NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
( 17 )
and one family, which is at present in my mind, in which the disease has appeared
only among- the sons at certain age.
7. With regard to its contagiousness, I have not sufficient facts to form my
opinion. I think that in the ulcerated stage of the tubercular form the disease is
contagious.
8. Fish diet is commonly supposed to give rise to leprosy, but I have not
sufficient experience to form decided opinion on the subject.
5 a
Return of leprosy cases of the District of Unao.
Thannahs.
Unao
Suffeepur
Newulgunge ,,.
Poorwa
,,.
Mowrawan
...
Bara
Bangermow
Achulgunge
Ajgaon
Caste.
64
64
84
95
66
17
24
122
106
5
5
1
3
5
...
4
3
2
69
69
85
98
51
17
28
125
108
Percentage of
caste.
92.75
92.75
98.82
96.93
90.19
10.0
85.71
97.60
98.14
7.24
7.24
1.17
3.06
9.80
...
14.28
2.40
1.85
Sex.
61
63
78
85
40
14
26
84
104
8
6
7
13
11
3
2
41
4
69
69
85
98
51
17
28
125
108
Percentage of
sex.
88.40
91.30
91.76
86.73
78.43
82.35
92.85
67.20
96.29
11.59
8.69
8.23
13.26
21.56
17.64
7.14
32.80
3.79
Age.
2
4
2
6
3
3
8
23
2
32
32
48
33
30
6
8
60
64
35
33
35
59
18
8
12
42
42
69
69
85
98
51
17
28
125
108
Percentage of age.
2.89
5.79
2.35
6.12
5.88
17.64
28.57
18.40
1.85
46.37
46.37
56.47
33.67
58.82
35.29
28.57
48.00
59.25
50.72
47.82
41.17
60.20
34.90
47.05
42.85
33.60
38.88
R E M A R K S.
Cultivators.
Thakoors, Brahmins, Bunneeas
and Kaeths
...
... 107
Mullah, Kachee, Koormee, Aheer,
Gaduria, Lodh, Loonia, Car-
penter, Blacksmith, Goldsmith
and Dhobie
...
... 103
Passee, Sweeper, Chamar, Koree
and Passee
...
... 48
Mussalman
...
.
4
Total
... 262
(18)
ABSTRACT.
District.
Unao
..,
Population.
944793
No. of leper cases
650
Percentage of cases
on population.
•06
Age.
53
313
284
Percentage of age on population.
•005
•03
•03
RE M A R K S.
T. C. GHOSE,
Civil Surgeon, Unao.
( 20 )
Memorandum No. 46, dated Lucknow, the 17th September 1875.
IN compliance with his No. 906, dated 15th April last, and five subsequent
reminders, has the honour
to submit (on the margin)
& statement in the form
required, showing- the re-
lative prevalence of leprosy
among the inmates of the
poor-house and among the
patients treated (in and
out-door) in the Native
hospitals of Lucknow.
2. Out of 32,322, the
total number treated at the
charitable dispensaries in
the city and civil lines
daring the year 1874, 230 were cases of leprosy.
3. In 23 villages taken at random in this district 34 lepers wers found.
The population and other particulars regarding these villages have not as yet been
ascertained.
Institution.
Poor-house
Native Hospitals, in-door and
out-door.
Total
Number of inmates
on the 21st Au-
gust 1874.
164
474
638
Number of
lepers among
them.
9
6
15
J, CAMERON, M. D.,
Offg. Civil Surgeon, Lucknow.
To the Sanitary Commissioner of Oudh.
No. 88, dated Lucknow, the 28th March 1876.
From—J. C. WHISHAW, Esq., Civil Surgeon of Lucknow.
To—The Sanitary Commissioner of Oudh.
I HAVE the honour to make the following observations on the gurjun oil plan
of treatment for leprosy.
2. Although the number of cases regularly and systematically treated
according to this new method, under my immediate supervision, is up to this date
exceedingly small, yet I am inclined to believe that it deserves a further and a more
extended trial. I leave out of my calculation those cases which have been treated
in the out-door dispensaries of the hospitals under nay superintendence, for it
is almost impossible to observe with accuracy the progress towards recovery
or otherwise of such cases on account of the irregularity of attendance on the part
of the patients, as well as the several other conditions which are likely to modify
the treatment and render any conclusions therefrom fallacious.
3. Early in the month of April last a leper asylum on a limited scale was
opened in connection with the City Poor-house, and arrangements for the accommo-
dation of eight patients. The Hospital Assistant in charge of the lock hospital was
appointed to take medical charge, medicines were supplied from the King's Hospital,
and the institution was placed under my superintendence. I beg to annex here-
with a statement shewing the number and nature of the cases treated during the
last 11 months, from which it will appear that, although no marked benefit has
been observed in any, yet the arrest of the progress of the disease in six out of
the seven cases is remarkable. It is also a singular fact worthy of notice that
none of the Cases was of hereditary origin.
4. The medicine was administered both internally and externally exactly in
accordance with the directions given in Dr. Dougall's pamphlet on the subject.
5. The patients hitherto treated have been almost, without exception, all
poor and destitute, who, before their admission into the asylum, used to live by
begging. It therefore becomes a matter of question how much of the benefit
is to be ascribed to comfortable living and a nourishing diet and how much to the
use of the remedy.
Statement shewing the number and nature of the leprosy cases treated in the Leper Asylum of the City Poor-house at Lucknow from April 1875 to March 1876.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Name.
Omaida
Muhammad Ali
Rohim
Gangina
Basantha
Ghupia
Ramdeen
Mahaia ...
Ipgaon ...
Lucknow ..
Do.
Shajahanpur
Ametia ...
Amaneegunge
Occupation.
None
Beggar
Do. ...
Do. ...
Do. ...
Farmer.
Do. ...
Hindu
Mussulman
Do.
Hindu
Do.
Do.
Do.
Female
Male
Do. ...
Fernale
Male...
Do. ...
Do. ...
40 years
45 do...
30 do...
80 do...
50 do...
35 do...
50 do...
Not ...
Do. ...
Do. ...
Do. ...
Do.
Do. ...
Do. ...
18 years
18 do.
9 do.
12 do.
8 do.
10 do.
5½ do.
Disease.
Leprosy, anæsthetic
Do. tubercular
Do.
do. ...
Do. anæsthetic
Do. tubercular
Do. anæsthetic
Do.
do. ...
Symptoms on admission.
No ulceration ; skin contracted
and insensible.
Toes dropped off; ulcers at
several places ; skin thick-
ened; left eye blind.
Ulcers on the hands and feet
and scrotum ; skin of face
thickened.
White patches on the hands;
no sensation in these parts.
Ulcers on the soles of the feet ;
patches of red eruptions all
over the body.
Toes and fingers contracted,
and some dropped off ; no
sensation.
Toes dropped off; ulcers on the
hands and feet.
22nd April 1875
22nd do.
11th do.
30th do.
30th May 1875.
12th July 1875.
26th Sept. 1875.
11 mouths...
11 do. ...
11 do. ...
10 do. ...
9 do. ...
8 do. ...
6 do. ...
Result of treat-
ment.
Progress arrested.
Do.
do.
Getting worse.
Same as before.
Do.
do.
Do.
do.
Do.
do.
LUCKNOW;
J. C. WHISHAW,
The 28th March 1876.
Civil Surgeon, Lucknow.
(20)
( 22 )
Dated Lucknow, the 30th June 1876.
From—Babu NOBIN CHUNDER MITTRA, Assistant Surgeon, Lucknow.
To—The Civil Surgeon of Lucknow.
THE proportion of hereditary to acquired cases of leprosy, as observed
amongst the inmates of the Poor-house Leper Asylum, is 1 in 9. It must be borne
in mind, however, that it is extremely difficult to get a true history of the cases
from such ignorant people. Incipient disease is almost always overlooked, and
unless the disease is fully developed and the symptoms become distressing, it is not
likely to attract their notice.
2. No source of contagion can be traced in any of the cases at present under
treatment, nor can it be acccurately made out under what circumstances the disease
first made its appearance. In a few cases the pre-existence of syphilis may fairly
be assumed.
3. There is at present in the asylum a leper who has been living with his wife
for a long time without in any way affecting her. Their offspring, an infant, a few
months old, is to all appearance healthy, though congenitally blind.
4. One of the lepers has got two children ; their health, according to his state-
ment, is good, and they are perfectly free from the disease, though considerably
grown up. One of them was, however, born prior to his being affected with the
disease.
5. The age at which the disease first appeared is between 30 and 40 years.
6. In one case of hereditary origin the disease was traced to the father, the
patient being a male.
7. There appears to be no peculiarity in the climate, &c., of the places in
which the lepers were born, nor any endemic influence to predispose them to
disease.
Dated Lucknow, the 1st July 1876.
Endorsed by the Civil Surgeon of Lucknow.
FORWARDED to the Sanitary Commissioner of Oudh.
Dated Bara Banki, the 14th May 1875.
From—B. FRANKLIN, Esq., Health Officer of Bara Banki.
To—The Sanitary Commissioner of Oudh.
IN reply to your No. 896, dated the 15th ultimo, I have the honour to forward
the following information 011 the subject of leprosy.
2. The disease is met with in this district, but does not exist to any great
extent. The following table shews the number of lepers in the sadr and two of the
principal towns in the district.
Institution or town :
Jail
Poor-house and Leper Asylum
Native Hospital
Radauli
Futtehpur
Number of inmates
or population on
8th May 1875.
628
69
16
12,517
7,494
Number of lepers.
1
11
...
13
14
There are not any leprous districts in Bara Banki ; the lepers are scattered
over the district here and there, not being more numerous in one locality than
another.
( 23 )
No. 93, dated Bara Banki, the 21st June 1876.
From—The Health Officer of Bara Banki.
To—The Sanitary Commissioner of Oudh.
WITH reference to your No. 579 of 16th March, and subsequent reminders,
I have the honour to state that the investigation into the effects of treatment of
leprosy by gurjun oil came to an end on the 1st March in consequence of the
supply of oil having run out, and a fresh supply not having been sanctioned by
the Deputy Surgeon General.
2. On examining the case book I find records of thirteen cases of which eight
were relieved and five cured by this treatment. All the eight cases relieved were
under treatment when the supply of the medicines failed, and might, therefore, have
been cured had it been persevered in.
3. The improvement seemed to consist in a diminution of all the promi-
nent symptoms and a favourable change in the general health. All the patients are
recorded as having grown fatter under the treatment.
4), I was informed by Dr. Cannon that certain stations, of which Bara
Banki was not one, had been selected for the further prosecution of the enquiry,
and that it was on this account that a fresh supply of oil was disallowed.
No. 88, dated Bai Bareli, the llth May 1875.
From—Surgeon Major C. CAMERON, Health Officer and Civil Surgeon of
Rai Bareli.
To—The Sanitary Commissioner of Oudh.
IN attention to your letter No. 903, dated the loth ultimo, I have the honour
to give the following information on the subject of leprosy in the Rai Bareli
District :
I.—Prevalence of the disease.
Institution.
Jail
Dispensary and Poor-house . . .
Police
Number of inmates on
any date (22nd ultimo).
678
40
454
Number of lepers among
them.
1
1
1
Four outlying cholera-infected villages were recently visited by me, and in
an aggregate population therein of about 2,150 I could only find three cases of
leprosy. From general observation extending over some years I should say that the
rates of prevalence of both forms of the disease amongst the population is
approximately as follows :
Ratio with the tuberculated form of leprosy, 0·20 per mille.
Ratio with the non-tuberculated form of leprosy, 1·30 per mille.
II.—Special prevalence of the disease in any locality.
III.—Peculiarities, if any, of such locality as to soil, drainage, &c.
As there is no exceptional prevalence of the disease in any locality, peculiarities
of soil, drainage, &c., in such cannot be given.
IV.—Peculiarities of the inhabitants as to circumstances of life, caste, food,
employment, &c.
None of these appears to influence the development of leprosy. Non-tuber-
culated leprosy has often been observed to commence in persons of high castes
in the enjoyment of ease, plenty and great bodily strength. The lower and poorer
castes are not exempt from this form of the disease, but are vastly more subject to
the tuberculated form of leprosy.
V.—Mode of propagation of the disease.
( 27 )
2. With reference to all the others, except the last question, I have no
opinion to offer.
3. The following table will shew the number of cases treated during the
last five years :
Year.
1870
1871
1872
1873
1874
Total ...
Dispensary.
No. of
patients.
221
181
280
252
278
1,212
No. of
lepers.
1
.......
2
1
4
Jail.
No. of
patients.
206
171
671
652
689
2,389
No. of
lepers.
2
1
3
No. 12, dated Partabgarh, the 3rd April 1876.
From—J. HART, Esq., Μ. κ. c. s., Health Officer of Partabgarh.
To—The Sanitary Commissioner of Oudh.
WITH reference to your memorandum No. 588 of the 16th March, calling for a
further report on leprosy, I have the honour to state that 21 cases applied to the
charitable dispensary here for treatment during the year 1875, and the result is not
known in any of the cases, as there was no accommodation available for lepers, and
the patients ceased to attend.
No. 135, dated Sultanpur, the 21st July 1875.
From—A. CAMERON, Esq., M. D., Health Officer of Sultanpur.
To—The Sanitary Commissioner of Oudh.
IN reply to your No. 904 of the 15th April last, I have the honour to furnish
the following information regarding leprosy in this district.
1. As suggested in your letter, I give in a tabular form the number of
lepers in the three following institutions :
Institution.
Jail ...
Poor-house
...
Native Hospital ...
Number of inmates on
the 20th July
1875.
493
54
72
Number of lepers
among them.
None.
7
4
These figures give little information regarding the prevalence of the disease in
the district generally. It so happens that there is no leprous prisoner in the
jail at present. A few months ago, however, there were two, and in my experience
it is a rare thing for this jail not to number at least one leper amongst its inmates.
The proportion of lepers among the inmates of the poor-house is of course
much larger than among the general population, as victims of the disease are among
the commonest object of charity.
The proportion of leprous patients at the dispensary is, I need not say, equally
fallacious as an indication of the general prevalence of the disease. It is impossible
to say what this latter is as there are no data to go upon.
( 29 )
Memorandum No. 98, dated Gonda, the 12th June 1875.
IN reply to his No. 901, dated 15th April, hegs to state that a report on
leprosy was submitted on the llth January last to Junior Secretary to Chief Com-
missioner.
2. The undersigned has no further information of value to offer.
P. J. HEFFERNAN,
Civil Surgeon of Gonda.
To the Sanitary Commissioner of Oudh.
No. 1498, dated Gonda, the 17th June 1875.
From—G. S. SUTHERLAND, Esq., Sanitary Commissioner of Oudh.
To—The Junior Secretary to the Chief Commissioner of Oudh.
WITH reference to your No, 1589, dated 5th April 1875, I have the honour
to request that I may be favoured with the report on leprosy of the Civil Surgeon,
Gonda, referred to in the letter of which a copy is attached.
Memorandum No. 2, dated Gonda, the llth January 1875.
IN compliance with his No. 150, dated 5th instant, begs to submit the report
called for.
P. J. HEFFERNAN,
Civil Medical Officer of Gonda.
To the Junior Secretary to the Chief Commissioner of Oudh.
Memorandum No. 2873, dated Lucknow, the 18th June 1875.
IN reply to No. 1498, dated 17th instant, is directed to forward a copy of the
report No. 2, dated llth January 1875, of the Civil Surgeon, Gonda, regarding
the endemic skin diseases of India.
A. MURRAY,
Junior Secretary to the Chief Commissioner of Oudh.
To the Sanitary Commissioner of Oudh.
Report by P. J. HEFFERNAN, Esq., Civil Surgeon of Gonda,
THE skin diseases most frequently found in this district are leprosy, psoriasis,
pythriasis and lichen.
In the Government Poor-house are some lepers with the disease in an advanced
stage. The disease seems to be of a sporadic nature, and can scarcely be said to be
endemic to this district.
The Natives recognise but one form, the anæsthetic, by which the disease is
ushered in accompanied by fever, after repeated attacks of which the disease is said
to progress rapidly. Relatives are said to be free from it, and in some instances the
offsprings of lepers have not contracted the disease. There is no evidence to show
that it has been produced by fish or dhall eating, as it is to be found in those
who have not used those articles of diet.
Low caste Hindus—Ahirs and Korees—are those generally affected, the cheaper
kinds of grain, such as bajra and joar, being their principal food.
The soil of the district is extensively cultivated, and the grain of good quality.
Fever is extremely prevalent after rains and during cold weather; the mortality
from it is very high.
Pythriasis is also a common disease, it is recognised by circular discolour-
ation of the skin, sometimes in small and sometimes in large patches, often
attended by itching and giving off scales when scratched. In severe forms it is
frequently surrounded by red rings, those rings often extend rapidly when the centre
light-coloured portion is found to extend its area ; when the disease has terminated
there will generally be found destruction of some pigment.
8 a
( 30 )
Lichen tiapicus is to be found amongst both Europeans and Natives ; it is
recognised by a number of red vascular papules studded over different parts of the
body accompanied with intolerable itching.
The cause of it is due to failure of the ludarifarous glands in not relieving the
skin of the superabundant sweat. It is considered to be a healthy sign, shewing
that nature is trying to get rid of some noxious or abundant fluid from the body.
No. 95, dated Bahraich, the 5th June 1875.
From—The OfiPg. Civil Surgeon of Bahraich.
To—The Sanitary Commissioner of Oudh.
IN reply to your letter No. 902 of 1875, dated Lucknow, the 15th April,
I have the honour to submit the accompanying numerical data ragarding
leprosy.
With regard to paragraphs III., IV. and V., I am at present unable to give
information of any value.
I.—Prevalence of the disease in your district—
Institution.
Jail
Poor-house
Native Hospital
Number of
inmates
on any date.
230
106
18
Number of lepers
among them.
None.
49
None.
II.—Special prevalence of the disease in any locality—
Population of Bhingu, 4,491 ; number of lepers 12.
Ditto of Ikanna, 2,189 ; ditto of ditto 6.
No. 43, dated Bahraich, the 22nd March 1876.
From—The Offg. Civil Surgeon of Bahraich.
To—The Sanitary Commissioner of Oudh.
IN accordance with your memorandunm No. 585, dated 16th instant, I have the
honour to submit a brief report on reprosy in this district.
A report on the treatment of leprosy by gurjun oil was sent to the Deputy
Surgeon General early in January last. The present -report is necessarily very
meagre, as the information required by Messrs. Fox and Farquhar can be given only
after long and careful study of the disease, especially as facts, and not opinions, are
required.
Report by the Officiating Civil Surgeon of Bahraich on leprosy in Bahraich,—dated
the 22nd March 1876.
A.—LEPAROSY IN DISTRICTS.
1. Bahraich in the North-East of Oudh, South to Nepal.
2. The district is in land.
3. Yes.
4. The disease is not an importation, so far as I can discover, but is either pro-
duced or propagated in Bahraich. It is not merely sporadic. I cannot say how
many forms the Natives recognise.
5. Malarial.
6. I cannot answer this question.
( 32 )
healthy ; two were born after he had contracted the disease, and have
remained free from leprosy taint up to the present ; his wife is
alive and healthy.
(2) Bhojalai, Ahir, aged 50 years, from the Fyzabad. District. Duration of
the disease twelve years ; no history of the disease in his family, but
there were other lepers in his village ; is married, has had nine
children, one of whom was born after the disease was contracted ;
six, including this one, died at early ages, the others are healthy.
(3) Husen Baksh, Muhammadan, aged 45 years, from District Banda,
North-Western Provinces. Duration of disease sixteen years ; no
family history of disease ; is unmarried, but cohabits with No. 4,by
whom he has had two sons, both died in early infancy,
(4) Mussamat Ramozi, Mussulmani, aged 36 years, resident of Gonda
District. Duration of the disease six years ; her father and two
brothers were lepers ; is married, but was rejected by her husband
when the disease manifested itself, and is now living with No. 3.
(5) Nanku, Hindu, aged 40 years, from Jaunpur. Duration of the disease
nine years ; comes of a healthy family ; is married, and has had four
children, three of whom are alive and healthy, and one of these was
born after the disease was contracted ; had syphilis badly about
twelve years ago.
4. Assistant Surgeon Jadub Kristo Sen, in charge of the Sadr Dispensary,
used gurjun oil last year in the treatment of some cases of leprosy internally
and externally ; as an application it proved very efficacious, but he was not encour-
aged to continue internal administration as the patients complained of " burning
pain in the stomach, itching sensation in the throat with loss of appetite, diarrhœa
and nausea."
No. 74, dated Fyzabad, the 21st July 1875.
From—The Health Officer of Fyzabad.
To—The Sanitary Commissioner of Oudh.
WITH reference to your No. 900 of 15th April 1875, I have the honour to state
as follows.
2. The subjoined form shows the number of lepers among the inmates of the
jail and charitable dispensary : there is no poor-house, only an asylum for blind and
lepers, the statistics of which are obviously useless for the purpose of this
inquiry.
Institution.
Jail
Poor-house
Native Hospital
Number of inmates
on any day.
855
None.
93
Number of lepers
among them.
3
None.
2
Percentage.
0·35
None.
2·15
3. The following table gives the number of inhabitants and of lepers in ten
villages taken from different parts of the district in the vicinity of the branch dis-
pensaries. I am afraid that there is very little to be learnt from these figures, the
number of lepers being so small everywhere that a difference of one or two alters
the percentage considerably. There is, however, a perceptible difference in the
( 33 )
percentage of lepers near Shahganj Dispensary, as compared with the other two
localities the percentage is distinctly higher.
Districts
Tandah.
Name of villages.
Tandah
Iltifatganj
Mobarickpur
Akberpur
...
Shahzadpur
Moradabad
Mirzapur
Shahganj
Paharpur
Dobhyara
Total
Number of
inhabitants.
16,971
1,922
4,306
1,745
5,069
387
240
4,086
489
511
35,690
Number of
lepers.
26
None.
6
2
2
2
None.
8
1
2
49
Percentage.
0·15
0·14
0·11
0·04
0-52
None.
0-20
0-21
0-4
0-11
4. I could find no peculiarities in these villages as to water, soil, drainage,
&c., with this exception, that the soil of the villages near Shahganj was clayey,
while that of those about Tandah and Akberpur was on the whole sandy. One of
the villages near Shahganj is noted for fever, and I am inclined to suspect the
other two also.
5. There was nothing worthy of notice in the circumstances, caste, food or
employment of the inhabitants of the villages chosen for examination ; the people
resembled in all essential respects those of other villages in the district.
6. With regard to the mode of propagation I have no evidence to offer, but
my opinion is—1st, that the disease is hereditary ; 2nd, that it is not contagious ; 3rd,
that it often arises like other constitutional diseases without hereditary predisposition ;
but I have come to no conclusion as to what the circumstances are which produce
it, though I am inclined to suspect malaria as one of them.
Memorandum No. 148, dated Fyzabad, the 6th April 1876.
WITH reference to his No. 583, dated 16th ultimo, begs to refer him to this
Office No. 74 of 21st July 1875, which contains all the information available in
this Office on the subject of leprosy in this district.
J. CAMERON, M. D.,
Health Officer of Fyzabad.
To the Sanitary Commissioner of Oudh.
9 a
D. N. M.—Home, Kevenue & Agricultural Dept.—Press No- 402—23-8.79—100.