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careful man. A and B troop stables are almost parallel to a large iron pipe through
which the drainage from the plateau is supposed to pass; but, as a matter of fact, during
the rains a large amount of water flows from above by the path to the site of A stable ;
this is to an extent prevented by a receptacle cistern situated between the hospital
latrine and the path on the high ground, but the brick drains leading to this are not
sufficient and so the water flows over the edge of the plateau. It floods the drains of
A stable and has to be constantly baled out by means of buckets from the cisterns in
which they end, and this can only be done very imperfectly, so it is to be feared that
admixture of animal matter, dung, urine, &c., with the remnant may render these cisterns
actual nidus for development of miasma. They are quite unnecessary ; increase of the
natural slope to a very slight degree and removal of the cisterns would give a very
efficient system of surface drainage in this and the other stables, as the natural facilities
are great. Why the drivers' latrine should have been placed within a couple of yards
of the end of B stable it is difficult to see; it would be much more advantageously
situated if on the low land a few yards further on, and it is not always in first-rate
order if I may judge from the times when I have inspected it. Its emanations cannot
but be prejudicial to the mules, and its receptacles must be carried through the mule lines
for disposal. Stables A and B in which the disease has prevailed most are in a direct
line between two latrines; this is probably a coincidence merely, but just possibly may
be a predisposing cause by its prejudicial influence on the health of the mules. Stable 0
is almost parallel with A and is out of the direct line of drainage. Almost parallel with
stables A, B, and C is on each side a nala with some brushwood and somewhat tempting
to the natives as a latrine, for which purpose it is occasionally used. The two are
mainly formed and deepened by the rush of water from the plateau, but that to the
south is constantly moist from a stream formed by water trickling from the surface of
one of the deeper layers of the laterite of the hill. Altogether we may sum up by saying
that there are no glaring sanitary defects to which we can attribute the greater pre-
valence of the disease in A, B, and C stables, especially in A. There are certain minor
defects which will readily admit of remedy, and part of the special prevalence must be
attributed to the larger proportion of first-class mules. I am inclined to consider the
deleterious influence here also to mainly reside in a stagnation of air. Microscopical
examination of the air of stables in search of the cause of disease did not seem a very
promising line of research as I arrived in Rangoon when the disease was already on
the decline, and probably after any cause operating through the air had ceased.
However, considering the possibility of infection, I deemed it right to make some
examinations of the air from the sick line stable. This I did by drawing it through a
plug of cotton wool in a tube and steeping the latter in pure water for some time without
exposure to air. I found no development of spirilloids in the fluid, but of course
this method has but little value as being rough in the extreme. In the Bedfordshire
lines at Tonghoo I found that the Transport Officer noted that most cases came
from one of the two stables. But all the lines at Tonghoo are defective in some
important respects. They are of the usual pattern and four in number, arranged
in parallel pairs. The disease has proved equally prevalent in both European and
Native Infantry lines, and practically the stable conditions are the same. The ground
occupied is on the line of drainage from the men's lines ; it is intersected by drains,
in many parts of which water is liable to stand or to overflow. There must be a great
deal of marsh around the stables in wet weather. In near proximity is a jheel,
which is a receptacle for filth and bazaar refuse, and into which hungry mules, turned
out in numbers to the scanty grass croppings about the lines, would be sure to find
their way. Followers' lines are beginning to encroach into close proximity with the
mule stables, especially in the case of the Native Infantry at Tonghoo.
24. The stables supplied by Government for the mules are very superior to the
average of private stables in Rangoon, but they differ in this important particular that
there are no lateral walls. As a rule, private stables are closed on one side, which may
or may not have a window opposite each horse's head, and the other side is generally
furnished with a split bamboo chick or screen. Thus the animals are protected, not
only from dew, but also from driving mist and the moist cold air of early morning, as
also from certain winds which are popularly supposed to be " feverish." This closure of
stables seems to be an important means of prevention of malarious disease. The private
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