sufficiently realized that public health is one
of their primary duties, that they are responsible for initiating sanitary
reforms in rural areas, and that for this purpose there must be an organized
staff trained in modern methods of hygiene and capable of dealing with
problems of public health. The great majority of the Boards have been
satisfied with entertaining a low paid Sanitary Inspector of poor qualifications
and with deputing doctors to deal with epidemics as they arise. Much more
is required of the District Boards if they are to discharge their functions
as guardians of the public health ; and orders are about to issue, as a
preliminary measure of reform, requiring the appointment by all District
Boards of a qualified District Health Officer, who will be responsible for
vaccination work, measures against epidemics and sanitary education in rural
areas.
17. Staff.—Dr. C. A. Bentley was in charge of the office of Sanitary
Commissioner, Bengal, and Mr. G. B. Williams of that of Sanitary Engineer,
throughout the year. The Governor in Council desires to acknowledge the
enthusiasm and zeal of Dr. Bentley, and to express his appreciation of the
efficiency with which Mr. Williams has, as in previous years, discharged
his duties. He also desires to thank the Sanitary Board and their President,
the Hon'ble Mr. C. J. Stevenson-Moore, C.V.O., for valuable assistance in
examining and advising Government on sanitary schemes and on the pro-
gramme of sanitary work.
By order of the Governor in Council,
L. S. S. O'MALLEY.
Secretary to the Govt. of Bengal.
CIRCULAR Nos. 840-850San.
() For (1) &
(2) only.
* Report on Sanitation in Bengal for the year
1917.
Annual Statistical Returns and Short Notes on
Vaccination in Bengal for the year 1917-18.
COPY (with copies of the reports*)
forwarded to—
(1) all Commissioners of Divisions for information and communication;
to all District Officers and Chairmen of District Boards in their
respective divisions;
(2)
Surgeon-General
Inspector-General of Police Bengal, for information ;
(3)
Secretary to the Sanitary Board
Commissioner
'
Sanitary Engineer
Bengal, for information.
By order of the Governor in Council,
S. N. ROY,
Under-Secretary to the Govt. of Bengal.
CALCUTTA (DACCA) :
MUNPL. DEPT.—Sanitation,
The 22nd July1918.
B. S. Press—27-7-1918—860J—1,191— J. L. C.
ELEVENTH TRIENNIAL REPORT
on
VACCINATION IN BENGAL
for the years
1917-18, 1918-19 and 1919-20.
by
DR. C. A. BENTLEY, M.B., D.P.H., D.T.M. & H.,
Sanitary Commissioner for Bengal.
CALCUTTA:
THE BENGAL SECRETARIAT BOOK DEPÔT.
1920
[Price—Indian,
it
annas.]
ELEVENTH TRIENNIAL REPORT
on
VACCINATION IN BENGAL
for the years
1917-18, 1918-19 and 1919-20.
by
DR. C. A. BENTLEY, M.B., D.P.H., D.T.M. & H.,
Sanitary Commissioner for Bengal.
CALCUTTA :
THE BENGAL SECRETARIAT BOOK DEPÔT.
1920.
Diagram illustrating death-rates from small-pox during the year
1919-20 and degree of protection afforded, 1913-14 to 1919-20.