'REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY FOR THE YEAR, 1910-1911' [‎225r] (33/150)

jpio- 19 11 ^ SUMMARY. XXvil
j^ohammerah on the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . Most of these came from the north of India,
the Punjab sending a large proportion of the whole. Of districts in the Bombay
presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent. , Surat as usual sent most emigrants to countries outside India. There
was a curious increase in applications from this district for certificates of identity
0 f persons proceeding to America. Few of the applicants appeared to have any
definite object in going or any assured means of subsistence on arrival.
54. The figures of the last triennium bearing on the work of civil hospitals Medical Relief
and dispensaries show the increasing range and efficiency of the medical relief
afforded by these institutions. The number of patients treated has risen steadily
to a total in 1910 of over two and a quarter million. At the same time the
general percentage of mortality, which was 10*9 in the preceding triennial period,
fell to 9*6 in the triennium 1907-1910 and to 9-3 in the year 1910. The number
of operations performed in 1910 exceeded 90,000, an increase of 6,000 over the
previous year, and the percentage of mortality among all patients operated on was
046 per cent, against o*6 in the year 1909. The expenditure shows an increase
from la-kfis to 20 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees of rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. . A scheme is now under consideration for
providing additional dispensaries in districts where there is still a deficiency. A
new design for these buildings which has been approved by Government will
enable local bodies and charitable persons to provide a small dispensary at the
outset and to make additions on a regular plan as funds become available. The
returns of the chief diseases treated in 1910 do not show any marked divergence
from those of the previous year. The conclusion of the Sinhast festival at Nasik
has led to an expected fall in the number of cholera cases admitted to hospital.
Admissions for leprosy show no increase, and it seems probable that the number
of lepers in the Presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent. is actually decreasing. Experiments conducted at the
Matunga Leper Asylum with the object of preparing a vaccine for leprosy have
been attended with promising results. Cases of dysentery increased from 35,000
to 40,000, but the diagnosis in many cases returned as “ dysentery ” is still
unsatisfactory. Malaria as usual was most prevalent in Sind and the Konkan.
The returns under this head show a large increase, partly on account of the
cases treated by touring officers who were sent into selected districts after the
rains. An inquiry into malaria in Bombay city was proceeding during the year
under report. The Sanitary Department is also preparing a malarial census of
the Presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent. , with the object of ascertaining the real endemic centres of the
disease and enabling preventive measures to be concentrated on these areas.
The equipment of civil hospitals is now generally satisfactory, but the need is
experienced of intelligent and trained servants for hospital work.
55 * Although plague showed an increase of 10,000 deaths in I 9 I °- I 9 11 pj a g ue
compared with the previous year, the total death-roll of 42,000 was still far below
that of the years when the epidemic was most violent. The mortality was least
m th 0 months of June and July and reached its highest point in February. There
is only a small increase in the number of inoculations performed; but a more
hopeful indication of progress appears in the fact that inoculation is clearly
faking headway in some of the larger towns and cities, where the absence of
Cl ities for evacuation makes the resort to this form of protection more necessary
^ an m agricultural areas. Experiments were continued in three districts for
°calizing permanent centres of plague and proving the value of preventive
Measures in checking the spread of the epidemic.
There was no material change in the number of persons detained in Lunatic
^ na hc asylums. Nearly 10 percent, of the inmates were discharged cured, Asylum s-
a s ° mew hat larger proportion than .in the previous year. The mortality in all
Um s has slightly improved, but the daily average of sick patients was
dually high during the year.