15
The Government of Bombay after 4 years have had remarkable success
in dealing with two big festivals at Pandharpur ; and in all Provinces voluntary
inoculation has had a considerable effect. The Punjab Government had.
expended 1 lakhs of rupees during 1939 and the Madras Government has
arranged a scheme for Rs. 15 lakhs for improvements of the water supply in
villages.
During the year cholera has been intermittent in different areas. An
autumn epidemic in Delhi Province—widespread in the U. P., in Bihar and
Orissa and prevalent to epidemic in Cuttack and Puri.
The C. P., Sind, Madras and Assam were relatively free of the disease..
Plague.—In epidemic form this has been confined to the U. P., Bihar, the.
C. P., and Bombay and Madras Presidencies. The C. P . had relatively the
greatest amount, 6,300 cases.
Small-pox.—The disease continued prevalent throughout the country and
deaths in the age groups 0-1 and 1-10 indicate to what extent primary vaccina-
tion is evaded. In Madras city there was a widespread epidemic, an epidemic
in the N.-W. F. P. round Abbottabad, an average year in the Punjab and
Delhi Province, widespread in the U. P., C. P. and Bombay and prevalent t&
epidemic in Bihar, Orissa and Bengal.
Malaria.—Urban Malaria is stated to have been extensively attacked in
all large capital towns durin g the year by controlling Acts and strict supervi-
sion. The use of fish, Gambusia, in private and public wells has achieved
success. The most remarkable results are those achieved in the Delhi urban
area.
Industrial Malaria has been dealt with as a commercial measure on planta-
tion, mines, factories and Railways. The most valuable method is said to be
spraying of quarters with Pyrethrum insecticides.
Rural Malaria has been receiving attention from Provincial Governments.
In the N.-W. F. P., the Punjab, Orissa and Bengal malaria decreased or was
even relatively scarce. But in Bihar there was a widespread epidemic and
considerable amounts in the C. P., Bombay and Sind. An unusual epidemic
was reported from Madras Presidency and Coorg.
Enteric Fever.—This was universally present, epidemic in many areas
markedly prevalent in the North, East and South and only less in Bombay
and. Ajmer areas.
Tuberculosis.—This is receiving annually ever more attention. Fresh
Sanatoria are being opened and preventive and curative work increased in
many provinces. The large increase in known cases which has been noted
may therefore not necessarily be an actual increase. But lay and medical
opinion in Bengal and other provinces believes that the disease is definitely
on the increase.
Cerebrospinal Fever .—The total cases in the year have been less. Inci-
dence was sporadic and more conspicuous in the first half of the year.
Dysentery, has been widespread and noted in hygiene reports from many
cantonments as being very prevalent in neighbouring civil bazaars and muni-
cipal areas.
(d) War and the movement of Troops.—The pre-war tension, the onset of
war and the subsequent movement of troops, calling up of reservists, arrival
of recruits and the manning of security points had a very definite effect on the
health of the army. This is reflected in the general rise in admissions ; in the
increased malaria of British troops brought down more than a month early
from the hills, in the increased malaria in Indian units due to the influx of