No. 1951.
GENERAL DEPARTMENT.
Bombay Castle, 30th June 1875.
Letter from the Acting Sanitary Commissioner, No. A.-503, dated the 3rd June 1875
—Reporting his having visited the town of Tanna on the 28th ultimo in consequence
of an outbreak of cholera there, and the measures taken with the co-operation of the
local officers to check the progress of the disease ; describing the sanitary condition of
the town and its population; and recommending certain measures for immediate adop
- t i o n . A l s o f o r w a r d i n g a c o p y o f r e p o r t o n t h e s a m e s u b j e c t b y D r . H o j e l , A c t i n g C i v i l
Surgeon, Tanna.
RESOLUTION.—His Excellency the Governor in Council has read with much
interest the reports of the Acting Sanitary Commissioner and of Dr. Hojel.
2. In the earlier portion of his report Dr. Hewlett describes the recent
outbreak of cholera in Tanna, and the measures taken by the local authorities
to stamp out the epidemic. These measures were prompt, and well considered,
and, although later accounts show that cholera is still prevalent, there can be no
doubt that the outbreak would have been more destructive without them. Gov
-ernment have pleasure in again acknowledging the exertions of Dr. Hojel and
Mr. Cumine .
3. But His Excellency the Governor in Council views with displeasure
the apathy and indifference reported to have been shown by the Municipality
generally. Such neglect of their public duty in the presence of a dangerous
epidemic does not encourage the hope that they will voluntarily exert them
-selves to improve the health of their town.
4. The Acting Sanitary Commissioner has taken advantage of the recent
epidemic to enquire into the sanitary condition of the town of Tanna, which he
describes as "perhaps as filthy as any in Western India.
"
5. The information submitted by Dr. Hewlett and Dr. Hojel may be thus
summarized.
6. The water-supply is both scanty and impure. It is derived either from
surface wells failing in the hot weather, and liable to sewage contamination to a
very dangerous degree, or from indescribably filthy tanks.
7. There is no effective drainage, even of the roughest kind. The sullage
and liquid excreta from houses are supposed to be carried off into the creek
by open side-gutters in the streets. But these gutters being unpaved and
without proper gradients, the greater portion of the sewage soaks into the soil
in the town, and for want of proper outfalls, even that portion which finds its
way out of the town stagnates in offensive and dangerous cess-pools on the out
-skirts.
8. Out of about 2,000 houses in Tanna, 400 are provided with privies.
These are not always cleaned daily, and the house gullies being unpaved, the
liquid filth that escapes from the privies soaks into the foundations of the houses.
The inhabitants of the other 1,600 houses resort for natural purposes where
they please, even to the streets.
9. The scavenging is very inefficient, and much of the dry refuse is left
to rot in heaps in out-of-the-way corners.
10. There is great want of proper ventilation in even the better sort of
houses, and the huts of the poorer classes are so crowded together as to be very
unhealthy.
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