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Report on leprosy in the Jalpaiguri District.
District.—The district lying under the Bhootan range of hills extends from
Assam to the Darjeeling District, a distance of about 90 miles. From the foot of
the hills the district extends Southward, with a varying breadth of from 40 to 60
miles. The country is generally level ; in the Northern portion or terai covered
with dense jungle of wood, cane or grass, and in the South it is one extensive
rice-cultivating tract.
Population and area.—The population iu 1872 amounted to 418,665 over an
area of 2,906 square miles.
Soil.—The soil is alluvial. Numerous rivers pass from the hills through the
district, and it may, as a rule, be considered to be well watered and fertile.
Rainfall.—In the North the average annual rainfall amounts to about 145
inches ; in the South to 95 inches.
Inhabitants of district.—In the terai the inhabitants belong to the Mech tribe.
There are also a considerable number of Nepaulese, and some few imported Dhangurs
from Sonthal. The Mechs appear, looking to physical conformation, an admixture
of the Mongolians and the races of the plains. The South of the district is
peopled by Bengalis, Hindustanis, and a mixed breed from the two, and with the
hill tribes.
Diet.—The people may be considered a rice-feeding population. Flesh
and fish with milk, articles of food, are consumed extensively when obtainable. Some
of the terai residents are said to be addicted to eating flesh in a putrid form.
Bice, as usually found for sale, is of good quality ; other and inferior varieties are
however much in use.
Prevailing diseases in district.—In the district the prevailing diseases are
malarial fevers, dysentery, diarrhœa and resulting complications. About 50 per cent.
of the population suffer from malarial caehexia in some form. Skin diseases, tinea
and itch are universally prevalent, few of the people being found without one or the
other, or frequently both. Elephantiasis of the extremities and scrotum is very
common in all parts of the district.
Prevalence of leprosy.—Cases of leprosy are to be met with in all parts of the
district, and the disease is generally believed to be more common among the Mechs
than among the other inhabitants. It is impossible to obtain accurate information
as to the exact number affected among a given number of the population, the
families in which the disease breaks out concealing it as long as possible; and when
concealment is no longer possible, the individuals afflicted are turned out of their
homes and allowed to gain a livelihood in the best way they can. All enquiries
are met by evasive replies or falsehood, because the fact of there being a leper in the
family attaches a social taint to it. In a town with a population of about 4,000
there were known to be five lepers, all residents of the place, and with the disease
iu an advanced stage ; and it is most probable there were other cases with the disease
not pronounced enough to be observable. This I would consider could not be
looked on as an exceptionable instance.
Cases under observation.—During the twelve months I have been in the station
only seven cases have come directly under observation and treatment : five were men
who had passed their thirtieth year, one a woman about 25 years of age, and the
seventh a female child about seven years of age. In none of these cases could a
truthful history be obtained concerning family relations, the origin or progress of the
disease. In all the disease was in an advanced stage, toes or fingers having dropped
off.
Propagation of leprosy.—As bearing on the question of communicability of the
disease, I give here notes of a case which came under my observation in 1871. A
female, aged 28, admitted into hospital with gun-shot wound of right thigh and com-
minuted fracture of femur in middle third. Woman well nourished and skin healthy,
not related to a leprous family. She was accompanied by husband, aged 35, and two
children aged seven and three years. Both children appeared healthy. Husband
affected with leprosy, both hands ulcerating ; had a brother with same disease.
Woman recovered and able to move about ; only a small fistulous opening re-
mained. This opening now commenced to ulcerate and the skin to crack around, and
both feet became affected, ulcérations spreading rapidly. At this period both child-
ren were affected, the disease exhibiting itself in the hands. In all the four mem-
bers of the family the disease was in rapid progress, when they were lost sight of.