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Mymensingh.—Cholera, which is endemic in this district, also prevailed
throughout the year generally, November and December being the months
in which it caused the greatest mortality.
Chittagonj.—Cholera prevailed epidemically throughout the district
during the whole year. The returns show the mortality of the year to have
been lowest in the months of August, September, and October. Low-lying,
damp localities, where the drinking-water was impure, and no attention was
paid to conservancy, suffered most.
Noakhali.—Sporadic cases of cholera, confined to limited localities,
appeared at different times during the first six and two last months of the
year, and for short periods. In January the disease attacked Shaibghatta,
a cluster of villages within a mile of the sadr station, and died out in a
month after killing 15 persons. These villages had been free of the disease
during the preceding five years. In May a trifling outbreak occurred in
Awaj Balia, another group of villages two miles from the sadr station. Nine
cases occurred, with four deaths. The next was an isolated case in the west
of the sadr station. In November the sadr station was attacked, 16 cases
with 6 deaths were reported, and the disease continued in the station without
spreading to the neighbourhood up to date of report.
Tipperah. — Cholera prevalent in many parts of the district.
Patna.— For the first time since 1857 the Mitapur Jail was exempt
from this disease. * * * With a view to test the efficiency of sanitary
improvements in arresting cholera in. a locality where it is endemic, a scheme
for sub-soil drainage of the jail and its precincts, and for providing better
work-sheds had been proposed to Government. The Inspector-General of
Hospitals disapproved of these measures on the ground that no satisfactory
conclusions could be derived from the improvements in question unless an
efficient system of quarantine was established. The Government of Bengal
concurred in these views, but the Government of India was of opinion that
the improvements should be carried out in their simple form without quaran-
tine. Neither of the plans was given effect to; and considering that no other
new sanitary peculiarities had been inaugurated in the jails during the year,
Dr. Simpson lays stress upon these facts as proving the fallacy of the arrange-
ments of those who attribute immunity from cholera to either segregation or
sanitary improvements. The returns show cholera to have been present
in the district throughout the year. During June, July, and August the
disease attained some considerable prevalence, soecially at Bihar, Silan,
and Atarsarri. In June there was an outbreak at Dinapur also, which
by the 15th July had attacked 41 persons, including a European soldier, and
caused 25 deaths. At Dehri the first case occurred in the jail, on the 23rd July,
and the last on the 30th August; there were 46 cases with 14 deaths. The
greatest number of admissions into hospital was on the 30th July, viz., 13 out
of the 46 cases, and this fact the Superintendent is of opinion, markedly illus-
trates the evil effects of chill when cholera is present, for a remarkably sudden
fall of temperature took place about that time. It had been raining from the
18th to the 28th July, there was, however, no diminution of temperature
during this period, but on the 28th the thermometer fell and continued low up
to the 30th, on which day the great and sudden increase of cholera cases above
referred to occurred. It was also remarked that while during this outbreak in
the jail the outside population of Dehri was free from the disease, on the other
hand the jail enjoyed immunity from it during November and December, when
the disease prevailed with great virulence in the cooly lines close to the
Superintendent's house. The drainage of the jail is defective, and to this
defect the Superintendent is disposed to attribute the origin of much of the
malarious disease as well as cholera that had lately prevailed. It strikes him
that within a limited enclosure surrounded by walls and with only two kutcha
drains as outlets, the soil must, when the rainfall is heavy, become unduly
humid, sodden in fact, and when in that condition, with a subsequently hot sun,
and perhaps dry wind passing over it, a greater diminution of temperature
must take place.
Gya.—Cholera was prevalent in some portion of the district throughout
the year, and prevailed with the greatest intensity during the months of May
to August.* * * In the town of Gya a few cases occurred at intervals, and