( 2 )
deaths recorded in the area under examination, the cause of the death in no
less than 1,036 cases was found to have been wrongly described, especially
under the head of ''Fever." In respect of the numerial accuracy of registration
which, as usual, was checked by vaccination officers, the Lieutenant-Governor
regrets to observe the bad results reported from Saran, the Sonthal Parganas,
Hazaribagh, Muzaffarpur and Purnea, and the District Officers concerned are
requested to give the matter their particular attention.
5. Cholera.—The mortality from this disease was the highest ever
recorded. The total number of deaths registered was 268,908, or 5.32 per
mille, in comparison with 205,702 deaths during the preceding year, which,
in its turn, showed the highest death-rate returned since 1901. The climatic
conditions of the year affected the sufficiency of the supply of drinking-water;
and to this fact, as also to the use of unwholesome food, the regrettable
incidence of the disease is attributed. Only six thanas in the whole province
were free from the disease. It prevailed with unusual virulence in Balasore
and Puri, where the ratio of mortality was as high as 26.20 and 14.41
per mille, respectively, and the prevalence of the disease in epidomic form
in Orissa was characteristic of the preceding year also. Only in the district
of Darjeeling was the rate of mortality below 1 per mille.
6. Small-pox and vaccination.—In view of the steady increase in the
mortality from small pox, which amounted during the year to 35,966, or
nearly double the average of the five years 1903—1907, viz., 18,750, it is
satisfactory to note that vaccination continued to make progress. The total
number of operations performed during the year 1908-09 in the whole province,
excluding the Tributary State of Pal Lahera in the Orissa Division, was
2,241,576, of which 04,707 were re-vaccinations, against 2,058,371 original
cases and 190,081 re-vaccinations during 1907-08. The spread of vaccination
depends largely upon its encourgement by the local officers, and the
Lieutenant-Governor is glad to notice instances of co-operation on the part of
zamindars and panchayats, the name of Rai Mani Lall Singh Roy Bahadur of
Chakdighi, in Burdwan, being particularly mentioned. The appointment of
a special -Inspector in Orissa led to a satisfactory increase in the number of
operations performed. A severe outbreak of small-pox occurred in Calcutta
during the cold weather, and as a result, 82,079 persons submitted to vaccina-
tion, as compared with 31,155 during the preceding year.
7. In thepresent returns the total number of persons vaccinated corresponds
with the total number of vaccinations, as all operations which were repeated
were entered as one and the same case after their results were known. The
orders of the Government of India; that repetitions should be shown in future
as separate operations, will be followed with effect from the current year. The
Sanitary Commissioner points out that the result will be to increase the
apparent percentage of failures.
8. Plague.—It is satisfactory to note that the mortality from plague
was the lowest on record since 1901. Only 15,948 persons fell victims to the
disease during the year, against 83,602 such deaths during 1907. More than
two-thirds of the deaths occurred in the Patna Division; and while Calcutta
returned the highest rate (2.09), this is less than half that recorded in 1907.
Thirteen districts were free from the disease. The epidemic followed its
usual course, reaching its climax in March, when more than one-third of the
total deaths took place. Altogether 5,753 plague inoculations were performed,
of which 3,043 were in Calcutta and 2,200 in Bhagalpur. There is little
evidence in support of the hope expressed last year that popular prejudice on
the subject is weakening. The only preventive measure received with any
favour was the evacuation of infected dwellings. Chemical disinfection was
resorted to in a few special cases only at the instance of the people themselves.
Itinerant medical subordinates were employed in the districts of Patna,
Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga for the treatment of plague cases and the supervision
of preventive measures. Rat-destruction was carried on with more or less
vigour in almost all the districts in Bihar, noticeably in Monghyr and Saran,
but the system of the payment of rewards for dead rats is being gradually
discontinued, the work being done by organised staffs. Traps were chiefly
used to catch these vermin, the use of poison, particularly in Shahabad, being
objected to by the people. The Civil Surgeon of Saran (Major Gwyther), in
which district rat-killing operations have perhaps had the most systematic
trial, gives it as his opinion that they have made no appreciable difference in
the numbers of these animals.
9. Fever.—The number of deaths registered under this head was
1,184,704, as compared with 1,171,540 in the previous year, and 1,122,397 the