The Health of a Bengal District

The health of a district in a province may be taken to be an index of the health of the whole province. Lately, I got an opportunity of visiting Purnea Short as my stay was, I made the best use, I possibly could, of my opportunities in studying the topographical and sanitary aspects of the district, the habits and manners of the people, their life and health, and the medical works so far instituted, therein. The district is situated in the sub-tropical region, occupying a portion of the Eastern Gangetic plain and bordering on the submontane tract of the Himalayas It is an uniform plain, very gently sloping from the north towards the south and partially from the north-east to the south-west. It is bounded 011 the north by the densely wooded Nepal Terai ; on the south, by the Ganges and on the east and west by two of its tributaries. The soil is sandy with layers of clay deep down. It is watered by innumerable streams which bring down the washings of the southern slopes of the Himalayas, which are extremely fitful in their