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BENGAL PROVINCE, 1864.
As a result of the recommendations of the Royal Commission appointed
to enquire into the sanitary state of the Army in India in 1859, the Sanitary
Commission of Bengal was instituted in 1864, and for the first time measures
were taken for the systematic registering of deaths in Calcutta, but the results
were of so imperfect a kind as to be useless for statistical purposes.
The only class of the native population for which any statistics of the
prevalence of cholera in 1864 are available is, that of the prisoners in
jails, and the troops of the native army also furnish statistics in the same
direction.
From the returns of deaths registered in Calcutta during the last nine
months of 1864 it appears that a total of 2,975 deaths were attributed to
cholera out of a population estimated at about 400,000 or 500,000. Of these
deaths, 2,169 were of males and 806 of females ; 121 occurred among
Christians—92 males and 29 females ; 2,177 among Hindus—1,562 males and
615 females ; and 677 among Musalmans—515 males and 162 females. It has
been shown by Dr. Hugh Macpherson that during the 20 years ending with
1860, cholera has never been absent from Calcutta. Of the prevalence of the
disease in the districts of the Bengal Province no statistics are available.
In the annexed summary statements is shown the prevalence of cholera among
the European and native troops, and the prisoners in jails in the Bengal
Province for the year 1864. It will be seen from the number of stations
affected that the disease was very generally diffused throughout the province,
as in the two preceding years for which we have given the records.
Among the European troops—total average strength 4,308—there were
altogether 20 admissions and 10 deaths from cholera, giving a death-rate of
2.32 per mille of strength. Of the stations occupied by the European troops,
the 4 following recorded cholera in 1864 :—(this is exclusive of Kidderpore
Hospital and Chinsura Depot, in which there were 9 admissions and 6 deaths).
Fort William ...
Dum-Dum
Barrackpore
Dinapore
... Strength 790
592
...
„
455
„
968
Admissions 7
" 2
3
8
Deaths 2
" 1
" 2
" 5
The strength of the affected troops is 2,805, the percentage of admissions
to strength 0.71, and of deaths to admissions 50. Of the 20 admissions there
were 3 in February, 1 in March, 5 in April, 1 in May, 5 in July, 1 in August,
2 in October, and 2 in December.
Among the native troops—total average strength 7,907—there were alto-
gether 89 admissions and 38 deaths, giving a death-rate of 4.80 per mille of
strength. Of the 12 stations occupied by native troops, the 7 following
recorded cholera in 1864 :—
Fort William
Alipore
Barrackpore ...
Dacca
...
Bhutan Force
Julpaigori
Dinapore
... Strength 388
576
„
1,341
„
584
„
1,922
„
883
...
„
587
Admissions 16
8
8
40
7
5
5
Deaths 6
„ 3
" 3
„ 21
" 3
" 1
" 1
The strength of the affected troops is 6,281, the percentage of admissions
to strength is 1.41, and of deaths to admissions 43. The returns of the Bhutan
force are only for the months of November and December. Of the 89 admis-
sions there were 2 in March, 13 in April, 30 in May, 9 in June, 5 in July,
5 in August, 2 in September, 5 in October, 14 in November, and 4 in
December.
Among the jail populations—total average strength 15,344—there were
altogether 615 admissions and 210 deaths from cholera, giving a death-rate of