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year being 81·18° against 80·07 in the latter, and the total rainfall 11·38
against 29·78 inches. It is to be regretted -that no account has been furnished
regarding the outbreak that occurred in November and December, as such an
inquiry would no doubt elicit the causes apart from importation by pilgrims
which bring about the disease in the district, through the Gop circle of which
they do not pass. It is remarkable that the Europeans living in Puri are
always exempt from cholera attacks, though they are often surrounded by the
disease to a great extent. The same holds good in Balasur also. The cause is
as plain here as elsewhere, viz., they live comfortably.
Balasur.—The cholera of 1876 in this district was much more severe than
that of 1875, and was present throughout the year. Its periods of severity
were during March to August, and again in November and December, but the
maximum intensity and fatality was during June to August inclusive, the pilgrim
period. February, September, and October were months of great immunity.
The disease first appeared in Chandbali in January, and in February spread;
up to August it was present in every circle in the district. The south suffered
to a greater extent than the north.
Hazaribagh.—In this as in the other districts of Chota Nagpur, the period
of the intensity of cholera is from March to August, the months preceding
and following this period being months of great immunity from the disease.
In 1876 cholera was present in 5 circles in March, and in June became
generally prevalent in the district, but it was not generally severe or very fatal,
although its prevalence was greater in this year than in 1875.
Lohardagga.—The first case of cholera in this district in 1876 appeared
on the 2nd March in the Silli circle, and on the 24th March in the Ranchee
circle. By the end of that month it was present in the Ranchi town, Doranda
cantonment, and neighbouring villages. In Ranchi the disease was very
severe in July. By the end of August cholera commenced declining, and
disappeared by the end of September. The circles in the Palamow sub-division
suffered very severely between May and September,
Singbhum.—There was very little cholera in this district in 1876, and the
mortality was lower than in the preceding year. The cases were scattered, and
14 out of the 34 circles escaped the disease altogether. The disease prevailed
severely in only three or four villages in the south of the district.
Manbhum.—A few cases of cholera occurred here and there in the district
during January and February; in March the disease became more widely
prevalent; and during May and June was generally prevalent, every circle being
affected except that of Barabhum, which remained exempt from the disease
throughout the year. The disease was most severe in the months of June,
May, July, and April, in the order of their mention. From August the
disease began to decline, and during September to December there were only a
few scattered cases. Dr. Wilson, the Civil Surgeon, says that four-fifths of
the deaths took place in the hottest and driest months (March, April, May,
and half of June), which accords with the general experience in these parts,
while the remaining one-fifth of the casualties occurred in the rains (latter
half of June, July, August, September, and first half of October) with the
exception of 14 deaths, which happened in winter. This season of the year is
inimical to cholera, as has been remarked all over the world.
The incidence of the cholera of 1876 among the troops and jail populations
in this province is shown in the subjoined abstract statement.
Among the European troops—total average strength 2,983—there were
altogether 11 admissions and 8 deaths from cholera, giving a death-rate of
2-68 per mille of strength. Of the 5 stations occupied by the European
troops, the 4 following recorded cholera in 1876 :—
Fort William ...
Dum-Dum
...
Barrackpur
Dinapur
Strength 934
„
634
,, 440
„
874
Admissions 8
1
1
6
Deaths 3
,, 1
„ 1
,, 3
The strength of the affected troops is 2,882, the percentage of admissions to
strength 0·38, and of deaths to admissions 73. Of the 11 admissions, there
were 2 in March, 6 in April, and 3 in May,