13
(d.)
That the shutters be removed from the windows in the inner walls,
and that these be cut down to the floor, and that the panels of the doors
be louvred.
(e.)
That the drains under the present stone floors be cleared out and be
filled in, as they are only receptacles for filth, and that strict orders be
given that the floors should not be sluiced with water, as the founda-
tion thereby is rendered damp, and for cleaning purposes dry sweeping
is quite sufficient.
(f.) That the dwarf external wall in the west verandah be removed, and
that vertically-revolving venetians be fitted for a height of 7 feet from
the floor to the post-plate, and that louvres be fitted in the roofs of the
verandahs.
(g.) That below each Kharakwásla water-pipe, whether in the barracks,
cook-rooms, &c., there should be a trapped sink leading to ,a pipe drain
to carry away the wastage water.
47. If new barracks are built on sites to be hereafter selected, then I
strongly recommend that the instructions of the Army Sanitary Commission be
carried out: that all barracks should be built on open basements so as to allow a
free circulation of air under them, and that they be upper-storied. But on this
point there is no necessity now to dilate; but, in my opinion, if there is space
enough for the regimen over the old race-course in rear of the Wanowrie barracks
, i t w o u l d b e a f a r b e t t e r s i t e f o r t h e b a r r a c k s , a n d t h e W a n o w r i e h o u s e s w o u l d b e
safer for the officers than those now occupied in the Ghorpuri lines.
48. As regards the patcherries, as before stated, each site should be
thoroughly drained both with deep subsoil as well as by surface drains. The
ground near the patcherries is, I am informed, to be at once metalled and levelled
off on a slope ; this is as it should be, but I think that the roofs should be provided
with large zinc gutters and downtakes leading to a paved drain, that ridge-
ventilation should be provided, and that detached ablution-rooms should be built
when the rear verandahs could be open throughout their length.
49. I have already mentioned the action that, I think, should be taken re-
garding the hospital. As regards the officers' lines, I am afraid they can never
be rendered healthy residences; but, doubtless, somet hi ng mi ght be done t o make
them less malarious than they are now; and I think the Cantonment Committee
might well exercise the power vested in it by Section 10 of Chapter III. of the
Cantonment Act, and that many, if not all, of these houses might be declared un-
fit for human habitation until proper means of drainage and, in some instances,
until more ventilation has been provided. I would, however, suggest that great
- e r p o w e r b e g i v e n t o t h e C a n t o n m e n t C o m m i t t e e , w h i c h , o n t h e p r o d u c t i o n o f
sufficient evidence, should not only have the power to shut up but to cause a
building to be absolutely removed which is unfit for human habitation. There can
be no doubt that all inhabited buildings on black cotton soil should be provided
with open basements, or else, should be built on piles. The dwelling-rooms should
be raised above the earth, and there should be a free current of air below them.
I am also of opinion that all such buildings should be upper-storied, as the only
real safeguard in malarious districts is to sleep at a height of about 18 feet above
the surface of the ground. At present the compounds ought to be levelled off,
and deep but covered subsoil drains should be dug round each house to cut off
the earth water trickling from the higher level down to the nullah. These com-
pound subsoil drains should communicate with the main deep subsoil drains, and,
besides, surface drains should be provided for each compound.
50. There ought also to be a Crawford's rural privy attached to each
compound for the use of the servants, who now use Colonel Finch's earth-trenches
as latrines as well as the banks of the nullah.
B 116—4