41
MYSORE DIVISION.
— J a n u a r y ,
F e b r u a r y .
M a r c h .
A p r i l .
M a y .
J u n e .
J u l y .
A u g u s t .
S e p t e m b e r .
O c t o b e r .
N o v e m b e r .
D e c e m b e r .
T o t a l .
Mysore Division
...
...
...
...
... 10 13 11 13
9 ...
1
3
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
6 0
Ceded Districts
Bellary ...
...
.. .
...
1
. . . . . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
1
Kurnool ...
...
...
. . .
. . . . . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . . 3 47 73 .. 123
Cuddapah
...
...
. . . . . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . . . . .
. . .
. . .
. . . ...
. . . ...
. . .
Total ... 11 13 11 13
9 ...
1
3
3 47 73 ... 184
The numbers are so small, that practically the disease may be said to have had no epi-
demic prevalence.
Small-pox.—During the earlier months of the year small-pox was generally prevalent
throughout Southern India ; but, as the hot season approached, it began to decline. In the
province of Mysore the deaths reported are considerably in excess of those of 1871.*
In the three districts included in the " Ceded Districts," the figures representing
mortality by this disease contrasted with the previous year are as follows :—
1871.
1872.
Cuddapah...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
786
660
Bellary ...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
904
2,485
Kurnool ...
...
...
...
...
...
749
1,108
Total ... 2,439
4,253
The mortality, then, has been considerably higher in both army divisions than in
the previous year. Amongst the troops only one death is recorded in both divisions, and
this death occurred in the Ceded Districts.
In regard to the prevention of this disease, I agree with the Sanitary Commissioner for
Madras, that public vaccination in India—at any rate in Southern India—is, to use the
language of a recent writer, a " gigantic sham," and that the cost of the Vaccine Establish-
ment is out of all proportion to the results achieved in the protection of the people.
Nothing but a Compulsory Vaccination Act will stamp out the disease ; and seeing that the
batta system—the payment of so small a sum as a single anna—has done much to overcome
the obstacles to a wider spread of the prophylactic power of vaccination, I think that there
are no insurmountable prejudices against the operation to be overcome. Either the batta
system must be very much extended at the cost of Municipal or Local Fund Boards, or a
Compulsory Vaccination Act be introduced, and the latter, while it will save the coffers of the
State, will not, I think, be found to be so adverse to religious feeling and prejudice as is
generally supposed. Objections in fact are raised, not so much to the performance of the
operation itself, as to the removal of the vaccine virus. This latter prejudice might be over-
come by a money payment, vaccination itself being made compulsory ; but a small sum
being paid to all who allow the vaccine matter to be taken from mature vesicles.
Fevers.—Taking the mortality amongst the general population again as the index to
the prevalence of fevers, the following are the results as contrasted with the year 1871 :—
—
DEATHS BY FEVER IN
1871.
1872.
Mysore
. . .
32,797
31,140
Cuddapah ...
...
14,093
12,676
Kurnool
...
...
9,581
11,416
Bellary
...
...
8,237
8,642
Total ...
64,708
63,874
Throughout, then, my entire circle of superintendence the general fever mortality of
the year is below that of the preceding one. In the districts of Kurnool and Bellary there
is a slight increase, but in the province of Mysore and the district of Cuddapah, a decrease.
This is not what I anticipated before I tabulated the mortality, for rumours of excessive
prevalence of fever of malarious type had reached me from all quarters.
Bowel complaints.—Public health has been rather more influenced by disease of this
class than in the preceding year. In the province of Mysore the deaths recorded are
rather more numerous than in the preceding year, 6,284 against 5,798, while in the Ceded
Districts the results are as follows :—
1871.
1872.
Cuddapah
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
804
712
Bellary ..
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
1,606
1,775
Kurnool
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
387
723
Total ...
2,797
3,210
* 1871, 1,494 ; 1872, 4,532.
Small-pox.
Fevers.
Bowel
complaints.
1 1