brought forward in the sections preventive medicine, bacteriology, military and state hygiene and opportunities given for their free discussion. One may not *lt present be able to exactly gauge the value subjects
were
devoted
to
of the communications and the comments upon them, but there can be no doubt that many who had
the
cussions
hear
to
privilege
join
or
in the dis-
with
their former views away which had not previously by facts
came
strengthened been known to
them, or with views much modified having considered the matter On the subject from a totally different aspect. of Quarantine the Indian medical men took a leading part. In the discussion 011 the Comma Bacillus, Dr. D. D. Cunningham and Dr. Klein had an opportunity of expressing their views which were opposed to those held by Professor owing
to
Hueppe
others
of
Prague
of Vienna.
It
was
-that Dr. D. D. different
of
comma
patients, also
that he had mucoid
Cunningham
species
him in cholera
and Professor Max Giliber at one of these meetings
tissue of
showed his
eight by
bacillus found
and mentioned the fact
found
bacilli in the and healthy apes guinea-pigs. communication will give a comma
Doubtless this further impetus to the investigation into the life history of these micro-organisms. The debate 011 Enteric Fever in India was instructive and
interesting,
the
medical staff
and Indian medical officers Notter "
It
themselves.
to
of
was
Netley,
having it nearly all opened by Dr. J. Lane
who
read
paper 011 European Army in India aud Prevention." He was followed a
Enteric Fever in the
its
Etiology
Davies of the Army Medical Staff " Enteric Fever in Campaigus, paper on its Prevalence and Causation," and then by Dr. Schneider, Medicin Major, 1st class, attached to
by Surgeon with
THE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF of view the Interna-
the direction of the Medical Service at the " Ministry of War, Paris, with a paper on The Prophylaxis of Typhoid Fever in the French
and
Army."
HYGIENE AND DEMOGRAPHY. From tional
an
Indian
Congress
of
point
Hygiene
last held in London and
August by the Prince
Demography presided
of
over
of Wales may be looked upon as There were no fewer than a brilliant success. 70 delegates from different parts of India, and of these read papers, or in the discussions and propart India was ceedings, yet certainly more fully and its represented sanitary affairs made more than at Indian public any former Congress.
though only took
an
active
a
few
a
With these papers
cussion turned aud there was a
mainly
on
consensus
as
a
basis,
the dis-
enteric fever in India, of opinion which blamed
defects in aud around cantonments as one of the main causes of the prevalence of the disease among young soldiers, and it was the general opinion that much more needs to
sanitary
be done in the and
proper
securing of a pure water-supply disposal of excreta. The Indian
trenching system
met with little support, for it
tiov. 1891.]
THE CONGRESS OP HYGIENE AND DEMOGRAPHY.
845
considered that where troops had to rely on gentlemen of the present sanitary condition of wells for their water-supply, trenching must sooner India astonished even those who were prepared or later inevitably pollute the water. The to hear something extraordinary. Had these
was
remarks made by Brigade-Surgeon T. appear to be very much to the poiut.
following
Maunsell
"I should like to say that whatever else we we should at once attend to and imI have prove the conservancy in our stations.
papers been read before the discussion on Quarantine took place, it would probably have altered the attitude of some of the speakers in that whose admiration for the sanitary system in England prevented them from suggesting
may do
section,
but recently returned from a tour of service of five and-a-half years in India, and during that time I did duty in most of our large stations,
Sanitation
and I found that
includingMeerut and Luckuow, though theoretically the system cy may be
good,
that
practically
of
conservan-
it
is,
to
say
the least, very faulty; on examining it one finds that little or no dry earth is used, the
receptacles and filth carts are broken and leaky, and the trenches into which tbe filth is thrown are "
not
attended
filth trenches
to.
Regulations
say
that
"
should be within 300 yards of That is too close. The great blot
barracks.
in the conservancy of Indian stations is the " These trenches exist for trench system."
bazaar
that
England
as
put into
was
practice
so
great
Quarantine,
versus
champion
a
she
was
in India what she
other nations to do in
Europe.
of
bound to
was
asking Courtesy more
the cause of silence on this it point. Of course can hardly be expected that those not conversant with Indian creeds and habits than conviction
was
appreciate the difficulties England encounters carrying out hygienic measures in India. Perhaps the most heated discussion during the sitting of the Congress was that in the section of Demography on Mr. Holt Hallett's paper on Indian Factory Legislation, Dr. Bahadhurji of Bombay, Dr. Cook, Principal of the Medical College of Bombay, and the Hon. Nowarjee N. can
in
people, punkah, and thermantidote coolies, Wadia, controverted the statements made by descriptions, and these Mr. Hallett in his paper, some of which were
and workmen of all
trenches dotted about all over the station become in the rains simply quagmires of decomposing filth. The native troops have nothing but trenches, and the latter are usually so far from
barracks
that the men, especially on dark and nights, during the rain, will not go so far, but merely visit the nearest nullah. The rewet
sult need not be described. cantonments
are
overcrowded
extent, and their sanitation point I should like to draw to is
the fact that the
cantonment
magistrate.
Surgeon-General
time is
too
is the
The bazaars in to
very great One very bad. marked attention a
sanitary officer is the Nominally, the Deputy sanitary officer,
but his
much taken up with other duties,
and, practically,
the cantonment
magistrate,
a
combatant officer without any special training, is the health or sanitary officer of the station. A medical officer should be specially told off as sanitary officer in our large stations, and then matters would be very different indeed." The sanitary condition of the civil population of Iud>r, was not forgotten. Sir William Moore,
Surgeon-Major Priugle, Surgeon-Major Hendley
and Mr. Baldwin Latham read papers on the subject; and, judging from the comments afterwards made, the description these
given by
characterised
as
inaccurate, sensational,
The latter
gentlemen aggerated. indulging in personalities which had by
the
The
Chairman.
and
ex-
retorted to be
by stopped
discussion has
been
since continued in the papers, and probably good may arise from ventilation of the question. Possibly, there may be more in Mr. Hallett's contention than his opponents are prepared to admit, for the source of his information seems to have been derived largely from official records. It may be granted that the Indian operative has neither the energy nor inclination to work in the same rapid, systematic, and thorough man-
workman, but that in no way that long hours, the employment of proves in factories, and night-work children and women are beneficial to the work-people, and are the the British
ner as
proper means by which deficiencies made up, and the industries of India So well did India
come
gress that an attempt was manent Indian section.
are
to
be
developed.
forward at this Conmade to form a per-
This, if carried out, blunder, for if the same policy had been extended, the Congress must gradually have lost its International character. would have been
It
was
why
a
reasonably asked
not
an
Australian
if
an
Indian section
section,
an
American
INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE.
346
section, &c.,
&o. Wiser cuunsels
ever, and at
a
over
by
special
Indian
prevailed, howmeeting, presided
Sir Mountstuart Grant
Duff,
it
was
proposed by Sir Wra, Moore, and seconded by Sir Douglas Gal ton, that "in future Congresses a tropical section be formed with a view to a more full discussion of questions affecting sanitation and the origin of disease in tropical climates." This was carried unanimously. Without, therefore, having
an
Indian section in the
Congress,
India and its
will have
an
of
special tropical diseases opportunity at future Congresses
well to the front.
being
[Nov.
1891.
were
devoted
to
of the communications and the comments upon them, but there can be no doubt that many who had
the
cussions
hear
to
privilege
join
or
in the dis-
with
their former views away which had not previously by facts
came
strengthened been known to
them, or with views much modified having considered the matter On the subject from a totally different aspect. of Quarantine the Indian medical men took a leading part. In the discussion 011 the Comma Bacillus, Dr. D. D. Cunningham and Dr. Klein had an opportunity of expressing their views which were opposed to those held by Professor owing
to
Hueppe
others
of
Prague
of Vienna.
It
was
-that Dr. D. D. different
of
comma
patients, also
that he had mucoid
Cunningham
species
him in cholera
and Professor Max Giliber at one of these meetings
tissue of
showed his
eight by
bacillus found
and mentioned the fact
found
bacilli in the and healthy apes guinea-pigs. communication will give a comma
Doubtless this further impetus to the investigation into the life history of these micro-organisms. The debate 011 Enteric Fever in India was instructive and
interesting,
the
medical staff
and Indian medical officers Notter "
It
themselves.
to
of
was
Netley,
having it nearly all opened by Dr. J. Lane
who
read
paper 011 European Army in India aud Prevention." He was followed a
Enteric Fever in the
its
Etiology
Davies of the Army Medical Staff " Enteric Fever in Campaigus, paper on its Prevalence and Causation," and then by Dr. Schneider, Medicin Major, 1st class, attached to
by Surgeon with
THE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF of view the Interna-
the direction of the Medical Service at the " Ministry of War, Paris, with a paper on The Prophylaxis of Typhoid Fever in the French
and
Army."
HYGIENE AND DEMOGRAPHY. From tional
an
Indian
Congress
of
point
Hygiene
last held in London and
August by the Prince
Demography presided
of
over
of Wales may be looked upon as There were no fewer than a brilliant success. 70 delegates from different parts of India, and of these read papers, or in the discussions and propart India was ceedings, yet certainly more fully and its represented sanitary affairs made more than at Indian public any former Congress.
though only took
an
active
a
few
a
With these papers
cussion turned aud there was a
mainly
on
consensus
as
a
basis,
the dis-
enteric fever in India, of opinion which blamed
defects in aud around cantonments as one of the main causes of the prevalence of the disease among young soldiers, and it was the general opinion that much more needs to
sanitary
be done in the and
proper
securing of a pure water-supply disposal of excreta. The Indian
trenching system
met with little support, for it
tiov. 1891.]
THE CONGRESS OP HYGIENE AND DEMOGRAPHY.
845
considered that where troops had to rely on gentlemen of the present sanitary condition of wells for their water-supply, trenching must sooner India astonished even those who were prepared or later inevitably pollute the water. The to hear something extraordinary. Had these
was
remarks made by Brigade-Surgeon T. appear to be very much to the poiut.
following
Maunsell
"I should like to say that whatever else we we should at once attend to and imI have prove the conservancy in our stations.
papers been read before the discussion on Quarantine took place, it would probably have altered the attitude of some of the speakers in that whose admiration for the sanitary system in England prevented them from suggesting
may do
section,
but recently returned from a tour of service of five and-a-half years in India, and during that time I did duty in most of our large stations,
Sanitation
and I found that
includingMeerut and Luckuow, though theoretically the system cy may be
good,
that
practically
of
conservan-
it
is,
to
say
the least, very faulty; on examining it one finds that little or no dry earth is used, the
receptacles and filth carts are broken and leaky, and the trenches into which tbe filth is thrown are "
not
attended
filth trenches
to.
Regulations
say
that
"
should be within 300 yards of That is too close. The great blot
barracks.
in the conservancy of Indian stations is the " These trenches exist for trench system."
bazaar
that
England
as
put into
was
practice
so
great
Quarantine,
versus
champion
a
she
was
in India what she
other nations to do in
Europe.
of
bound to
was
asking Courtesy more
the cause of silence on this it point. Of course can hardly be expected that those not conversant with Indian creeds and habits than conviction
was
appreciate the difficulties England encounters carrying out hygienic measures in India. Perhaps the most heated discussion during the sitting of the Congress was that in the section of Demography on Mr. Holt Hallett's paper on Indian Factory Legislation, Dr. Bahadhurji of Bombay, Dr. Cook, Principal of the Medical College of Bombay, and the Hon. Nowarjee N. can
in
people, punkah, and thermantidote coolies, Wadia, controverted the statements made by descriptions, and these Mr. Hallett in his paper, some of which were
and workmen of all
trenches dotted about all over the station become in the rains simply quagmires of decomposing filth. The native troops have nothing but trenches, and the latter are usually so far from
barracks
that the men, especially on dark and nights, during the rain, will not go so far, but merely visit the nearest nullah. The rewet
sult need not be described. cantonments
are
overcrowded
extent, and their sanitation point I should like to draw to is
the fact that the
cantonment
magistrate.
Surgeon-General
time is
too
is the
The bazaars in to
very great One very bad. marked attention a
sanitary officer is the Nominally, the Deputy sanitary officer,
but his
much taken up with other duties,
and, practically,
the cantonment
magistrate,
a
combatant officer without any special training, is the health or sanitary officer of the station. A medical officer should be specially told off as sanitary officer in our large stations, and then matters would be very different indeed." The sanitary condition of the civil population of Iud>r, was not forgotten. Sir William Moore,
Surgeon-Major Priugle, Surgeon-Major Hendley
and Mr. Baldwin Latham read papers on the subject; and, judging from the comments afterwards made, the description these
given by
characterised
as
inaccurate, sensational,
The latter
gentlemen aggerated. indulging in personalities which had by
the
The
Chairman.
and
ex-
retorted to be
by stopped
discussion has
been
since continued in the papers, and probably good may arise from ventilation of the question. Possibly, there may be more in Mr. Hallett's contention than his opponents are prepared to admit, for the source of his information seems to have been derived largely from official records. It may be granted that the Indian operative has neither the energy nor inclination to work in the same rapid, systematic, and thorough man-
workman, but that in no way that long hours, the employment of proves in factories, and night-work children and women are beneficial to the work-people, and are the the British
ner as
proper means by which deficiencies made up, and the industries of India So well did India
come
gress that an attempt was manent Indian section.
are
to
be
developed.
forward at this Conmade to form a per-
This, if carried out, blunder, for if the same policy had been extended, the Congress must gradually have lost its International character. would have been
It
was
why
a
reasonably asked
not
an
Australian
if
an
Indian section
section,
an
American
INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE.
346
section, &c.,
&o. Wiser cuunsels
ever, and at
a
over
by
special
Indian
prevailed, howmeeting, presided
Sir Mountstuart Grant
Duff,
it
was
proposed by Sir Wra, Moore, and seconded by Sir Douglas Gal ton, that "in future Congresses a tropical section be formed with a view to a more full discussion of questions affecting sanitation and the origin of disease in tropical climates." This was carried unanimously. Without, therefore, having
an
Indian section in the
Congress,
India and its
will have
an
of
special tropical diseases opportunity at future Congresses
well to the front.
being
[Nov.
1891.
