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(a). Absence of drainage.
(b). Presence of large fields which are tilled and manured just before the
rains with decomposing stuff, such as cotton refuse from mills or spoiled fish
residue, for growing maize and vegetables.
(c). Absence of a proper number of latrines and urinals in the Parel
village, forcing the people to use public roads, lanes and fields for natural
purposes.
During the remainder of the year, however, the Parel district is as healthy
as the other districts of Bombay. Unfortunately for the College such is not the
case with the hospital grounds, which are fearfully unhealthy throughout the
year.
The special causes of the unhealthiness must be sought for in the compound
itself, and it is not difficult to trace them for one who knows the ins and outs of
the place. These are as follows :—
(a). The foremost reason is that, in a large portion of the compound, the
soil is artificially made up. When the hospital was being started the soil
was for the most part rocky and composed of black stones. In fact, being im-
permeable, it was a very desirable and healthy soil, but for some reasons of
their own, possibly with the object of cultivating the soil, the hospital
authorities got the stones removed to a depth of three feet or thereabout
and filled in the vacuum with dirty earth mostly obtained from the compounds
of mills situated near the hospital. The present nature of the soil, rocky
underneath and alluvial at the top, keeps the water all throughout the year
very near the surface, as there is no chance for the water soaking into the
ground to penetrate deeper and get mixed with the underground water.
(b). The liquid excreta together with a portion of the solid excreta of
some 200 animals and surface washings of the stables are collected daily in
cesspools outside the wards which are emptied some time in the day, the
contents being thrown roundabout within the compound either on carriage
roads, or under toddy trees, or in the fields. The contents generally contain
equal parts of excreta and phenyle water (1 to 500), the hospital authori-
ties being very sparing in the use of water, lest they may have to pay a
heavier water-tax. This practice of throwing excreta and stable washings
in the compound is highly prejudicial to health as often obnoxious gases are
given out at nights.
(c). The filth from the dissection and post-mortem rooms, though
collected and removed in municipal carts, often soaks in the grounds behind
in sufficient amount to produce deleterious effects. The same may be said of
the College privies which are used daily by forty to fifty persons and have
yet no cesspool nor channel for the liquid excreta and washing water to pass,
and hence all these soak in the surrounding ground.
(d). The hospital privies, which are used by nearly hundred persons,
have cesspools, which are cleared only twice in a week ; the stench from
these at times is abominable and quite sufficient to sicken persons.
(e). Two years ago, notwithstanding the protest of the College officers,
a large pit was dug in the hospital compound for manufacturing manure by
collecting the solid excreta, refuse, grass, &c., and allowing the contents to
decompose by exposure to sun and soakage of rain water. As a consequence,
within a few months the place became so unhealthy that the pit had to be
closed, but unfortunately the greater part of the decomposing material is
still there and not removed.
(f). The under-ground drainage in the old horse ward often gives out
poisonous gases which are not only telling on the health of the horses, but
also of the men working there. The syces in this stable are off and on laid
up with fever, while the Resident Veterinary Officer and others have several
times suffered from headache, fever or dysentery after working for about an
hour continuously in this stable. There is no wondering at such a state of
things as the drains have not been looked to for more than five years.