196 The Soil in Relation to Disease. . [part i. 



physical conditions is, of course, very imperfect when confined, as in the present 

 instance, to the phenomena of one year. We had hoped to have been able to 

 furnish data regarding the prevalence of disease and the existence of conditions of 

 soil-temperature, water-level, etc., for a longer period, and had indeed drawn up a 

 table showing the monthly figures on these points from February 1872 to August 

 1874. On coming to examine the statistics of disease in the Eeturns of the 

 Calcutta Municipality, however, we found such inexplicable discrepancies in the 

 figures contained in two sets of tables prepared in the same office, that we had 

 to abandon the idea. In the meantime, we insert the figures in this table with the 

 exception of those regarding disease. With regard to our other tables and diagrams, 

 it is, of course, necessary that the condition of the mortuary statistics of Calcutta 

 should be taken into consideration in comparing the total mortality and the prevalence 

 of cholera with the data regarding physical facts. 



(7.)— General Conclusions regarding the Observations. 



It may appear to many that the result of all these observations on conditions 

 of soil is not commensurate with the time and labour expended in obtaining it. 

 In so far as arriving at any definite determination of the influence of soil-conditions 

 on health is concerned, the results as they stand at present are, no doubt not so 

 conclusive as might be desired. It is only on prolonged and continuous observations 

 in various localities that definite conclusions can be based. 



Even as it is, however, the determination of the coincidence of prevalence 

 of cholera in Calcutta with the existence of certain marked characteristics in the 

 conditions of the soil is of great importance. It has, no doubt, been known for 

 a long time that the ordinary course of cholera in Calcutta was similar to that 

 shown in this Eeport, and that the prevalence of the disease was related to local 

 conditions of season ; but in regard to this phenomenon, attention has hitherto been 

 almost entirely directed to the conditions of atmospheric meteorology, and this is 

 almost the first attempt which has been made to ascertain whether any definite 

 relations exist between the prevalence of the disease and special telluric phenomena. 



We believe that the present observations, although confined to a very limited 

 period, may serve a good purpose in attracting attention in this country to the 

 importance of the subject and to the desirability of obtaining data regarding it. 

 We have, in so far as our own work is concerned, by their means obtained standards 

 of comparison which will be of very great value in examining the conditions of soil 

 present in other localities during the prevalence of special diseases; but it is greatly 

 to be desired that systematic observations of a similar nature should be carried out 

 in various localities throughout the country. Observations from a large number of 

 places are not necessary, and they might readily be conducted at any good meteoro- 

 losrical station. 



