?iCTOjwatoia. SANITATION. TO TIIE
EDITOR OF TIIE
"INDIAN MEDICAI GAZETTE."
Sin,?"Prevention is better than cure." This motto is especi-
ally true where cure is so difficult and prevention the only sure remedy we hold in many diseases in this country. Now-a-days sanitation is occupying a very prominent position in Europe, and especially in England; in fact every
paper, medical
concerning some gigantic study.
otherwise one takes up, contains something of the many ramifications of this useful and
or
The circumstance of seeing an articl*e headed " Pollution of Rivers" in the Indian Public Opinion, meeting with remarks in
other papers
on irrigation and other sanitary subjects, has to venture on a few observations on the subject, which may meet the eye and possibly attract the attention of those whose duty it is to look to such things. The subject naturally resolves itself into a consideration of the sanitary administration and condition of India as it is and The sanitary staff for the Bengal Prewhat it ought to be. sidency consists of three whole sanitary commissioners and three half sanitary commissioners for as many provinces, the infant province of Assam not possessing one. These gentlemen are doubtless most efficient, active officers, but it would tako them a life time to visit all the cities, villages, cantonments, &c., &c-., ifiider their charge, in even the roughest way. When we compare this with the state of things in England, we find sanitary officers appointed for cities, small districts, and such like; this comparison alone at-once points out the immense difference that exists between practical sanitation in India and England. True, we have in India our military and civil medical officers who send in periodically sanitary reports, but we naturally usk, is this sufficient ? And do we require sanitation less in India than they do in England ? Up to the present time several spasmodic attempts have been made by Government to enquire into and remove, if possible, the causes and sources of certain diseases, such as analysis of water, cholera commissions, vaccination, the distribution of carbolic acid, &c., &c- These no doubt are all steps in the right direction, but we want something more. In the event of an epidemic breaking out in cantonments when we trace the disease to its source, we probably find that it has come from some neighbouring village, city, or bazar, and it is or ought to be to this point that our attention should bo directed. At present we commence at the Avrong end; when an epidemic breaks out in a station active steps then commend themselves even to the most obtuse, and are accordingly adopted necessity of such by commanding officers, who then see the " pooh poohed" presteps, but who beforehand probably cautionary measures as a mere bit of officiousness on the parj; of the medical officer. These measures obviously do not strike at the origin of the disease, which after all is the great point we ought to look to in such diseases, as our remedial powers in some instances are only in their infancy. India no doubt is a splendid field for sanitation ; we possess hot many natural qualities, such a heat, rain, vegetation, winds and space ; any or all, if properly utilized, become, instead of disadvantages, useful assistants to the sanitary officer. How then can all this be rectified without much expense to Government, and matters placed on an efficient way ? 1 would say, in the first place, do away with all the appointments that only constitute branches of this subject, such as water analysers, inspectors of vaccination and cholera commissioners, bring them under one head, have a certain number of men who, while amenable to and under the sanitary ant commissioner, shall be appointed to certain districts, supervise not only our cantonments but also all large cities an villages; they ought to have almost absolute power in extreme cases, and under ordinary circumstances their recommendations
tempted
mo
present
November 2, 1874.] c?nld be sanctioned
MEDICAL NEWS. sanitary commissioner; then when wc should be in a position to get required, and possibly to clieck the
the
by
ePidemics showed themselves,
j.
j.
information
earlul
as
we
In cantonments easy, but as I not lie near, but in the surrounding Here then our sanitary officer, assisted by the dispenry native doctor, the vaccinator, and the police, 6teps in, and ler stamps out the disease or at any rate prevents it from
ravages
so
common
some civil stations U1u before the evil does ,s net
in this country.
things
are
comparatively
sPreadin? O T et us
therefore havo
some men who will look after these tliem with certain powers, and let G-overnment H cer^a'n 811111 of money, as is done in irrigation, to h e recovered by taxation. I do not mean to say that the g!i us uro adopted in London are to be carried ,niea8.urcs > but if one looks in a very rough way into such things as er-suppljj conservancy, drainage, overcrowding, &c., it 8 not re1uire a very intelligent observer to see that these tlit ngs are saiily neglected. 6 Wun'; smart intelligent men who can tell us where to cli ^or ca,,tonments and camps, to erect buildings on sai ')r'nciP^es' w'10 can 'ell us where irrigation is excessive, and w lere trees and woods ought to be planted, and where not. a('va"t"geous that tliese district officers sliould ',eud of their department at certain intervals of the J"eur ? matters, and, if necessary, draw up a sanitary .'for "1SC11SS the gUicjunce 0f 1Ilet)iL.al and other authorities. ? ncoilc^lsion, 1 would say let us get out of this old-fashioned ;e' ,10w? 111 these days of reform, let us see if some little inn cannot be accomplished. ut,a know cholera is endemic. This ought not to h and wer# sufficiently powerful remedies adopted, this jj-ji a filing of the past, and we would not hear of cholera ] New York, having been traced from Calcutta, nor indp J !U1J necessity for International Sanitary
nS8>
entrust
o'lit'0
-,!0 V
aeefcW(T ,
eoij
j^'^ewent 1e'
extei'
CoiifereW?U'(*
I am,
?c., Sanitas.
proposes, wo gatlier, to appoint a special ?aiutarv C0.r.resPon^ent ?i er 'or eaeli district of the presidency, and place these n
*
t''? 01t'ers the sanitary commissioner. We " sul|i^arJ agency is needed to perform sanitary ?rCe ^lu' We should prefer civil surgeons to be primarily reSjj0' l\t ^or the sanitation of tlieir districts, aided by sanitary assist. ' ^ "ecessary, to appointing independent sanitary men ; aud VVe quite Work
a?
.
should
a?e
assuredly subordinate all local sanitary uuthoritj?magistrate or municipality?and
most
t0 ^'e ^ocn'
>>ot
the sanitary commissioner. The latter should be an tlnS a?d consultative ollicer, and we see no reason why ol^u* should not perform medical and sanitary
iQs the
inspect]110
Ponul^n^anc^
self-government is so advanced compared with India, the case There local sanitary agency is subordinate civic or sanitary, and tlie same inspectorial l0o> l0rity) to diif
W-
th;,'a rj0*''?8 1
?
011
?
so
w''ere
wealthy
as
and the is very to local
agency medical and poor law reiief as well as sanitation. to the Ca"u?t as yet all'ord to imitate England full, but should tend in that direction. Excessive centralization "Hich harm in sanitation as in other matters.?Ed.,
e?fUB
G.]
307
EDITOR OF TIIE
"INDIAN MEDICAI GAZETTE."
Sin,?"Prevention is better than cure." This motto is especi-
ally true where cure is so difficult and prevention the only sure remedy we hold in many diseases in this country. Now-a-days sanitation is occupying a very prominent position in Europe, and especially in England; in fact every
paper, medical
concerning some gigantic study.
otherwise one takes up, contains something of the many ramifications of this useful and
or
The circumstance of seeing an articl*e headed " Pollution of Rivers" in the Indian Public Opinion, meeting with remarks in
other papers
on irrigation and other sanitary subjects, has to venture on a few observations on the subject, which may meet the eye and possibly attract the attention of those whose duty it is to look to such things. The subject naturally resolves itself into a consideration of the sanitary administration and condition of India as it is and The sanitary staff for the Bengal Prewhat it ought to be. sidency consists of three whole sanitary commissioners and three half sanitary commissioners for as many provinces, the infant province of Assam not possessing one. These gentlemen are doubtless most efficient, active officers, but it would tako them a life time to visit all the cities, villages, cantonments, &c., &c-., ifiider their charge, in even the roughest way. When we compare this with the state of things in England, we find sanitary officers appointed for cities, small districts, and such like; this comparison alone at-once points out the immense difference that exists between practical sanitation in India and England. True, we have in India our military and civil medical officers who send in periodically sanitary reports, but we naturally usk, is this sufficient ? And do we require sanitation less in India than they do in England ? Up to the present time several spasmodic attempts have been made by Government to enquire into and remove, if possible, the causes and sources of certain diseases, such as analysis of water, cholera commissions, vaccination, the distribution of carbolic acid, &c., &c- These no doubt are all steps in the right direction, but we want something more. In the event of an epidemic breaking out in cantonments when we trace the disease to its source, we probably find that it has come from some neighbouring village, city, or bazar, and it is or ought to be to this point that our attention should bo directed. At present we commence at the Avrong end; when an epidemic breaks out in a station active steps then commend themselves even to the most obtuse, and are accordingly adopted necessity of such by commanding officers, who then see the " pooh poohed" presteps, but who beforehand probably cautionary measures as a mere bit of officiousness on the parj; of the medical officer. These measures obviously do not strike at the origin of the disease, which after all is the great point we ought to look to in such diseases, as our remedial powers in some instances are only in their infancy. India no doubt is a splendid field for sanitation ; we possess hot many natural qualities, such a heat, rain, vegetation, winds and space ; any or all, if properly utilized, become, instead of disadvantages, useful assistants to the sanitary officer. How then can all this be rectified without much expense to Government, and matters placed on an efficient way ? 1 would say, in the first place, do away with all the appointments that only constitute branches of this subject, such as water analysers, inspectors of vaccination and cholera commissioners, bring them under one head, have a certain number of men who, while amenable to and under the sanitary ant commissioner, shall be appointed to certain districts, supervise not only our cantonments but also all large cities an villages; they ought to have almost absolute power in extreme cases, and under ordinary circumstances their recommendations
tempted
mo
present
November 2, 1874.] c?nld be sanctioned
MEDICAL NEWS. sanitary commissioner; then when wc should be in a position to get required, and possibly to clieck the
the
by
ePidemics showed themselves,
j.
j.
information
earlul
as
we
In cantonments easy, but as I not lie near, but in the surrounding Here then our sanitary officer, assisted by the dispenry native doctor, the vaccinator, and the police, 6teps in, and ler stamps out the disease or at any rate prevents it from
ravages
so
common
some civil stations U1u before the evil does ,s net
in this country.
things
are
comparatively
sPreadin? O T et us
therefore havo
some men who will look after these tliem with certain powers, and let G-overnment H cer^a'n 811111 of money, as is done in irrigation, to h e recovered by taxation. I do not mean to say that the g!i us uro adopted in London are to be carried ,niea8.urcs > but if one looks in a very rough way into such things as er-suppljj conservancy, drainage, overcrowding, &c., it 8 not re1uire a very intelligent observer to see that these tlit ngs are saiily neglected. 6 Wun'; smart intelligent men who can tell us where to cli ^or ca,,tonments and camps, to erect buildings on sai ')r'nciP^es' w'10 can 'ell us where irrigation is excessive, and w lere trees and woods ought to be planted, and where not. a('va"t"geous that tliese district officers sliould ',eud of their department at certain intervals of the J"eur ? matters, and, if necessary, draw up a sanitary .'for "1SC11SS the gUicjunce 0f 1Ilet)iL.al and other authorities. ? ncoilc^lsion, 1 would say let us get out of this old-fashioned ;e' ,10w? 111 these days of reform, let us see if some little inn cannot be accomplished. ut,a know cholera is endemic. This ought not to h and wer# sufficiently powerful remedies adopted, this jj-ji a filing of the past, and we would not hear of cholera ] New York, having been traced from Calcutta, nor indp J !U1J necessity for International Sanitary
nS8>
entrust
o'lit'0
-,!0 V
aeefcW(T ,
eoij
j^'^ewent 1e'
extei'
CoiifereW?U'(*
I am,
?c., Sanitas.
proposes, wo gatlier, to appoint a special ?aiutarv C0.r.resPon^ent ?i er 'or eaeli district of the presidency, and place these n
*
t''? 01t'ers the sanitary commissioner. We " sul|i^arJ agency is needed to perform sanitary ?rCe ^lu' We should prefer civil surgeons to be primarily reSjj0' l\t ^or the sanitation of tlieir districts, aided by sanitary assist. ' ^ "ecessary, to appointing independent sanitary men ; aud VVe quite Work
a?
.
should
a?e
assuredly subordinate all local sanitary uuthoritj?magistrate or municipality?and
most
t0 ^'e ^ocn'
>>ot
the sanitary commissioner. The latter should be an tlnS a?d consultative ollicer, and we see no reason why ol^u* should not perform medical and sanitary
iQs the
inspect]110
Ponul^n^anc^
self-government is so advanced compared with India, the case There local sanitary agency is subordinate civic or sanitary, and tlie same inspectorial l0o> l0rity) to diif
W-
th;,'a rj0*''?8 1
?
011
?
so
w''ere
wealthy
as
and the is very to local
agency medical and poor law reiief as well as sanitation. to the Ca"u?t as yet all'ord to imitate England full, but should tend in that direction. Excessive centralization "Hich harm in sanitation as in other matters.?Ed.,
e?fUB
G.]
307
