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of Calcutta in his report for 1902-1903 drew attention to the fact that this
disease had apparently a five-years' cycle in Calcutta, and the same tendency
to periodicity has been observed elsewhere. After allowing the fullest
weight to this suggestion, however, Sir Andrew Fraser is constrained to
conclude, from the facts before him, that the Department as at present
organised is unable to cope with the disease. A principal requisite of the
Department is adequate supervision to secure that all the vaccinations reported
have been effectively carried out; and proposals for reorganising the Depart-
ment and for increasing the superior staff are now under consideration. The
widespread increase of the disease emphasises the necessity for thorough reform;
and His Honour will give due weight to the fact before formulating a final
scheme.
10. The statistics relating to dysentery and diarrhœa disclose no marked
change in the incidence of the disease throughout the whole Province. The
death-rate is lighter in 29 and heavier in 17 districts, although on the whole
there is a small increase. The heavy mortality from this disease in the
Patna and Saran districts is not improbably contributed to by intestinal parasites
which are shown by the experience acquired in jails to be present in a large
percentage of the population. The attention of the Sanitary Commissioner
will be drawn to the marked rise in the mortality from this cause in the district
of Patna, which should be further enquired into.
11. It was stated in the Resolution on the Sanitary Commissioner's
Report for last year that the knowledge of tropical diseases has developed
so rapidly within the last few years that a special enquiry conducted by a
qualified officer in one of the fever-stricken districts would, in the Lieutenant-
Governor's opinion, be much more likely to prove efficient than could have
been expected even five years ago. Captain L. Rogers, I.M.S., was placed on
special duty in the month of December last, and was ordered to conduct the
special enquiry in the districts of Dinajpur and Purnea. His report has not
yet reached the Government, and the discussion of it must, therefore, be
postponed.
12. The Sanitary Commissioner remarks in paragraph 45 of his report
that little has been done in the direction of mosquito destruction throughout
the Province. The people generally, even those who are educated, including
Europeans and many medical officers, do not yet appear to have grasped the
importance of this measure. It is undoubtedly a difficult one to carry into
practice, especially in a country such as Lower Bengal, where every hollow
is a tank and every ditch a breeding place for mosquitoes. The Inspector-
General of Civil Hospitals considers that no progress will be made until
Government takes the matter in hand and creates an object-lesson. The
Lieutenant-Governor entirely agrees in an opinion which has been expressed by
the Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals, that it is not generally recognised
that "half a loaf is better than no bread," and that even a decrease in the
malaria infected mosquitoes is an object worth striving for. There can be no
doubt that in many localities a most marked diminution in the number of
mosquitoes may be brought about by dealing with their breeding places,
and it appears to His Honour that an effective object-lesson such as is recom-
mended by Colonel Browne can probably be given by the officers in charge of
jails. If the Jail Superintendents will deal effectively with the jail premises
and their vicinity a perceptible effect on the sickness in the jails may be
hoped for. The opinion of the Inspector-General of Jails will be invited on
this suggestion. The Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals will also be
consulted as to the best means of giving effect to his views elsewhere.
13. The subject of the improvement of the sources of village water-
supply attracted the attention of Sir Andrew Fraser almost immediately on
his arrival in the Province. It is, however, the quality rather than the quantity
of water that is in fault; for the voluminous correspondence on the subject
contains evidence that a deficiency of the quantity of water available for
drinking puposes in villages is altogether exceptional. The local officers have
accordingly been requested to direct their efforts chiefly to improving the
sources of supply and removing the causes of contamination ; and a promise
has been given that if in any case the local authorities will contribute one-third
of the cost, and the public another third, the Government will contribute the