Tropical hygiene for Anglo-Indians and Indians / by Sir Pardey Lukis and R.J. Blackham.

  • Lukis, Pardey (Charles Pardey), Sir, 1857-1917.
Date:
1914
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Tropical hygiene for Anglo-Indians and Indians / by Sir Pardey Lukis and R.J. Blackham. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    the vitality of the individual, these germs are enabled to obtain a footing in the body where they grow and multiply with marvellous rapidity and disease is the result. This may be put into simple language by saying that persons who are run down in health are very liable to “ catch ” any disease that may be prevalent at the time. Anything therefore which causes deterioration in health is said to be a “predisposing cause” of communicable diseases. These predisposing causes are :— (1) Impure air. (2) Impure water. (3) Uncleanliness of the household. (4) Pollution of the soil round the house. (5) Errors in diet. (6) Fatigue and exposure. All these predisposing causes will be referred to- in detail in subsequent chapters, and we will now consider the most important communicable tropical diseases. These are malaria, cholera, dysentery, small-pox, plague and tuberculosis. Malaria is such an all-important disease in the tropics generally, and in India in particular, that a chapter is devoted to it alone. In the following brief notes our object is to bring, out the means of prevention. With treatment and details of diagnosis the student has no concern. These are matters for the consideration of the medical attendants. Cholera. Cholera is one of the most dreaded of tropical, ailments, but its incidence in India varies greatly as may be gathered from the fact that in the year 1906 it accounted for more deaths than small-pox,.