SECTION III.
STATISTICS OF THE PRISONERS OF BENGAL FOR EIGHTEEN YEARS FROM 1859 TO 1876;
AND EPIDEMIC FEVERS AS AFFECTING THE JAIL POPULATION.
CHAPTER I.
THE GENERAL STATISTICS OF THE JAIL POPULATION OF THE BENGAL PRESIDENCY FROM 1859
TO 1876.
The statistics of the Jails of Bengal, published annually and appended to the report of the
Sanitary Commissioner, are assimilated as regards geographical
distribution to the provincial areas into which it has been
found convenient to sub-divide the Bengal Presidency when
illustrating the effects of locality in the case of the European
and Native Armies.
The Secretary of State for India has suggested that it might be convenient that our com
-pilations should exhibit also the statistics of the jail population as related to Provincial Admi
-nistration; and I have taken this opportunity of re-arranging the results of Administrations in
a general manner for the period of 18 years, and for a ten-year period ending with 1876 in a
form parallel with that given for the Native Army in the preceding section, and for the Euro
-pean Army of Bengal in the Statistical Standard of 1860—69, showing the monthly as well as
the annual figures and ratios. In speaking of provincial sickness and mortality in this report,
it will therefore be understood that I am not quoting the aggregate of the statistics as exhibited
provincially year by year, but such as would approximately result from the aggregation of
the tabular statements published annually by the provincial Inspectors General of Jails.
The strengths here given will, as the rule, be less to a trifling extent than those of the local
Inspectors General, who take cognisance of every prisoner, while in some cases our statistics
omit the smaller lock-ups. This omission is not to be regretted, since the statistics of sickness
are too trivial and too inaccurate for incorporation with those for which a medical officer is
directly responsible.
As a record of sanitary progress, the results to be here shown are very gratifying. Up to
1866 the death-rate per 1,000 never was in any year below 58,
and in 1860 it actually reached 111. From 1867 to 1876 the
minimum was 30, and the maximum 43. Dividing the 18
years into periods, each of 9 years, in the first half 73.45 died annually on the average; in the
latter half of the period the death-rate averaged 38.67. The following are the Annual Death-
rates per 1,000 for the prisoners of Bengal taken as a body:—
1859. 1860.
1861.
1862.
1863.
1864.
1865.
1866.
1867. Average of 9 years.
83
111
97
67
86
70
58
62
38
73
1868.
1869.
1870.
1871.
1872.
1873.
1874.
1875.
1876. Average of 9 years.
30
43
4 2
35
44
43
40
34
38
39
The great steadiness which characterises the ratio of the last 10 years is its most important
feature; and the absence of fluctuation is, as in the case of the European Army, an index that
a standard has been attained, and that disease is comparatively under control.
It is, however, necessary that I should make this reservation, that, while the progress
indicated is true and undeniable, the prevalence of epidemic
contagious fevers in the first nine years caused nearly 6,000
deaths, while from 1867 to 1876 not more than 500 deaths were
attributed to the same influence. Some might conclude that
this comparative immunity followed as a consequence of sanitary improvements carried out,
and was fairly a part of the general advance towards a higher standard of health. I should do
wrong if I countenanced such an opinion, and claimed for sanitation the credit of having
stamped out this pestilence.
It may not be in our generation that the necessity for a clear comprehension of the etiologi
- c a l r e l a t i o n s o f t h i s e p i d e m i c t y p h u s m a y a r i s e . B u t n o t t h e l e s s i s i t n e c e s s a r y i n t h e i n t e r e s t s
of those to come after us, that the teachings of these nine years, during which the fever prevailed,
should be recorded. Recur it must; and not necessarily in sequence to insanitary conditions
which in the interval may have crept into these jails. And it is, above all, essential to the saving
of life, that the observer in the future shall know what to expect; for to temporise with a
typhus is to allow a conflagration to gain head which is finally quenched after excessive loss, if
quenched at all. Therefore it is that I have given so prominent a place in this section to the
epidemic contagious fever of 1859-67; and if I have insisted. strongly on the recognition of
In this report the statistics of the
various Provinces are arranged ac
-cording to Administrations.
The jail statistics a record of sani
-tary progress.
Contagious fevers a cause of exces
-sive fluctuation in the jail mortal
-ity.
2 p
P