STATISTICS OF THE JAIL POPULATION OF BENGAL FROM 1859 TO 1876. [Section III.
154
certain principles in connection with its history, it is because I know that the very same objec
- t i o n s a n d d o u b t s w i l l c e r t a i n l y b e b r o u g h t u p a g a i n , a n d l e a d t o n o t l e s s d i s a s t r o u s c o n s e q u e n c e s
than have followed the assertion of erroneous individual opinions in our time.
It is not only in the statistics of the prison population as a body that the improvement is
evident. Taken province by province the history is consistent.
In Bengal Proper, which has no typhus, the diminution of the
ratio in the two nine-year periods, is from 90 to 70; in Oudh,
from 83 to 22; in the North-Western Provinces from 72 to 36; in the Central Provinces from
64 to 39; and in the Punjab from 46 to 33.
It is in the ratio for cholera, fever, and dysentery that the diminution is most apparent.
Dysentery, or the diarrhœa of anæmia, is the disease peculiar
to the prisoner; and no more satisfactory test of his condition
can be applied than the ratios which show the tendency to
succumb to bowel complaints, or the reverse.
These are the death ratios per 1,000 of strength for dysentery and diarrhœa under the
various administrations, taken over the 18-year period:—
Bengal. Oudh. N.-W. Provinces. Central Provinces.
Punjab. Bengal Presidency.
1859-67
43.11
39.85
24.94
24.13
11.28
29.48
1868-76
21.93
8.05
17.08
17.08
7.98
1 5 . 6 2
These ratios show a diminution of nearly one-half in the mortality caused by bowel affec
-tions.
The following are the cholera-ratios of the two periods:—
Bengal. Oudh. N.-W. Provinces. Central Provinces. Punjab.
Bengal Presidency.
1859-67 19.40
7.40
7.59
1 1 . 2 7 2.19
10.77
1868-76
7.85
.82
1.45
2.73
.82
3 . 2 8
This is a very perfect demonstration, showing the direct relation which the liability to the
attack of cholera in epidemic seasons bears to the hygienic conditions under which the body
subjected to the attack is placed.
In Upper India, the fever ratio of the later of the two periods implies the comparative
absence of contagious fevers. The disparity is very striking and significant. The ratio for
Bengal Proper is not proportionate to that for bowel complaints, and in the worst years has
never exceeded 6 per 1,000—
Bengal. Oudh. N.-W. Provinces. Central Provinces.
Punjab. Bengal Presidency.
1859-67
4.80
22.70
22. 41
12.70
21.90
15.58
1868-76
3.50
2.42
3.29
3.35
9.25
4.50
The mortality from diseases of anæmia, spleen disease, dropsy, scurvy and atrophy, is also
less, although not so markedly so as in the other illustrations
—
Bengal. Oudh. N.-W. Provinces. Central Provinces.
Punjab. Bengal Presidency.
1859-67
7.81
3.85
5.31
5.05
2.78
5.51
1868-76
5.29
2.07
3 . 1 1
5 . 1 1
1 . 3 8
3.39
In summary, the comparison stands thus
—
Causes
of
Death.
Bengal.
Oudh.
N.-W.
Provinces.
Central
Provinces.
Punjab.
Bengal
Presidency.
1859-67. 1868-76. 1859-67. 1868-76. 1859-67. 1868-76. 1859-67. 1868-76. 1859-67.1868-76. 1859-67. 1868-76.
Cholera
19.40 7.85
7.40
.82 7.59 1.45 11.27 2.73 2.19 .82 10.77 3 . 2 8
Fevers
4.80 3. 50
22.70 2.42 22.41 3.29 12.70 3.35 21.90 9.25 15.58 4 . 5 0
Apoplexy
.63
. 4 3
.47
. 5 2 .75 .70 .19 .33 .62 .65 .61 .57
Dysentery 43.11 21. 93
39.85 8.05 24.94 17.08 24.13 17.08 11.28 7.98 29.48 1 5 . 6 2
Hepatitis
.50
. 1 8
.08 .15 .23 .12
. 1 1 .36
. 1 6 .12 .29 .15
Diseases of A n æ m i a
7.81 5.29
3.85 2.07 5.31 3. 11
5.05 5.11 2.78 1.38 5. 51 3 . 3 9
Respiratory Diseases 4.55 4. 13
1.91 2.03 3.72 5. 03
3.80 3.94 2.81 8.00 3. 67 4 . 9 5
Heart Diseases . 4 0 .41
.10 .19 .16 .20 .13 .46 .28 .18 .26 .28
Phthisis
3.99 3. 87
.41 2.37 1.57 1. 66
.72
. 7 8 .55 .92 2.02 2.22
Injuries
.75 .65
.70 .44 .90 .52 .74 .68 .61 .74 .76 .60
All other
Causes
4.36 3. 21
6.03 2.62 4.94 3.18 4.94 4.13 3.28 2.90 4. 50 3.11
All Causes 90.30 51. 45
83.50 21.68 72.52 36.34 63.78 38.95 46.46 32.94 73.45 3 8 . 6 7
Taken province by province the
improvement in the health of the
prisoners is consistently observed.
Both in epidemic disease and in
the diseases of debility which charac
-
terise the death-rates of prisoners
progress is evident and satisfactory.