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ever drank the river water. If it could be proved that he did take or use the river water
for drinking purposes, we have not to go far to find out the cause of the disease. Question
arises whether bathing in river is one of the causes of enteric fever? Though I am
fully convinced that this man did not drink the river water, it is a fact that these people
while bathing do take the water in their mouth for washing it or use it as gargle. Did this
washing of the mouth by river water give rise to the fever ? The temperature chart is not
quite characteristic of enteric fever as given by some well-known authors, though this was
a well-marked case of enteric fever. Has climate in this country anything to do with it ?
Period of incubation.—The patient was doing his duty up to 72 hours before he was
taken ill.
There was nothing wanting in this case that could be seen in a case of enteric fever.
Cubic space of the hut in which he lived was 1,260 cubic feet. There were two other
men living with him.
P. J. DAMANIA, Surgeon,
19th Eegiment K. I."
The third case is that of a Goanese cook-boy admitted in an advanced stage
of the disease into the Sassoon Hospital. From enquiries I made from bis friends
I think that the days of the disease are perhaps not correctly stated in the case
and temperature chart.
I have attached a few notes which I took whilst trying to trace the
history of the patient previous to admission into hospital, and also with refer-
ence to the sanitary condition of the house in which he bad resided and its
surroundings. I am glad to record that on bringing its condition to the notice
of the Assistant Quarter Master General, Poona Division, immediate action was
taken, and it as well as the neighbourhood has since been vastly improved and
much greater attention is now paid to the conservancy of the bázár; but it is a
most important point to remember that the bouse is situated in one of the main
thoroughfares of the crowded Sadar Bázár which is much frequented by British
soldiers. I must also record that I have been informed by the Medical Practi-
tioner in attendance that a previous fatal case of enteric fever (no post-mortem
allowed) bad been treated during 1881 in the same street, but higher up. I think
it is extremely probable that enteric fever is endemic in the Sadar Bázár.
Poona, 23rd August 1882.
Juan Fernandez, aged 23, a Goanese and a cook's mate by occupation, was
employed during the hot weather of 1882 at an hotel at Mátherán. He returned
to Poona in the beginning of June and went to reside at a Coor kept by one
Zeverino DeSouza, at No. 451, Centre Street, Sadar Bázár. He took service as
cook's mate under G. F. DeMello, bead cook at the Napier Hotel, on the 13th
June, but was discharged with bis master on the 10th July, and returned to the
Coor. His master was re-engaged at the hotel on the 16th July and again
employed him, but be was taken sick on the 18th July and remained for 6 days
in bis room at the hotel where be was treated by Mr. Nazareth, L.M. He was
then suffering from continued fever, but on the 23rd July bis friends removed
him to the Coor where be remained very ill until the 19th August, when be was
taken to the Sassoon Hospital. Whilst at the Coor be was treated by pensioned
Hospital Assistant Almeida. No one else in the Coor bad been ill for some time
previously.
1 inspected the Coor on the 23rd August. It is an upper-storied bouse,
No. 451, Centre Street. A portion of it is occupied by the owner, who claims
to be a wine merchant, The remaining rooms on the ground floor are let as
shops ; one-half of the upper story is occupied as a residence by Goanese servants
out of employment. There are 20 or 30 men living in the 3 rooms, on the upper
story which are en suite, the one in front of the house looks out into the street,
the 2nd is in the centre, and the remaining room is at the back, from which a
passage, about 10 feet long, crosses above a small backyard to a cook-room, in one
corner of which, but only shut off from the cooking place by a partition wall,
which is low and not carried up to the roof, is a privy, from which most offensive
emanations arise. On visiting the rear of the house to see how this privy is
cleansed from the back lane, it was seen that the water from it, from the cook-
room upstairs, and from the bathing places passes out into a gutter running