56
Facts in regard to
an exempted village in
Tinnevelly.
77. In connexion with the epidemic invasion of the Tinnevelly District, I
think it right to record here some facts elicited by Rev. J.
F. Kearns, a Missionary residing at Puthiamputtur. This
gentleman, in January 1869, addressed a letter to Govern-
ment, giving his views on the causes which appeared to him to have diminished
the liability of the inhabitants of the village in which he resided to suffer from
epidemic cholera. The letter is appended.
From the Reverend J. F. KEARNS, Missionary of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in
Foreign Parts, to the Chief Secretary to Government, Fort Saint George ; dated Puthiamputtur, 7th
January 1869.
I happened to see lately a copy of the Proceedings of the Madras Government, Public Depart-
ment, 3rd November 1868, in which the village in which I reside (Puthiamputtur) is returned as
" exempt" from cholera, " cause unknown." I venture to make a few observations with reference
to the foregoing, which may, perhaps, be not unacceptable to Government.
2. When I took up my residence here in 1856 as a Missionary, there were few villages in this
talook which suffered more from cholera and fever than Puthiamputtur. The village presented an
appearance of desolation and wretchedness, such as I had never seen in the south of Tinnevelly,
where I had previously been. There was scarce a tree to be seen, and in the large Mission com-
pound, on the western side of the village, there was but a solitary tree standing. The village con-
tains several wells, all with excellent water ; but at the time of my arrival, the two principal wells
were surrounded each by an extensive pool of stagnant water formed by the- waste from drawing,
and continually percolating through the earth into the well. From these pools, there extended
right through the principal street a long filthy channel containing any excess that escaped from the
pools, and the effluvia arising from them was so great, that, riding by them at early morn, I have
been obliged to put my handkerchief to my mouth. The yards of the Natives' houses were all in a
most disgusting state, and I was not astonished that the number of people who that year succumbed
to the attacks of cholera was fearfully large. I placed myself in communication with the Collector,
and explained my views and wishes to him, and he most cordially agreed with me, and sent orders
to the Tahsildar to assist me, as far as possible, in my endeavours to improve the place. Accord-
ingly with this aid I had every well walled up, the two filthy channels cleaned, one deepened and
extended, so as to carry the water beyond the village, and the other diverted into a field, the owner
of which at first stoutly resisted us, but he has since discovered, as I told him at the time he would,
that the channel has been a source of wealth to him. The pools were filled up altogether, raising
the earth round the wells sufficiently high to throw the water off ; and we had removed from the
yards every particle of manure which they contained, and the practice since has been to remove all
manure from the yards a clear month before the monsoon sets in. I next commenced to plant
trees ; and a village, which was once remarkable for the absence of trees, is now as remarkable for
the rich luxuriant trees which surround it, and the benefits of which the people acknowledge and
appreciate. There are at present standing in the streets, on the road surrounding the village, and
in the Mission compound, altogether 700 trees, all of them valuable, the greater number being mar-
gosa, and all planted by myself. I make it a practice to have the streets thoroughly cleaned at stated
periods, but I never permit filth to remain for an instant in the public streets. In addition to all
this, I have endeavoured to impress upon the minds of the people the great value of sanitary
precautions, and I am happy to say that I have been successful to some extent. Perhaps to these
improvements, under a merciful Providence, the immunity referred to in the Proceedings of Govern-
ment is due ; and here I would record the ready help which I have always received from the Collec-
tor for the time being, to keep the village in a clean and healthy state ; I would also mention the
hearty co-operation of our intelligent Village Moonsiff.
3. The value of trees in a village, and how their presence ministers to the health of the inhabit-
ants, are well known ; but in north Tinnevelly, where they are far more needed than in the south,
owing to the extensive tracts of black cotton soil from which the heat radiates with great intensity,
very few streets enjoy the grateful shade which may be experienced in almost every village in the
south ; and this is entirely due to the fact, that the Zemindars claim every tree upon their estates, no
matter by whom planted, and no matter where; and this deters the people from planting their