Cholera and water : an address delivered at the annual meeting of the South Indian Branch, British Medical Association, 8th January, 1886 / by M.C. Furnell.

  • Furnell, Michael Cudmore, 1829-1888.
Date:
1886
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Cholera and water : an address delivered at the annual meeting of the South Indian Branch, British Medical Association, 8th January, 1886 / by M.C. Furnell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    them iuvariaLly use a tauk and Guiitur would lose its present repu- tation. A water supply to he safe should be beyond the reach o£ contamination by ])ilgrims and Avayfarers. Such a water supply is presented to us at Pondicherry. Now PondioWy. Pondicherry has a singular immunity from cholera even whilst cholera is raging in the neighbouring English towns, Cuddalore, Chellumbrum, &c., of the South Arcot District. By Pondicherry, I mean the town proper of Pondicherry, not the district, for in that cholera has of late made its appearance. Pondicherry Town is supplied with water by artesian wells, and also from a small lake (Montirepoleon) situated some distance outside the town from whence the water is led in by pipes and distributed throughout the town. It is of course impossible to contaminate the source of an artesian well, and great care is taken that the other source shall also be pro- tected. Now as I said above Pondicherry escapes and has for years escaped cholera even while it was raging in neighbouring English districts, I attribute this entirely to its unique water supply. If it is argued it is more likely owing to its general cleanliness and con- servancy I answer, that whilst all must admit Pondicherry is a clean, town, in that respect an example, still I cannot admit it is so much cleaner than the neighbouring English town Cuddalore where cholera flourishes with much vigour. Nor can I admit the difference is owing to Telluric, Atmospheric,'^ or Local influences, for to tell the truth these terms convey no very definite ideas to my mind, and seem rather a convenient escape from ignorance than any scientific explanation, but why one may ask should a certain spot in a contaminated district thus suddenly be exempt from these mys- terious influences ? Its unique water supply, free from contamination, seems to me a much more common sense explanation of the matter. Let us turn to Madras itself, I mean our Presidency town. The Madras, diminution in the number of deaths from cholera since the Eed Hills Tank supply has been available is very remarkable. I have prepared a table from the Sanitary Commissioner's OflRce which shows this very well. [Statement.] 2