159
Causes of death.
The seven deaths are thus accounted for—aneurism of aorta (1), congestion
of lungs (1), old age and debility (2), bronchitis (1), convulsion
(1), and cholera (1).
Only a single case of
Cholera since the occu-
pation of the new quar-
ters.
224. The cholera case was that of a young child under five years of age, and
was the only instance, in the ordnance lines, marking the
cholera invasion of Madras of 1869. Had the cholera mor-
tality among these people in 1869 and 1870 been in any way
like that of the five years ending 1865, the Ordnance employés and their families
would have lost ten lives from this cause, instead of one, in the two years in
question.
225. I wish it to be understood that 1869 and 1870 were both years of cholera
prevalence in Madras, and that the immunity of the Ordnance employés in those
years is not explainable on any other supposition than that their sanitary sur-
roundings had been materially improved by the change to the new quarters.
The Inspector-General of Ordnance, in reply to a letter of mine on the
subject, remarked :—
" The improvement in the health and comfort of the "Warrant and Non-
Commissioned Officers and their families, since their removal from the streets of
Black Town, has been most marked and satisfactory. It is evident in the very
appearance of the men, women, and children ; and the former have, ever since the
change, expressed their gratitude on account of the building of the new quarters."
Diminished death rate
in Jails of Madras.
226. But besides the special instances given, I think the history of the cholera
invasion of 1869-70 affords many other examples of the protection of com-
munities, whose sanitary state has been fairly good. In 1869, the European
Troops at Secunderabad suffered scarcely at all from the invading epidemic
while the native inhabitants of the cantonment, bazaar, and neighbouring city
were dying in large numbers. At Bangalore and Bellary too the European Troops
escaped in 1869. The same remark may be made of the European Troops at
Trickinopoly in the beginning and end of 1870 ; they had no cholera, while the
native population was experiencing a heavy visitation. The facts in regard to
immunity from cholera of the jail population, during the last
years of invasion 1869-70, can, I think, be explained only
on the supposition that the sanitary condition and supervision of the prisoners
is better and more effective than it was in past years. That the sanitary con-
dition of prisoners is much improved is unquestionable. They have now ample
space in sleeping barracks ; a sufficiently nutritious dietary, suited for all classes ;
fairly pure water, and enjoy the benefits of an almost perfect system of sanitary
supervision ; and, lastly, they mix much less with the free population since the
system of intramural labour has been followed, than they did in former years.
The old unhealthy jails of Calicut, Coimbatore, Salem, Madura, and Tin-
nevelly have been abandoned for better buildings, on better chosen sites,
and from this cause alone the proclivity to cholera attacks in those jails has
been diminished. I need scarcely refer again to the fact that the prisoners in
the old jail at Madura, during the past year, were just as liable to cholera in
proportion to their strength, as they had ever been, while the inhabitants of the
new jail preserved an absolute immunity.
Cholera haunts should
be abandoned.
227. I think we may consider it an established truth that certain localities
are specially liable to be invaded by cholera in preference to
other spots in the same neighbourhood. The locality on
s s