6
cause and nature of the prevalent fever and to make some specific recommendations for the
improvement of the health of these villages. As our time was limited only a few selected
villages which were said to be highly feverish were inspected.
With the advice of Captain Christophers, I.M.S., we drew up a plan which had for its object
the elucidation of the following points:—
(1)
(1) the percentage of persons with enlarged spleens,
(2)
(2) the nature of parasites found in blood films of unselected cases,
(3)
(3) the breeding places of mosquitoes,
(4)
(4) whether and how far the Buckingham Canal and casuarina plantations, which are
popularly supposed to be the chief cause of fever, really affect the production of the disease, and
(5)
(5) which of the known preventive measures can be adopted. according to the circum-
stances of each village and how far they can be carried. out.
PULICAT.
General condition.—The first place we visited was Pulicat and the villages around it
This town is situated on the western bank of the canal which separates it from a strip of sandy
beach on the east, where a few Kuppams and dense casuarina plantations are situated. This
canal also surrounds the town on the north finally merging into the large Pulicat lake. To the
west and south of the town there is a large low-lying swamy plain, which in the rainy season
is said to be full of water and in summer contains a few small pools here and there. The soil
consists of sand, clay and mud. There are a few shallow ponds in and around the town, but
this water is not used by the people. The general sanitation is bad owing to overcrowding
and the narrow unmetalled streets are inefficiently drained.
There are two * "Kuppams " on the same side of the canal, one on the north called Kota-
kuppam, one on the south named. Yedamany. Each is situated. at a distance of about half a mile
from the town proper and consists of a few houses and thatched huts built on sandy soil. On
the other side of the canal there are altogether three Kuppams, Lighthouse Kuppam opposite
to Pulicat town, Guna Kuppam to the north and Vairam Kuppam to the south opposite to
Yadamany. These Kuppams chiefly consist of thatched huts built on sand and are surrounded
by large casuarina plantations in which there are several small pits. The pits situated among
the old trees are either partially or completely dried up, while others in the young plantations
are of recent origin and are constantly used for watering the plants.
Percentage of spleens.—In Pulicat town we inspected altogether five schools, including pial,
Government and mission institutions and found that in each from 45 to 50 per cent. of the total
strength, were absent on account of fever. The total number of children attending these
schools was 194 ; but of these only 94 were present at the time of our examination. Besides the
school children 8 other children and 6 adults were examined. The total number. of persons
examined were 108, out of which 12 had enlarged spleens, giving a percentage of 11.
Owing to the ignorance of the people it was not possible to examine more, but judging
from the number of enlarged abdomens we saw the percentage arrived at about is probably
much below the actual figure.
In this connection we may point out the fact that in the L.M.S. caste girls school, out of
a total strength of 35, 21 girls were marked absent in the month of March owing to sickness
alone and the number of days of absence on this account varied from 7 to 25, the average being
15 clays of continuous absence indicating the severity of the disease.
In Yedamany village we inspected all the inhabitants as far as possible both adults and
children ; the result is as follows :—
Number
inspected.
Spleens
found.
Percentage.
Adults
. .
. .
..
..
32
27
84.5 approximately.
Children
..
. .
. .
42
34
81
,,
Total ..
74
61
82.5
,,
Many of the spleens were very large reaching below the umbilicus, some as far as the pubes.
Most of the cases had marked jaundice as a symptom.
In Kota Kuppam village the result is as follows :—
Number
inspected.
Spleens
found.
Percentage.
Adults
..
. .
. .
32
5
15.5 approximately.
Children
..
..
. .
. .
34
16
47
,,
.
Total
..
66
21
33
,,
* Name of village chiefly occupied by fishermen.