10
is washed directly into these surface wells, and therefore such wells cannot be looked upon as
being anything but extremely doubtful and. suspicious sources of drinking water. It must be
understood that it is not maintained that the water in these wells is always as polluted as would
appear from these analyses. Periods of improvement during drought will fairly certainly
occur, but the dangerous factor is that normal meteorological conditions can cause serious
pollution and undoubtedly, for the time being, render a drinking-water entirely unfit for human
consumption.
In some of the jails I have inspected, particularly in Vellore and Rajahmundry, latrines
and other sources of pollution of the ground exist in much too great proximity to the drinking
water well and in all probability these constitute a regular source of pollution of the ground,
which pollution (having regard to the porosity of the soil) finds its way into the subsoil supply.
It will be observed that from both the wells described as satisfactory (viz., those at Cannanoræ
and Coimbatore) a rock water is obtained ; in the case of Cannanore from the laterite and in the
case of Coimbatore probably from a deep supply. From all the others surface water is obtained ;
hence the great difference in quality. It should also be stated here that most of the wells in the
j ails are structurally perfect and are well looked after. The chances of outside pollution gaining
access through the well mouth are not great, consequently it is certain that the source of supply
is really at fault.
2. Chemical Analysis .—A reference to table No. 2 demonstrates beyond any doubt that,
besides containing undesirable organic pollution in large quantities, a very large number of
j ail waters are simply loaded with saline impurities— vide those at Coimbatore, Bellary and
others. Many of these waters are capable of starting dyspeptic troubles or bowel complaints in
people who are unaccustomed to their use. Continued use of the water greatly lessens the
probability of such results ; still, many of the Superintendents informed me that comparatively
trivial bowel complaints, such as mild dysentery and obstinate constipation are not uncommon
amongst the prisoners.
I do not consider it to be within my province to make detailed recommendations for the
improvement of the water-supplies but would draw attention to the fact that the quality of the
waters in our various municipal supplies where jails are situated, is, in nearly every case, very
much superior to that of the jail wells, compare Tanjore and Vellore. Berhampur and Rajah-
mundry will shortly be provided with municipal supplies. These municipal supplies are nearly
always soft waters, and analysis has shown that comparatively little pollution of a really
dangerous nature is found in them.
Another point which should claim the attention of the jail department is, that as long as
these hard and polluted waters have to be used, some method of treatment should be made use
of before serving it out to the prisoners. Sterilising the water with hypochlorites is probably
cheapest and quickest, but boiling is also a method that can easily be resorted to.
NOTE ABOUT SANITATION OF JAILS.
On my various inspections I have visited a large number of important jails in this
Presidency, and I wish to draw attention to a few points which apply equally to all.
2. However desirable it may be to have separate cubicles for each prisoner, I am inclined
to think that the sanitary defects incidental to this arrangement have not received adequate
attention from those who are responsible for it. In the old association ward one night latrine
was provided for some 12 to 20 prisoners. It was a comparatively simple matter to design
fairly satisfactory latrine and it was equally simple to keep this cleaned and free from smell.
In the separate cubicle arrangement however it is necessary to make provision to enable each
prisoner to answer either call of nature in each cubicle. Consequently . instead of one latrine for,
say, 20 prisoners, we have what is tantamount to 20 latrines for the same number of prisoners.
Everybody who has 'any experience of the habits of natives and of these extremely primitive
sanitary arrangements knows, that'in the multiplication of latrines the defects seem to increase
by geometrical progression. Let us take an actual instance. In Coimbatore in the new separa
tion blocks of the jail each cubicle is provided with two chatties, a shallow basin and an ordinal-
pot, one being used for defœcation and other for urinating into. In the morning from each
block these pots are collected at one spot in the compound near one latrine. Probably in
c o l l e c t i o n t h e r e i s c e r t a i n a m o u n t o f s p i l l i n g o w i n g t o t h e c a r e l e s s n e s s o f t h e s w e e p e r s . T h e y
are then emptied into larger chatties, washed in some cases with chemical fluid and left standing
in the sun for the day. All this, it will be observed, requires a great deal of labour, gives man:
opportunities for fouling the ground of the compound, and these highly smelling pots ar
standing about all day in rather close proximity to whore meals are taken. In all jails there i
not a washing platform in each block compound. There is not an adequate supply of water used
for cleansing purposes because this has all to be carried out by hand ; and in no jail, that I
h a v e s e e n , i s t h e r e a n y w a t e r c a r r i a g e a r r a n g e m e n t s f o r r e m o v a l o f w a s h - w a t e r f r o m t h e s e w a s h i n g
laces. The cleansing arrangements for this large number of pots are unsatisfactory in proportion to
the multiplicity of the latrines. There is still another objection to this multiplication of l at r i nes ,