111
malaria was very prevalent in that part of Mazagaon before the construction
of the Bhandarwada reservoir and six filter-beds in 1880-1884. But since that
time the locality has obtained the reputation for being malarious; and there is
evidence to show the existence of a certain amount of infection in the
neighbourhood at the present time. A few years back three new filter-beds
were constructed there and the reservoir was altered. As at Malabar Hill, so at
[Bhandarwada, this work appears to have led to a temporary increase of malaria,
which aroused complaints; and as a result, measures have been taken from time
to time to improve matters. The measures adopted, which consisted chiefly in
attempts to stop leakage and the provision of masonry channels for waste-water
etc., have no doubt been of considerable service, but it is probable that much
of the improvement effected has been largely accidental. At the present time
all the filter-beds and the reservoir itself continue to breed large numbers of
malaria-carrying species of anopheles and if extensive construction works,
necessitating the employment of large numbers of labourers, were undertaken
there, an increase of malaria would again take place and a small local epidemic
of the disease would be certain to follow.
285. In 1902, as has already been mentioned in " the History of Malaria
Prevention," the Municipal Corporation decided to carry out general anti-
mosquito measures in the City, and for this purpose a small gang of men was
appointed. The special staff appears to have been discontinued after 1904, and
since then anti-mosquito work has been carried out by the ordinary staff of the
Health Department.
286. What has been the result of the work carried out on the lines
indicated ? The total recorded fever mortality is much less than it used to be
and the fall coincided with the commencement of anti-mosquito work, so that
at first sight it might be supposed that the one was related to the other. But
examination of the Health Reports for 1902 shows that, an entirely new
system of death-registration was introduced that year; a very large staff of
qualified medical men was appointed for the express purpose of verifying the
causes of death; and the fall in fever deaths was due not to better sanitation
but to improved registration.
287. That better diagnosis rather than any sanitary improvement was
responsible for the reduced fever mortality is shown by the fact that almost the
whole of the reduction took place among Hindus and Mus3almans. Among
Parsis the deaths from fever remained much the same after 1902 as before it,
the mean annual total of deaths recorded under this head being 133 for the
five years prior to 1902 and exactly the same figure 133, for the five years
1904 to 1908.
288. Excluding the work at Malabar Hill and Bhandarwada Hill it is
exceedingly doubtful if the general anti-mosquito measures adopted in the City
since 1902 have had much influence upon the incidence of malaria. Here
and there mosquitoes have been lessened in number, but the mosquitoes dealt
with have often been species of Culex, which as is well known, are not concerned
in the spread of malaria. On the other hand there is reason to believe that
malaria has actually increased rather than diminished during the period when
supposed anti-malaria work has been in progress and on a number of occasions
between 1902 and 1908 local outbreaks of malaria have taken place.
289. There was an increase of malaria associated with construction work
at Malabar Hill reservoir; an increase at Colaba, associated with the recent
reclamation work there, during which the cases of fever attending the local
dispensaries rose from 2,559 in 1905 to 4,357 in 1936, a sudden increase of
70 per cent; and the epidemic of malaria associated with the New Dock Work,
which realty began in 1905, a year after the work commenced as shown by the
admissions for fever to the local dispensary.
Admissions of fever cases at Frere Road Dispensary.
1903.
2,074
1904.
2,984
1905.
4,036
1906.
4,852
1907.
6,584
1908.
7,173