98
"a well in which Anopheles mosquitoes are allowed to breed should be
" declared unfit for habitation. In conclusion I beg to point out that it is
" my belief that until steps have been taken to remedy the condition of
" the wells in Fort North, all other forms of anti-malarial sanitation within
" this area will be rendered futile and moreover the continued existence
" of numerous uncontrolled breeding places of Anopholes in this locality
" will tend to annul efforts at mosquito destruction in adjoining areas."
285. Action taken by the Municipality.—On the receipt of these memo-
randa the following action was taken by the Municipality.
After being submitted to the Municipal Corporation they were considered,
by a Special Committee in consultation with the Municipal Commissioner and
the Executive Health Officer, and the latter officer was asked to report on them.
He advised against the creation of a Special Department and recommended
instead the appointment of a small staff divided into a different number of
gangs, one or more to be allocated to each ward in the City. These gangs
were to be engaged solely in anti-mosquito work and were to supplement the
work of this kind already supposed to be done by the ordinary sanitary staff;
and they were to undertake the destruction of mosquitoes of every kind.
266. The proposal of the Health Officer was accepted by the Corporation
and a special staff of 10 Sub-Inspectors at Us. 40 each per mensem and 10 gangs
of 5 coolies each at Us. 11-1-3 per man per mensem was appointed. The yearly
cost of these gangs was estimated at Rs. 12,000. The staff was a temporary one
and was at first appointed for only six months from October 1909. Subsequently
they were again appointed for another year. Originally the idea was to distri-
bute this special staff over the whole of the island, but finally they were allocated
to A., B., D. and B. Wards, an area covering 8.6 square miles, and possessing a
population of 522,000 people housed in 23,469 houses. Though appointed
primarily for anti-malaria work they were directed to undertake measures
against every kind of mosquito. The special staff commenced work on October
1st, 1909, just before the end of the monsoon.
267. It will be seen that the proposals accepted by the Corporation were
on the same lines as those originally adopted in 1902, when 3 Sub-Inspectors and
12 men were appointed to carry out general anti-mosquito work in area of
3 8 square miie3 among a population of 376,612 and again in September 1908
when 4 Sub-Inspectors with 4 men each were deputed for anti-mosquito work in
A., 3., D. and E. Wards. The scheme of work embodied a considerable
departure from the suggestions submitted in the memorandum to the Municipal
Corporation, more especially as regards the sphere of operations. In the memo-
andum it had been suggested that work should be commenced in a limited area
in A. and B. Wards in connexion with the similar work to be carried out by the
Port Trust and Railway Authorities mainly with a view to determine the minimum
staff required, the powers of control necessary, and the probable expenditure
that would be incurred for efficient work; moreover the area referred to included
a part of the City which had been shown to be seriously affected by malaria
and systematic investigation of mosquito breeding places had already been con-
ducted there; but very little was known regarding the real condition of
things in other parts in the Island.
26S. The memorandum submitted to the Improvement Trust was as
follows :—
Letter No. 115, dated the 17th July 1909, from Dr. Charles A. Bentley, M.B., D.P.H.,
on Special Duty, Malaria Investigation Committee, Bombay, to the Chairman ,
Bombay Improvement Trust.
"The enclosed copy of a memorandum that has been forwarded
" to the Municipal Commissioner will serve to indicate the lines upon
" which it is suggested anti-malarial sanitation should be initiated in
"Bombay. The Improvement Trust controls may areas within the
"City—several of which lie within the specially malarious zone. In