Extracts from the topography and vital statistics of Calcutta : embracing observations on these subjects formed at different periods, and officially submitted to the local authorities / by F.P. Strong.
- Strong, F. P. (Francis Pemble)
- Date:
- [1849?-1852]
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Extracts from the topography and vital statistics of Calcutta : embracing observations on these subjects formed at different periods, and officially submitted to the local authorities / by F.P. Strong. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![tendency to deteriorate and shorten life. The diseases of Bengal are nearly all produced by malaria, and bear a very strong analogy in character to the diseases formerly prevailing in European cities and countries, in times more uncivilized than the present. Sydenham speaking of those times, says, “ Cholera comes almost as constant at the close of summer, and towards the beginning of spring, as cuckoos towards mid- summer. He closes an accurate description by remarking, that it “ often destroyed the patient in 24 hours.” Dr. Craigie has demonstrated the antiquity and identity of cholera all over the world. The description and remedy for cholera taken from the work of Hermannas Yander Heyden, a physician of Ghent, dated 1653, published in the 1st vol. of the Gleanings of Science, I myself sent to the author in 1829. The remedy as far as the opium and henbane, hyoscyamus or the Khorasani ajwayan is concerned, I can speak of myself most favorably from extensive experience. The author remarks that the taking of it (the remedy) is not to be deferred so long, as that the patient shall have fallen into convulsive fits, and his excre- ments become of the color of whey, which are evident signs that nature is spent in him, for then it must be taken with all S]3eed, &c. Fevers remittent, intermittent and anomalous, with cholera, diarrhoea and dysentery, spleen, and all the nervous disorders under the head of neuralgia, are the prevailing diseases both among the rich as well as the poor natives of this country. We find the Balms of both Calcutta and the Mufassal passing through a life of disease and misery, and dying early in life, somewhat similar to our European barons of old, wdio are said seldom to have attained to an advanced age, the filthy moats surrounding their castles being supposed to have been the main cause ; so here I have often had occa- sion to remark in and about houses of opulent natives, causes sufficient for all the mischief alluded to. In conclusion, I will add some tables of the census of Cal- cutta lately taken, with the mortality of the natives for the last five years taken from the Police books. Captain Birch began this year to procure the births, so that in future a more correct estimate may be formed. The great difference in mortality between the Hindus and Musalmans is striking, while the difference to he observed between the Portuguese as com- pared with the English and the Eurasians is equally so. Here is much room for speculation, and it cannot be said that as yet we have as good means of getting correct informa- tion upon this subject as they possess in Europe ; neverthe- less, we may approach as near as wre can to the point we wish to ascertain, and we may hope to improve in such statistical](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b28988048_0019.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
