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with the enlarging of the filtering plant and reservoir ; and similar work at
Mazagaon also appears to have given rise once more to a temporary increase
of the disease in that locality.
120. During the recent reclamation work at Colaba there was a marked
increase of "fever" in that neighbourhood, which is reflected in the sudden rise
of nearly 70 per cent. in the cases treated at the local dispensary ; and the
demolition work carried out by the Improvenent Trust in the areas required for
Sandhurst Road, Princess Street and for the reconstruction of areas such as
Dongri-Koliwáda also appears to have caused local increases of malaria in
those localities.
121. The construction of the Alexandra Dock and Hughes Dry Dock,
which is still in progress, has caused a considerable increase of malaria in
the areas adjoining it. Work on these docks was commenced in 1904. A
large number of labourers are employed and many of those engaged on the
excavation work have from the first resided in huts erected on the site of the
work. An increase of "fever" occurred in the neighbourhood of Frere Road
in 1905, but it was not until the end of 1907 that residents in the vicinity began
to complain. In 1908 the disease broke out with increased severity and as a
result there was an exodus of coolies and labourers employed in the neighbour-
hood of the docks and among the shipping. The 1908 outbreak caused a
considerable outcry and it was stated by many people at the time that the
dock-work was entirely responsible for the presence of malaria in Bombay.
But the abnormal increase of malaria was not confined to the area around the
docks ; for in parts of the City remote from the dock-works malaria was also
more prevalent and more severe during 1908 than usual. On the other hand,
at Sewri, where the Port Trust had large reclamation works in progress, and in
the north of the island along the line of the new Harbour Branch Railway,
which was undergoing construction at this time, there does not appear to have
been any great increase of malaria. The latter work entailed a large amount
of excavation and earthwork and many coolies were employed upon it, but
neither the workmen nor residents in the vicinity of the new line appear to
have suffered from malaria to any great extent.
122. Although the epidemic associated with the construction of the new
docks affected a considerable area, including portions of Mándvi and Chakla,
the Esplanade and to some extent the North Fort, the suggestion made in 1908
that practically all the malaria in Bombay was due to these works is not in
accord with facts.
123. It is not difficult to map out the area influenced by direct diffusion
of infection from the new dock-works. To the immediate north of the new
dock enclosure lies Carnac Bandar with Victoria Dock beyond it. The most
southerly berths in Victoria Dock are used by the P. & O. Company; and
during the epidemic in the summer of 1908 the crews of many of the P. & O.
vessels lying there contracted malaria. On boat after boat from 80 to
100 cases of the disease occurred among the crew during the homeward voyage.
It was only members of the crew who remained on board while the boats were
in the dock who suffered ; the passengers entirely escaped. But although the
P. & O. crews suffered severely, other ships berthed in the Victoria and
Prince's Dock, beyond the P. & O. boats, did not appear to be much affected
and those ships which lay out in the harbour escaped almost entirely. In
Mándvi section, which lies to the west of Victoria Dock, the disease penetrated
some distance, but did not pass beyond Masjid Siding to any great extent.
Further west it penetrated about half through Chakla, but the blocks of
dwelling houses, many of which rise to five storeys in height, soon barred its
progress. During the spleen census in 1909 it was found that high blocks
of houses, separating two narrow streets in the middle of Chakla, shewed a
high spleen rate reaching 20 per cent. among residents on the side facing
the harbour ; but among residents in the tenements facing away from the
harbour the spleen rate was only about 3 per cent. In Esplanade section
infection was diffused as far as Crawford Market ; and the inmates of the Paitan
Road Improvement Trust semi-permanent chawls, Municipal chawls and Native