116
DISPENSARIES IN BRITISH BURMAH.
[Part III.
Vital statistics.
Dr. Moore makes the following interesting comment upon the vital
statistics of Ajmere. The subject has a direct bearing on the dispensaries in
so far as the attendance at the dispensaries may be affected :—
The vital statistics of the British district of Ajmere and Mhairwarra have been regularly-
forwarded to me, and they are now for the first time brought into some relation with the
recent census of the population.
From the latter enumeration it appears there is a considerable diminution of population
in Ajmere and Mhairwarra, as compared with the period 1856, when the former census was
taken, at which 426,268 persons were numbered against only 360,032 in 1872, the decrease
being at the rate of 25.86 per cent; this falling off must be altogether attributable to the
famine years 1868-69, when numbers emigrated or died from want during the first year, and
still more succumbed from want and fever combined in the second year. From the census
return it may also be noticed that the greatest diminution of population took place among
females, the decrease being from 192,900 in 1865 to 104,743 in 1872, or at the large figure
of 45.70 per cent. The decrease of the male population was from 233,368 in 1868 to 211,289
in 1872, or 9.41 per cent. The proportion of adults to children under 12 years of age is
according to the last census respectively 67. and 32. per cent.
The mortuary returns for Ajmere and Mhairwarra for 1873 show a mortality of 4,657 on
a population of 316,032, or 14.73 per 1,000; the mortality for males being 14.73 per 1,000
and for females 18.58 per 1,000. But the mortuary town and district returns not being for
the same localities as the census returns, the mortality in different parts of the commisssioner-
ship cannot be fairly ascertained. The death ratio being so low it cannot be supposed that
the mortuary statistics are correct. This is the third year the latter have been tabulated, but
it is now only that it has been possible to bring them into relation with the census. Judging
from the results of former years, notwithstanding the low rate shown, it may be safely assum-
ed that they are now more correct than at first, and at least as correct as those obtained in some
other provinces, as will be apparent by the comparison in the following statement:—
Statement showing the comparative mortality from all causes in different provinces.
PROVINCES.
North-Western Provinces
Punjab
Oudh
Central Provinces
Berar
...
...
...
...
...
British Burmah
...
...
...
Madras Presidency
...
...
...
...
Bombay
do.
...
...
...
Ajmere and Mhairwarra
...
...
Ditto
...
...
Ditto
...
...
...
...
Years.
1872
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
1871
1872
1873
Population.
30,884,022
17,481,189
11,185,357
7,266,373
2,184,945
2,663,110
30,147,779
15,197,071
316,032
316,032
316,032
Ratio of morta-
lity per 1,000.
22.77
24.63
16.99
24.96
371
12.48
16.86
25.15
15 90
22.49
14.73
DISPENSARIES IN BRITISH BURMAH.
Deputy Surgeon-General C. Murray Duff, M. D., who administered the
British Burmah division, furnished an interesting report to the Chief Com-
missioner on the working of the civil dispensaries.
Number of institu-
tions.
There were fifteen civil dispensaries in British Burmah in 1873, of which
one, at Yaygheen, Mengyee in the Henzada district, was established during
the year. In these institutions 48,815 persons were treated, of whom 4,553
were in-patients and 44,262 were out-patients, being an increase of 3,265 on
the total treated in 1872. The daily average number of sick was 215 in-door
and 498 out-door patients being an increase among in-door patients of 17.13
and among out-door patients of 204, but this increase chiefly occurred at
Rangoon and Bassein.
The Government of British Burmah is doing much to increase the medical
institutions of the province, and at the end of the year another dispensary was
just about to be opened, and plans for three additional ones were in preparation.
Climate of the year.
The climate of the year presented no very marked deviations from ordinary
occurrences. The hot weather was somewhat more protracted, and the rains
did not set in so early as usual.
Public health.
The public health was on the whole satisfactory, notwithstanding that
cholera prevailed in several localities. Dengue, too, appeared at several sta-
tions, notably at Sandoway, the only station which escaped the epidemic of
the previous year. Intermittent fevers were more frequent than usual at