4
Health, of the beneficial effects of which two instances may be mentioned.
The ratio of infant mortality in the area under its jurisdiction was only 140
per mille compared with the rate of 342 in the district as a whole and the
provincial rate of 228 : this satisfactory result is ascribed to the fact that the
Board of Health employs a staff of trained midwives, who not only render
gratuitous assistance to women during confinement but also act as health
visitors The effect of the efficient system of vaccination and revaccination in
force is apparent from the fact that there were only 14 deaths from small-pox,
all imported, and that there were only 200 local cases, none of which proved
fatal.
12. Sanitary Engineering.—Altogether 14 schemes of water-supply,
sewerage and antirmalarial drainage were in course of construction during the
year under the control of the Sanitary Engineer; six of these were
completed, while the expenditure on new construction work amounted
to four lakhs of rupees. The progress of work was impeded by several
unavoidable causes. The rise in the cost of materials necessitated revision of
the estimates and a consequent re-examination of the financial basis of the
schemes ; variations in rates of exchange and labour difficulties in England
interfered with tenders for machinery and other materials, and after the
acceptance of tenders there was uncertainty about delivery and delay in
the fulfilment of contracts.
The growing realization of the importance of industrial housing in
large labour centres congregated near the mills is evinced by the
munificent contribution of 18½ lakhs, which has been made by the jute mill
companies having mills along the Hooghly for schemes of sanitation in mill
towns. Projects were prepared during the year under review for the
sewerage of Titaghar, Naihati, Bhatpara, Kamarhati, Bhadreswar and
Champdany, and for a town-planning scheme at Bhatpara, as well as for the
improvement of its water-supply.
13. Water-supply.—Of late years the District Boards have given greater
attention to the question of improving the sources of rural water-supply, and
in the year under report over 6½ lakhs of rupees were spent on the
construction of new tanks and wells in rural areas and over Rs. 68,000 on
the upkeep of the existing sources of supply. The Governor in Council
cordially appreciates the efforts of the District Boards in this direction,
but doubts their sagacity in financing capital works of this nature from
revenue. The Sanitary Commissioner himself points out in this connec-
tion that the practice of devoting a large portion of general revenue to
items of capital expenditure, which might legitimately be met from
loans, is seriously crippling the public health work of District Boards
and preventing them from undertaking proper measures for the suppression
of such epidemic diseases as cholera, which require a sufficiently numerous
staff of suitably trained subordinates.
14. Staff.—The year under review witnessed a rapid expansion of the
work of the Sanitary Department, the burden of which fell largely on the
Sanitary Commissioner, Dr. Bentley. The thanks of the Governor in Council
are due 'to Dr. Bentley for his devotion to duty and the untiring zeal
and indefatigable energy with which he discharged the responsibilities
of his office. The Governor in Council desires to express his apprecia-
tion of the efficient management of the sanitary engineering branch of the
Department by Mr. G. B. Williams, and, on his proceeding on leave, by
Mr. F. C. Griffin. He also desires to thank the Sanitary Board for the
assistance which they rendered Government in advising on the schemes
submitted by local bodies.
By order of the Governor in Council,
L. S. S. O'MALLEY,
Secretary to the Government of Bengal.