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7. Hindus and Muhammadans appear to be affected in an equal proportion.
There is, however, one notable exception in the case of a class of Muhammadans
(Jullahs) whose occupation is weaving-, and who live in rather an indiscriminate
manner ; eat animal food without rejecting any portion of it, whether wholesome
or otherwise, and who are filthy in their habits. Among them the ratio of
those affected reaches the high figure of 368Ό5 per mille. Among Hindus,
Bhuiyans, who live on snakes, mice and frogs, clothe badlyj and are exposed
to the vicissitudes of the weather, rank the highest,—the ratio in their case
being 2'4<1 per mille. The ratio per mille among Raj wars, who live like Bhuiyans,
and among Telis, whose occupation confines them much to their houses, is,
respectively, Γ64 and 1Ί6.
8. As far as I have been able to discover, locality does not appear to influence
the existence of the disease, which is spread pretty equally over the entire district
irrespective of elevation and composition of soil or drainage.
9. In villages where several cases live it is the exception to find that more
than two belong to the same caste ; for instance, in the village of Jadirgunge,
where eight cases have lived since their birth, the following castes are represented,
viz., Kahar, Gowala, Teli, Barnwar Hajjams (2), Faqir and Passee. In the village
Sauntar there are five cases, viz., a Gowala, Kahar, Kairi, Rajwar and Mushor.
The same rule applies generally to the district.
10. I regret that I am unable to submit a fuller report on such an interesting
subject; by doing so would involve my investigating particular cases in distant
parts of the district, and such an enquiry a medical officer could not conduct without
neglecting other duties, especially in the rainy season, when much time would be
lost in travelling in a district like this where more villages are inaccessible except
those in the immediate vicinity of the Patna Branch Road.
No. 170, dated Motihari, the llth May 1875.
From—J. CULLEN, Esq., si. D., Civil Surgeon of Ohumparun.
To—The Deputy Surgeon General, Dinapore Circle.
YOUR circular memorandum No. 11, dated 21st April 1875, forwarding
memorandum No. 12, with enclosure, from the Surgeon General.
I beg to state that I have no report to offer on the subject of leprosy, as
during the time I have been in medical charge of the district, now nearly five
years, I have not had occasion to treat a single case of any form of the
disease, nor can I state positively that I have in the same period seen an undoubted
case of the disease. I would not be understood to imply that isolated cases cannot
be found in the district ; but, if so, they are sufficiently seen not to have excited
remark even among the general population.
No. 170, dated Chupra, the 10th July 1875.
From—C. M. RUSSELL, Esq., M. D., Civil Surgeon of Sarun.
To—The Deputy Surgeon General, Dinapore Circle.
WITH reference to the Surgeon General's Office circular memorandum No. 12
of 17th April last, forwarded under cover of your Office circular No. 11 of 21st
idem, 1 have the honour to report as follows :
1. Leprosy is more common amongst males in this district than amongst
females. I have not met with any case of leprosy in subjects under ten years of
age, or infants.
2. The disease is not localized to any part of the district, but is somewhat
more frequent in the Sub-Divisions of Sewau and Gopalgunge than it is in and
about Chupra. As far as I know, there are no special conditions of locality to
account for this selective tendency, nor any special conditions under which the
people live in respect of diet, clothing, cleanliness, Sec., to account for the same.
3. I am not aware that any particular articles of diet induces or predisposes
to the disease, but it is generally believed that the excessive consumption of beef
brings on the disease. This is probably a vulgar error, and arises from the fact
that the poorer classes of Muhammadans, who are chiefly beef-eaters, because they
cannot afford to purchase mutton or goat's flesh, are more subject to the disease
than Hindus.