vi
croscopic and Chemi-
cal examination.
nate, the ordinary sources of supply show a very slight amount of
readily putrefiable organic matter.* Microscopically, no special
forms of animal or vegetable life were noticed.
(c.) Impure water
and Cholera.
The drinking water of this station being all obtained from wells sunk
through a lateritic gravel and rock, and the wells being surrounded
by parapet walls, and lined with brick or masonry when necessary,
there would appear to be but little chance of accidental fouling of the
water-supply by cholera discharges. Still such an accident may
possibly occur, as all the wells are open mouthed, liable to receive
dust and rain-fall, and each person drawing water uses his, or her,
own vessel and rope to lift the water.
When Cholera
occurs, does it spread
equally over the
whole area, or attach
certain localities ?
Cholera has never manifested any disposition to attack Palaveram.
The cases hitherto occurring in the station have generally been of
persons arriving from infected localities. In 186!), after the arrival
of an infected detachment of European troops, some cases occurred
amongst the native residents. The first case was that of a woman
who had been to the camp of the infected troops. There were
twenty-four attacks and seven deaths in that year amongst the
bazaar people. (See Cholera Report for 1869). In 1870 there has
not been a single case of cholera in the station, although it prevailed
in villages not far away.
21. Nature
of
house accommoda-
tion in Bazaar
The ordinary tiled-roof single-storied house.
as to (a.) con-
struction, materials,
dimensions, &c.
Brick and mud, or red clay,
(6.) Number of
floors.
One.
(c.) Cleanliness. Ordinary.
(d.) Privy
ac-
commodation,
A small place in the yard is screened off for a privy.
(e.) Wells inrela-
tion to privies.
The bazaar houses have no wells generally speaking. Being located
on high ground, the sinking of wells would be very costly. The
public wells are far away for the influence of privy contamination.
(f.)
Inhabitants
crowded or other-
wise.
Not crowded generally. There are many old and empty houses in the
bazaar, which was originally laid out for the accommodation of three
Native Regiments.
22.
Inspected
houses.
Peculiarities ?
I examined some of the houses in which cholera cases occurred, in
1869 but there was nothing peculiar in them. Some were dirty
and others tolerably clean.
Fungi on walls ?
23. Age of houses
in
relation
to
Cholera.
The bazaar has been occupied fifty or sixty years. Nearly all the cases
in this last outbreak occurred in old houses, the walls of which showed
moisture rising from the surface. Some had green fungi on the
brick-work, as high as two or three feet from the ground, but this was
not peculiar to the houses in which cholera occurred.
24. Food of the
people.
The Natives of this part of India are a rice-eating people. The
poorer classes use dry cereals as well. Being within six miles of
the coast, fresh and salt-fish enters largely into their dietary.
* Honorary Assistant Surgeon R. Harvy has completed some analysis of waters, while this report was passing
through the Press. They will be found at the end of the Appendix.—(W. R. C.)