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(v) Nutrition.—It is being increasingly recognised that malnutrition is an
important contributory cause of sickness of India's vast population. The
Institute therefore is giving a good deal of its attention to the study of the
problems of nutrition in India. Analysis of a large number of local food-
stuffs has been carried out with a view to assessing their nutritive value.
A number of nutrition surveys have been made in Calcutta and other parts
of the country together with surveys of the diet actually consumed by the
different sections of the community. This work has revealed a high
incidence of malnutrition and a general deficiency Of a good class protein
and calcium in the diet. In the laboratory many problems connected with
the metabolism of the vitamins and their relation. to health and disease have
been investigated. The relation of diet to anaemia, cataract and epidemic
dropsy is also studied.
(vi) Maternal mortality.—In view of the alarming maternal mortality
rate in India, investigation into the causes leading to deaths in pregnancy,
child-birth and the puerperium have been conducted. These studies have
brought out the• fact that sepsis, toxaemia and anaemia of pregnancy are
the most important causes of maternal deaths. Researches on the aetio-
logy and treatment of these conditions are in progress and valuable results
ore expected.
(iv). HAFFKINE INSTITUTE, BOMBAY.
The Haffkine Institute is the principal medical research laboratory of
Western India and in addition acts as (a) centre for the manufacture of
plague vaccine for the whole of India, (b) the provincial bacteriological
laboratory for routine diagnostic work and the preparation. of prophylactic
vaccines other than plague vaccine for the Bombay Presidency and (c)
Pasteur Institute for the Bombay Presidency and the adjoining Indian
States.
2. It is the oldest research institute in India. It was started in 1896
by the Government of. India under the Directorship of Dr. Waldemar
iardecai.Wolf Haffkine when the great plague pandemic broke out in India.
After occupying various temporary buildings, it eventually came to rest in
the present magnificent building which, till 1885, was the official residence
of the Governors of Bombay and was abandoned when the Government
House was transferred to another site. In 1899, Haffkine, who had been
preparing prophylactic vaccine in. various temporary laboratories in the city,
obtained permission to take over the building for the manufacture of his
vaccine. It was then known as the Plague Research Laboratory and one
of its principal functions was, as it is today, the manufacture of "Plague
Prophylactic" and plague researches. The laboratory continued to expand
and came to function as the principal centre for medical research and a
diagnostic centre for the clinical requirements of Western. India and so,
to indicate the expansion in its functions, its name was changed in 1906
to that of the Bombay Bacteriological Laboratory. More recently owing
to further expansion of its activities to include antirabic, pharmacological
and biochemical research its name was again changed, in 1925, to "The
Haffkine Institute" in memory of the great investigator who was its founder
and its inspiration and who may be regarded as one of India's greatest
benefactors.
Contributed by Lt.-Col. S. S. Sokhey, I.M.S.