( ι )
2. Leprosy occurs in all its forms—eruptive, anaesthetic, tubercular and mixed—
in this district. Some years ago a return was made by the police in which it was
stated that there were upwards of 800 lepers in this district, but I am inclined to
think that this is below the actual number.
3. The persons affected are almost always males of adult age, chiefly of the
lower and generally of the very lowest classes of society. Females, children and
persons of the better class are rarely affected, or at any rate do not often come
under observation.
4. I have not met with any evidence shewing that the disease is either here-
ditary or contagious, nor am I aware that it is especially prevalent in any particular
part of the district. More cases are probably met with in the chief town, but this
is rather due to the fact that the worst cases, who live solely by begging, congre-
gate there in greater numbers.
5. The general sanitary condition of the people of this district is very imper-
fect. A large portion of the land is low-lying and subject to annual floods from
the various rivers which flow through it. Damp and malaria are, therefore, the
normal condition during many months of the year. The water they drink is usually
of excessively hard quality, and often contains a very large quantity of organic
matter. The diet of the poor classes is excessively monotonous. Rice is the
staple of course—often I have reason to believe—of very inferior quality. New
grain of all sorts is also largely consumed, and is the cause of much sickness. Pish
is an article of diet that is also largely used by the lower classes ; and is perhaps the
only form in which the greater part of them ever taste animal food. The supply
of antiscorbutic vegetables and fruits is also very defective during the greater part
of the year to the great detriment of health. Owing to their scanty clothing, the
skin is constantly exposed to the air, added to which its habitually dirty state ren-
ders it exceedingly liable to be affected by disease; their miserable huts without light
or ventilation, and the air fouled by the fumes of wood or other fuel used for cook-
ing, mast be a further cause of disease.
6. Cases of leprosy do not come under observation unless sought for. As a
rule they cannot be admitted into general dispensaries for treatment as in-door
patient, and their erratic habits and the slow appearance of improvement prevents
them continuing for long their attendance as out-patient.
Report by D. PJCACHY, Civil Medical Ofiicer, Purneah, dated the 29th July 1875,
on leprosy, in accordance with circular memorandum No. IS, dated Fort
William, the 17th April 1875.
LEPROSY is not endemic, and does not exist among the people in this district
to any great extent. The cases are scattered and not confined to any particular
locality. The subjects are chiefly beggars, males and unmarried. A male leper is
sometimes to be seen accompanied by a healthy looking woman, and by this means,
although all hereditary tendency to the disease is denied, there is strong reason to
believe that it is thus propagated. I have two lepers just now, brothers, and pri-
soners in the jail, who declare that their parents are healthy subjects.
There is no direct evidence of contagion among the lepers whose history has
been questioned.
No. 1491, dated Jalpaiguri, the 27th July 1875.
From—E. BOVILL, Esq., Civil Surgeon of Jalpaiguri.
To—The Deputy Surgeon General, Dinapore Circle.
WITH reference to your circular memorandum No. 40, dated Dinapore, 6th
July 1875, I beg to inform you that Τ have not been able to collect any figures on
the subject of prevalence of leprosy amongst the people of this district. It seems
to be agreed that the disease is most prevalent amongst the Mechis, a tribe which
inhabits the Terai and foot of the hills—a district almost necessarily fatal to other
people except during the cold season. All the cases that have applied at the dis-
pensary up to date have been Mechis. The prevalence of leprosy amongst these
people is ascribed by the Bengalis to a habit they have of eating the ashes of
plantains in place of salt, or to economise salt. I have not been long enough in the
district to furnish any reliable information.