PART II.] InfiMence of Leprosy accountable for Small Ratio of Births. 481 



TABLE XXIII. 



Tahle showing the number of Children and of Lejjrous Children in 17 Families 

 in which one or both Parents were leprous. 



doubtless materially understates the number of cases of the disease which may 

 ultimately occur among them, as the majority of the children are below the average 

 age at which the disease manifests itself. Nevertheless, when we take into consi- 

 deration the comparatively small families which lepers have and the high rate of 

 mortality among the children, it is not probable that the contribution to the leprous 

 community will in the present instance do more than replace the numbers of the 

 present generation. Indeed, the figures which are before us may be worked out 

 to show an actual decrease, but we consider the number of cases, with regard to 

 which we possess accurate information, too small to form the ground of practical 

 generalisations. 



Taking all the information attainable from these figures, there appears, therefore, 

 to be no great risk of increase to the leper population of Kumaon as far as the 

 disease is dependent on heredity for its multiplication. 



Since the year 1866, from which period only trustworthy data are available from 

 the registers of the Asylum, 7 births have occurred in the institution. The total 

 number of inmates of the Asylum during the period have been 114 males and 61 

 females ; and as until the present year there has been no attempt at separation of 

 the sexes beyond giving them separate sleeping compartments, and no supervision 

 specially designed with the object of keeping them apart, the very small ratio of 

 births is very remarkable, and must mainly, at all events, be credited to the influence 

 of the disease. Between 1866 and 1871, moreover, 31 marriages were contracted 



33 



