It indicates that a much higher rate of mortality prevailed at some places than at others.
This difference is doubtless partly owing to sickness and death having really been more
common in some areas than in others. Still I am of opinion that it is mainly attributable to
a difference in the way in which the statistics are collected. At some thanahs these are
mirth mcrrn
cni-,11prprl 1-.11a-n
ni-liarq
Death-rate of the
district.
The rate of mortality over the whole district, including the selected areas, for the year,
was 10 . 12 per thousand of the population. This is very low, and is evidently inaccurate,
many deaths not having been registered.
The rate of mortality from the selected areas for the year was 27 .21 to the thousand of
the population. This rate is probably nearly accurate, and may be considered as indicating
with some precision the rate of mortality throughout the district.
Small-pm—Fifty-three deaths from small-pox were reported as having taken place in
the Howrah district, including the municipality, during the year. This would indicate that
this disease, although not prevalent, has not been uncommon in the last twelve months.
Police.---The subjoined is a statement of the sickness and mortality, with their causes,
amongst the district, municipal, and government railway police.
Small-pox.
Police statistics.
78
REPORT ON THE CALCUTTA MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS.
DISEASES.
RATIO OF DEATICS PER MILLE TO
Treated.
Died.
Treated.
Total
treated
from all
causes.
Total
deaths.
Fever, intermittent
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
427
5
11.70
6'36
26315
,
remittent ...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
10
3
300
3'81
157'29
Cholera
11
5
459'54
6'36
26315
P
Phthisis
neumonia, ...
...
...
......
......
Dysentery ...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
58
5
86'20
6'36
263'15
Diarrhoea
51
Hepatitis ...
.„
..,
..,
„,
..,
...
...
..,
6
Splenitis
5
Other diseases
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
118
1
8'46
117
52'63
Medico-legal cases
of the district.
The average daily sick in the police hospital for the past year has been 30 .23 and the
establishment to wait on these consisted of-
1 Native Doctor.
1 Sweeper.
1 Compounder.
1 Bhisty.
It will be seen that the list does not include a cook, yet many of the patients are too sick
to cook for themselves. To remedy this defect application has been made for permission to
entertain one Hindoo and one Mahomedan cook.
The following is a numerical abstract of the medical jurisprudence cases dealt with in the
year :—
...
...
Post-mortem examination
...
...
...
...
...
...
... 111
Injuries reported on
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
... 198
Total
...
... 309
Conservancy of the
district.
Drainage.
Lighting.
Municipality.—Conservancy—The night soil of Howrah is removed in closed iron vessels
twice in the twenty-four hours and buried in trenches dug outside the town. This method is
clumsy, and in many ways objectionable ; but it appears to be the only one at present within
reach of the commissioners. Sweepings of the streets and pourings of surface drains, ashes,
stable-litter, &c., are removed in carts every morning, and the accumulated rubbish is used to
fill up holes and cutcha tanks. Some care is taken to see that these tanks do not overflow
while in the process of being filled, and from time to time the surface of the sweepings is
covered with earth.
Drainage.—Howrah is for the most part still drained by means of cutcha surface drains.
These are frequently pared at the centre or lowest level, and are kept fairly clean.
In one section of the town open masonry drains have been introduced at considerable
cost, and government has been asked for a loan of upwards of two lakhs of rupees to the
end that this kind of drains may be introduced in the most of the remaining sections.
I for one do not approve of these open puma drains in a semi-rural place like Howrah
believing as I do that the open cutcha drain, when its bottom is kept clear of grass, is
sweeter and more easily kept clean than masonry drains are ; the former, by means of the
grass roots on its slopes, is possessed, to a certain extent, of the power to clean itself, and
it is open to the sun and air, which are excellent cleansers and deodorizers. On the other
hand, an open masonry drain is generally by its form screened from the sun and possesses
no self-cleansing property. Masonry drains, if made at all in this country, should be closed
and daily flushed with clean water.
Thirty-nine additional gas lamps have been erected along the streets during the year.
•