3
realise that cholera is essentially a preventible disease. Inoculation against
the disease was proved to be most effective and does not appear to be
unpopular.
Small-pox.—In 1924 the mortality from small-pox was 5,567 against
4,236 in 1923, 7,86 in 1922, 8,157 in 1921, and 36,190 in 1920. A review of
the mortality statistics of small-pox leads to the conclusion that in Bengal a
recrudescence of small-pox in epidemic intensity may be expected every five
years. The last severe epidemic of small-pox took place in 1919-20 and it
was, therefore, apprehended that another epidemic might appear in 1924-25.
This apprehension was unfortunately only too well-founded as was shown by
the high mortality during the first six months of 1925, though the epidemic
was less severe than that of 1919-20.
The total number of vaccinations reported in 1924-25 was 2,662,966 as
against 2,057,724 in 1923-24, showing an increase of 605,242 or 29.4 per
cent. operations. Of the total operations, 1,655,201 were recorded as primary
and 1,007,765 as re-vaccinations against 1,590,576 primary and 467,148
re-vaccinations during 1923-24. There was thus during the year 1924-25
an increase of 4.06 per cent. in primary and of 115.7 in re-vaccination
operations.
During the year under review all the districts in Bengal except Tippera,
Rangpur and Dinajpur, showed an increase in the total number of operations
in comparison with the figures of 1923-24. The increase in Calcutta was due
to the prevalence of small-pox in an epidemic form during 1924-25. The
increase in other districts is also attributable to the same reason as well as
to the introduction of free vaccination.
It is satisfactory to note that the supervision exercised by the District
Health officers with the assistance of the provincial vaccination inspecting
staff contributed in no small degree towards these satisfactory results.
During 1924-25 out of 1,112,074 infants requiring vaccination in the
Presidency, 306,344 or 275.4 per mille were reported to have been successfully
vaccinated as compared with 302,730 or 262.6 per mille of 1,152,773 infants
in the previous year.
Fever.—In 1924 the mortality from fever was 912,408 against 909,795
in 1923, showing a ratio of 19.6 per mille in 1924 against 19.5 in the previous
year. Deaths from fever as usual represented about 75 per cent. of the total
mortality in 1924, deaths from malaria, enteric and relapsing fevers were
less common than in the previous year, while mortality from measles
Kala-azar and other fevers increased, the increase under Kala-azar being
greatest (119 per cent.). As compared with the mean for the previous ten
years, all the divisions showed improvement in regard to fever mortality
during 1924, which was most marked in the Burdwan Division, where the
fever mortality was reduced by 30.0 per cent. and in the Presidency Division
where it diminished by 19.0 per cent. The Chittagong Division showed a
reduction of 10.9 per cent., Rajshahi Division 8.2 per cent., and Dacca
Division 1.6 per cent.
As regards the increase of malaria in Eastern Bengal districts the
Director of Public Health remarks as follows :—
" This increase of malaria in Eastern Bengal districts appears to be associated with the
great increase of the water hyacinth, an extensive multiplication of village roads raised
considerably above the surface of the country and railway extension in certain areas,
notably Mymensingh, all resulting in an interference with flow of flood water in the bils
and water-courses and across the surface of the country."
The experiments carried on in the colliery area (Singaran-Topsi) and
at Meenglas in the Duars with a view to reducing malaria were on the whole
successful. As noticed in the last year's resolution, the Banka Valley
scheme continued to give good results and effected a further reduction of the
spleen index. A flood and flush scheme was in operation at Jangipur, and
the results so far obtained were satisfactory.
Kala-azar.—The number of reported deaths from Kala-azar was 9,997 in
1924, against 4,565 in 1923, 1,531 in 1922 and 1,552 in 1921. The number