Report of a committee on a plan for cleansing the drains of Black Town.

Date:
1856
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of a committee on a plan for cleansing the drains of Black Town. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    53/105 (page 45)
    MILITARY B0A11D. be brought to bear thereon. The Medical Board having reviewed the ques- tion and given to it their best consideration, I am desired to record the following observations for the information of your Board. 2. The Military Board in their letter under reply correctly observe, that the absence of any registration of Births and Deaths prevents any accurate statistical data being obtained, which are essential to an investiga- tion of the prevalence and causes of disease in any locality ; but the Me- dical Board think they have sufficient upon the records of their office to enable them to form a tolerably correct opinion of the injurious in- fluence on the public health, exerted by certain remediable causes which are now existent at Madras. 3. A concise but able report furnished tc the Medical Board, by Super- intending Surgeon Godfrey in 1848, classes the subjects which require more especial consideration under the following heads : cleansing, drainage, water sup- ply and general ventilation. 4. It is evident that all these heads embrace matter of very great im- portance ; and if it can be shewn, that when any particular locality is deficient in one or other of them, there, disease is most frequently prevalent, it may oh general recognized principles be assumed that the cause of sickness is to a cer- tain degree known. 5. Beginning with the 1st District, Dr. Hunter in a comprehensive state- ment, dated 19th November last, distinctly proves that wherever sanitary measures are least perfect in Black Town, in the same locality disease is most frequent and severe. In the 2d District, comprehending New Town, Vepery, Choulay, &c, although considering its imperfections in drainage, ventilation, &c, it may be pronounced comparatively healthy, yet in the worst parts of it severe epidemic disease often appears, and much loss of life is the consequence ; it is Mr. Kellie's opinion that these epidemics will increase-in severity if no remedial measures are had recourse to. Similar opinions are strongly expressed by Mr. Sanderson, the medical officer of the 3d District, and though with less force, owing to short experience by Dr. Cleghorn of the 4th, the latter officer at the same time decidedly corroborates Dr. Hunter's state- ment regarding Black Town, of which locality he. was formerly the medical officer. 6. The complete evidence above adverted to, joined to much of an earlier date and from other sources, leaves no doubt on the mind of the Medical Board, that the public health at Madras suffers seriously from a want of per- fect sanitary arrangements; that exhalations from stagnant ditches, open