Dr. GARDEN ON FEVER IN DEOBUND.
Nov., 1887.]
The distribution
?rubral (Joimiutmuation!).
321
according to
age was:
L
REMARKS ON FEYER MORTALITY AT DEOBUND IN 1884. By Brigade-Sukgeon A.
(Continued
GARDEN, M.D.
from page 301.)
Male
408
909
1,495
1,229
Female
385
929
1,315
934
989
2,032
1,606
1,226
860
727
1,983
1,420
1,184
871
746
That the violence of the fever did in some Total 793 1.838 2.810 2,163 1,857 4,015 3.q26 2,410 1,731 1,473 way influence child-bearing either by producing Placed within the area irrigated by the Ganges abortion, or reducing production, is tolerably we no have returns certain, though bearing Canal, whose channels have of late been brought directly on the subject. Relatively fewer births, close to the town, it lies in a depression or holhowever, were registered during the continuance low, shallow it may be, but of the utmost imporof the epidemic and during the first half of tance as regards drainage, when it is borne in 1885. mind that the average fall of the whole country, The bulk of the population is Hindoo and at this part is not much more than a foot in the Mahomedan, the latter being the more numer mile. From its position the surplus water from the land for miles around finds its way past ous, as well as the poorest and most miserably and through the lower lying parts of the town ?off. towards the S. W., the only course at present The relative death-rates are given below:? left open. The lines of natural drainage are two, to the Mahomedan. Othkr Castes. S. E. into the East Kali Nuddee, and to the Hindu. S. W. into the Hindun Nuddee. The E. Kali Nuddee runs 272 miles to the east of the town coursing north and south. the town was connected with this wide natural waterway or depression known as the Jor, which runs from the south of the town eastwards, and within which the town is really situated. About half a mile from the town, the Jor spreads out into a tank like expanse kuown as the Davi Kuud.
Formerly
by Whole year Period A. Period B.
1129 267 862
1.20' 28-6 91-3
1926 344 15S2
154-6 27-5 127-
23 6 17
98-7 25-7 73*
The Mahomedan exceeded the Hindu mortality by 34'6 per mille for the whole year. During the earlier seven months it was the reverse, 1*1 per mille more Hindus dying than Mahomedans, the excess of Mahomedan mortality during the epidemic months being thus 35*7 per mille. An analogous excess of Mahomedan mortality is found in other urban circles, but to a much less extent, not exceeding 17 per mille.
Nothing more can be gained from an examination of the death-returns, and the most important question remains,? what was it that led to the frightful mortality affecting the young and the old, the females and the Mahomedaus in so special a manner?
a
The drainage no longer passes through this channel. It must have always been defective, aud has been rendered impracticable by the construction of a canal-channel across it. Some years ago, drainage by this line seems to have been again attempted but given up, though no great difficulties apparently exist beyond the necessity of constant care to keep the channel clear, if water-way is made under the canal.
The Hindun Nuddee runs also north and south about eight miles to the west of the town, and at present, the whole drainage passes S. There are difficulties W. into, or towards it. in the way of making this line effective, partly from the leugth of cut required to avoid floodThe town of Deobund is situated 21 miles S. ing intervening low-lyiug lands, and partly E. of the city of Saharanpur, midway be- from the fact that about a mile from the town it is crossed by the embankment of the Northtween the rivers Jumna and Ganges. S. P. and D. Railway). The population, by the Census of 1881, was West Railway (late under the railway is allowed The waterway 22,116 distributed as follows : not only insufficient in itself to carry away Male 11,481 (51*9%) Female 10,635 (48-0%) rapidly any heavy rainfall, but the floor of the Hindus 9,325 (42-16%) culvert is so raised that thorough-drainage is at Mussulmans 12,458 (56'3?/0) 233 Other castes any time impossible. In fact, the railway on
(1 *49%)
41
323
THE INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE.
side, and the canal on the other, have such obstacles in the way of the drainage, placed naturally most difficult, that, after any heavy downfall of rain the water is held back, anil the low-lying parts of the town and the country around for miles are flooded and turned for the time being into a swamp. Surrounding the town are fifteen tanks or excavations of varying area, from which, during centuries past, the material used in building has been taken, and up to 1884 there was one in the midst of the town, which has since been filled but in all, the deepest up. The deptli varies, below the is drainage level of the surportion rounding country, and thus during the entire year most, if not all, contain water, the level of which rises and falls with the season, and It is always at its lowest amount of rainfall. and worst in May and early June during the great heat before the onset of the monsoon. Excess water after rain at present is carried off by channels from tank to tank until it finds an outlet to the west under the railway. $y the sides of some are brick-kilns after the native pattern, which have been in use for ages, and close to which are collected the street sweepings and other filth made use of in the kilns, and ready at hand to add further pollution to the water. The banks are shelving, and as long as water remains dank and damp, and covered with vegetation of a sort. They are chiefly resorted to as latrines, the attraction being the water close at hand for personal ablution. In them also are washed the dirty clothes of the inhabitants, and their cattle, and they are favourite places of refuge ofbuffalos from flies and other vermin. Before the onset of the rains the water, as can be readily understood, ia nothing but a concentrated solution of putrescent animal matter, whilst on the banks there is always an ample store of impurities to add to the foulness whenever rain falls, which also brings down the collected impurities of the town, the drainage from whieh flows into these hollows. What wonder that even the natives themselves complain of them. The people indeed deny that they ever use the water from them for any other purposes than ablution of themselves, their clothes, and cattle. This may possibly be, but it is quite unlike the apathetic malaria-stricken native of these parts to go even a hundred yards to draw good water from a well when bad lies almost at his feet, and can be got with only a tithe of the the
one
trouble. For cooking and drinking purposes, there is sufficient a supply of water from wells within the town. Of these there are one hundred and twelve, fifty-one of which, however, contain water so brackish and loaded with impurities as to be highly unpalatable and unwholesome. Such brackish wells are found in all cities, towns and
[Nov.,
1887.
The impurities arise from of any age. the saturation of the soil for centuries by animal Whoever has excreta and foulness of all sorts. cattle are crowded seen the manner in which amongst the houses aud in the open spaces, and around the wells, can readily understand what the condition of the soil must be, for cleanliness The and conservancy are never dreamt of. solid excreta of the cattle, indeed, are collected and carried off to be used as fuel. The fluid excreta remain and sink into the soil. Some of the favourite and more frequented wells are near the foulest tanks, and it is impossible to conceive that their water remains uncontaminated. None of the wells are deep, not more than 12 or 15 feet below the level of the country, aud really receive only the surface-water by percolation, which must of necessity contain much impurity. None of them are sunk sufficiently deep to obtain a supply of pure wholesome
villages
water.
The water from the brackish well (closed in 1884), it was said, was only used for cleansiug purposes, but whenever carried home it was as likely as not to be used for the first purpose, cooking or other, for which water was required. The better-built and richer part of the town lies on elevated ground, the highest part of which These at one time was occupied by a fort. raised spots or mounds in an otherwise perfectly flat country are met with where ver there date.* The are towns or villages of ancient majority of the inhabitants are" very poor, They are the especially the Mahommedans. in which there are owners of the town site some 1,800 shareholders. They prefer to live on the miserable pittance they receive than to follow any occupation" (N.-W. P.. fy O. Gazetteer.) Eighteen hundred families would account for a great part of the Mahommedau population ; but, in addition, there is a large number of weavers, who are invariably povertystricken. Let me add, personal cleanliness is not one of their failings. A little water to hands and feet at the mosque is about all the ablution they indulge in. Their desire for meat and their poverty leads them to indulge in flesh, coarse and devoid of nutritive qualities, and but little removed from what could elsewhere be looked on as carrion. This kind of diet at any rate the Hindus avoid, and, on the whole, they are better off, though poverty is rife amongst the low castes.
The landowners from the smallness of their are but little removed above the status of the ordinary agricultural labourer. With the heavy claims on them incident to their family
holdings
"
* The author of the article " Sahar^npur in the N.-W. P. Gazetteer says, Deobund has a great antiquity which may extend to 3,000 yeai;s.
SUCCESSFUL VACCINATION IN THE HOT SEASON.
Nov., 1887.]
customs, their meagre income can afford but a small surplus over the necessary expenditure. As a whole, such a people, however thrifty, can do little more than live, consuming the commonest and coarsest qualities of grain, and that even in no too great abuudance. It means food defective in quality aud quantity, and a geueral lowered standard of health, with a proclivity to disease, and no reserve force to meet the calls of severe illness. Exposed always to the blighting effects of malaria, and of unwholesome surroundings, and ill-nourished, they are a listless apathetic race with no go in them. They grow prematurely old. Insufficiently nourished mothers produce weakly infants, amongst whom in the healthiest years the mortality is abnormally high,* and whose first years are a What wonder that very struggle for existence. in a year of epidemic, such as 1884, more than three-quarters of those under one year, aud onehalf of those under five years were swept away. Taken at its best Deobnnd is an unhealthy place, as the death-rates for the last nine years
show:?
Death-rate
1878 1879
?
?
1880 1881 1882 1883
?
?
?
?
1884
,,
,,
1885 1886
?
?
?
?
60-78 Per cent. 75-56 52-48 52-59
43-12 41-82 139*17
?
?
?
69 64
?
?
?
48-28
?
They arise from centuries of disintegration and ruin of houses and huts. The native builds, he rarely or never repairs. A house is deserted, destroyed by fire, or otherwise goes to ruiu;9 a new one is raised on the spot without any attempt to clear away debris. (To be continued.) uiu
*
are-
The following figures show that the deaths of infants always high 974 Deaths under one year 392 1880 Total births I881F 1882 1883
1884I88S
I8S6-
?
1]11 921 1001 857 654 667
419 395 304 687 256 182
323
Nov., 1887.]
The distribution
?rubral (Joimiutmuation!).
321
according to
age was:
L
REMARKS ON FEYER MORTALITY AT DEOBUND IN 1884. By Brigade-Sukgeon A.
(Continued
GARDEN, M.D.
from page 301.)
Male
408
909
1,495
1,229
Female
385
929
1,315
934
989
2,032
1,606
1,226
860
727
1,983
1,420
1,184
871
746
That the violence of the fever did in some Total 793 1.838 2.810 2,163 1,857 4,015 3.q26 2,410 1,731 1,473 way influence child-bearing either by producing Placed within the area irrigated by the Ganges abortion, or reducing production, is tolerably we no have returns certain, though bearing Canal, whose channels have of late been brought directly on the subject. Relatively fewer births, close to the town, it lies in a depression or holhowever, were registered during the continuance low, shallow it may be, but of the utmost imporof the epidemic and during the first half of tance as regards drainage, when it is borne in 1885. mind that the average fall of the whole country, The bulk of the population is Hindoo and at this part is not much more than a foot in the Mahomedan, the latter being the more numer mile. From its position the surplus water from the land for miles around finds its way past ous, as well as the poorest and most miserably and through the lower lying parts of the town ?off. towards the S. W., the only course at present The relative death-rates are given below:? left open. The lines of natural drainage are two, to the Mahomedan. Othkr Castes. S. E. into the East Kali Nuddee, and to the Hindu. S. W. into the Hindun Nuddee. The E. Kali Nuddee runs 272 miles to the east of the town coursing north and south. the town was connected with this wide natural waterway or depression known as the Jor, which runs from the south of the town eastwards, and within which the town is really situated. About half a mile from the town, the Jor spreads out into a tank like expanse kuown as the Davi Kuud.
Formerly
by Whole year Period A. Period B.
1129 267 862
1.20' 28-6 91-3
1926 344 15S2
154-6 27-5 127-
23 6 17
98-7 25-7 73*
The Mahomedan exceeded the Hindu mortality by 34'6 per mille for the whole year. During the earlier seven months it was the reverse, 1*1 per mille more Hindus dying than Mahomedans, the excess of Mahomedan mortality during the epidemic months being thus 35*7 per mille. An analogous excess of Mahomedan mortality is found in other urban circles, but to a much less extent, not exceeding 17 per mille.
Nothing more can be gained from an examination of the death-returns, and the most important question remains,? what was it that led to the frightful mortality affecting the young and the old, the females and the Mahomedaus in so special a manner?
a
The drainage no longer passes through this channel. It must have always been defective, aud has been rendered impracticable by the construction of a canal-channel across it. Some years ago, drainage by this line seems to have been again attempted but given up, though no great difficulties apparently exist beyond the necessity of constant care to keep the channel clear, if water-way is made under the canal.
The Hindun Nuddee runs also north and south about eight miles to the west of the town, and at present, the whole drainage passes S. There are difficulties W. into, or towards it. in the way of making this line effective, partly from the leugth of cut required to avoid floodThe town of Deobund is situated 21 miles S. ing intervening low-lyiug lands, and partly E. of the city of Saharanpur, midway be- from the fact that about a mile from the town it is crossed by the embankment of the Northtween the rivers Jumna and Ganges. S. P. and D. Railway). The population, by the Census of 1881, was West Railway (late under the railway is allowed The waterway 22,116 distributed as follows : not only insufficient in itself to carry away Male 11,481 (51*9%) Female 10,635 (48-0%) rapidly any heavy rainfall, but the floor of the Hindus 9,325 (42-16%) culvert is so raised that thorough-drainage is at Mussulmans 12,458 (56'3?/0) 233 Other castes any time impossible. In fact, the railway on
(1 *49%)
41
323
THE INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE.
side, and the canal on the other, have such obstacles in the way of the drainage, placed naturally most difficult, that, after any heavy downfall of rain the water is held back, anil the low-lying parts of the town and the country around for miles are flooded and turned for the time being into a swamp. Surrounding the town are fifteen tanks or excavations of varying area, from which, during centuries past, the material used in building has been taken, and up to 1884 there was one in the midst of the town, which has since been filled but in all, the deepest up. The deptli varies, below the is drainage level of the surportion rounding country, and thus during the entire year most, if not all, contain water, the level of which rises and falls with the season, and It is always at its lowest amount of rainfall. and worst in May and early June during the great heat before the onset of the monsoon. Excess water after rain at present is carried off by channels from tank to tank until it finds an outlet to the west under the railway. $y the sides of some are brick-kilns after the native pattern, which have been in use for ages, and close to which are collected the street sweepings and other filth made use of in the kilns, and ready at hand to add further pollution to the water. The banks are shelving, and as long as water remains dank and damp, and covered with vegetation of a sort. They are chiefly resorted to as latrines, the attraction being the water close at hand for personal ablution. In them also are washed the dirty clothes of the inhabitants, and their cattle, and they are favourite places of refuge ofbuffalos from flies and other vermin. Before the onset of the rains the water, as can be readily understood, ia nothing but a concentrated solution of putrescent animal matter, whilst on the banks there is always an ample store of impurities to add to the foulness whenever rain falls, which also brings down the collected impurities of the town, the drainage from whieh flows into these hollows. What wonder that even the natives themselves complain of them. The people indeed deny that they ever use the water from them for any other purposes than ablution of themselves, their clothes, and cattle. This may possibly be, but it is quite unlike the apathetic malaria-stricken native of these parts to go even a hundred yards to draw good water from a well when bad lies almost at his feet, and can be got with only a tithe of the the
one
trouble. For cooking and drinking purposes, there is sufficient a supply of water from wells within the town. Of these there are one hundred and twelve, fifty-one of which, however, contain water so brackish and loaded with impurities as to be highly unpalatable and unwholesome. Such brackish wells are found in all cities, towns and
[Nov.,
1887.
The impurities arise from of any age. the saturation of the soil for centuries by animal Whoever has excreta and foulness of all sorts. cattle are crowded seen the manner in which amongst the houses aud in the open spaces, and around the wells, can readily understand what the condition of the soil must be, for cleanliness The and conservancy are never dreamt of. solid excreta of the cattle, indeed, are collected and carried off to be used as fuel. The fluid excreta remain and sink into the soil. Some of the favourite and more frequented wells are near the foulest tanks, and it is impossible to conceive that their water remains uncontaminated. None of the wells are deep, not more than 12 or 15 feet below the level of the country, aud really receive only the surface-water by percolation, which must of necessity contain much impurity. None of them are sunk sufficiently deep to obtain a supply of pure wholesome
villages
water.
The water from the brackish well (closed in 1884), it was said, was only used for cleansiug purposes, but whenever carried home it was as likely as not to be used for the first purpose, cooking or other, for which water was required. The better-built and richer part of the town lies on elevated ground, the highest part of which These at one time was occupied by a fort. raised spots or mounds in an otherwise perfectly flat country are met with where ver there date.* The are towns or villages of ancient majority of the inhabitants are" very poor, They are the especially the Mahommedans. in which there are owners of the town site some 1,800 shareholders. They prefer to live on the miserable pittance they receive than to follow any occupation" (N.-W. P.. fy O. Gazetteer.) Eighteen hundred families would account for a great part of the Mahommedau population ; but, in addition, there is a large number of weavers, who are invariably povertystricken. Let me add, personal cleanliness is not one of their failings. A little water to hands and feet at the mosque is about all the ablution they indulge in. Their desire for meat and their poverty leads them to indulge in flesh, coarse and devoid of nutritive qualities, and but little removed from what could elsewhere be looked on as carrion. This kind of diet at any rate the Hindus avoid, and, on the whole, they are better off, though poverty is rife amongst the low castes.
The landowners from the smallness of their are but little removed above the status of the ordinary agricultural labourer. With the heavy claims on them incident to their family
holdings
"
* The author of the article " Sahar^npur in the N.-W. P. Gazetteer says, Deobund has a great antiquity which may extend to 3,000 yeai;s.
SUCCESSFUL VACCINATION IN THE HOT SEASON.
Nov., 1887.]
customs, their meagre income can afford but a small surplus over the necessary expenditure. As a whole, such a people, however thrifty, can do little more than live, consuming the commonest and coarsest qualities of grain, and that even in no too great abuudance. It means food defective in quality aud quantity, and a geueral lowered standard of health, with a proclivity to disease, and no reserve force to meet the calls of severe illness. Exposed always to the blighting effects of malaria, and of unwholesome surroundings, and ill-nourished, they are a listless apathetic race with no go in them. They grow prematurely old. Insufficiently nourished mothers produce weakly infants, amongst whom in the healthiest years the mortality is abnormally high,* and whose first years are a What wonder that very struggle for existence. in a year of epidemic, such as 1884, more than three-quarters of those under one year, aud onehalf of those under five years were swept away. Taken at its best Deobnnd is an unhealthy place, as the death-rates for the last nine years
show:?
Death-rate
1878 1879
?
?
1880 1881 1882 1883
?
?
?
?
1884
,,
,,
1885 1886
?
?
?
?
60-78 Per cent. 75-56 52-48 52-59
43-12 41-82 139*17
?
?
?
69 64
?
?
?
48-28
?
They arise from centuries of disintegration and ruin of houses and huts. The native builds, he rarely or never repairs. A house is deserted, destroyed by fire, or otherwise goes to ruiu;9 a new one is raised on the spot without any attempt to clear away debris. (To be continued.) uiu
*
are-
The following figures show that the deaths of infants always high 974 Deaths under one year 392 1880 Total births I881F 1882 1883
1884I88S
I8S6-
?
1]11 921 1001 857 654 667
419 395 304 687 256 182
323
