178 REPORT—1863. 
plum and tamarinds are eaten eight or ten times a month. There is but 
little nitrogen in the food, but it is sufficient. The spare use of dal and 
vegetable acid is significant. He gives the dietary at the jail, divided into 
that of the labouring and non-labouring classes, and remarks that it is suffi- 
cient in quantity, but deficient in quality. Dal is given too often, as it is 
difficult of digestion and causes bowel-complaint. There is a deficiency of 
vegetable acid. (Diet No. 13.) 
3. Dr. R. Bunsury, of Mymensing, states that at the early morning, mid- 
day, and evening meals from 2 lbs. to 3 Ibs. of rice is eaten, with dal 4 ozs. to 
8 ozs., fish from 2 ozs. to 1 Ib., vegetables (foliaceous or succulent) 4 ozs. to 
8 ozs., oil or ghee, with various condiments. The very poor eat 3 Ibs., and 
others 4 Ibs. to 8 lbs., of solid food daily. Dal produces bowel diseases, and fish 
cutaneous or bowel diseases, particularly on the eastern side of the district, 
where 1 lb. of fish is eaten daily. He gives the jail dietary, both old and 
new, and states that less than the ordinary quantity, but more than the 
ordinary quality, of food is needful in confinement. Prisoners, when young 
and robust, lose weight after a few months’ incarceration; and the quality 
(animal food) does not restore the loss. (Diet No. 1.) 
4. Dr. A. Snreson, of Dacca, states that 14 lb. to 2 Ibs. of rice (8 kinds) is 
required at each of the meals. It is simply boiled, when it is called bhdt, or 
is prepared into choora, mooree, khoi, or moorkee ; but bhdt is the only whole- 
some form as a daily food. Rice should be kept three years before it is used, as, 
when new, it is not easily digestible, and causes dyspepsia and diarrhoea. Dal 
(7 kinds) 8 ozs., or 1 poa, are eaten daily. It is boiled with turmeric until it 
is quite soft, when condiments are added, and it is eaten with rice or bread. 
Dals are very nutritious, but differ in digestibility. They grow and are used 
universally in the district, and the cost varies from 1 anna to 2 pice per 
21bs. Barley is rarely used, except on the last day in the year, when it is 
parched and finely powdered, and 8 to 24 ozs. eaten: it is digestible and nutri- 
tious, and is sold in the husk at from 12 annas to 1 rupee per maud. Wheat 
is eaten chiefly by natives of the Upper Provinces, and is imported from 
Malda and Patna. Fine flour, costing 2 annas per 2Ibs., is made into 
sweetmeats and fermented or unfermented bread. The only baked bread of 
the Hindoos is prepared at home, and is the chapattee; it is made into 
small biscuits, and eaten, when hot, with ghee or clarified butter. The rich 
Hindoos eat another preparation, malpooah. In the towns both Hindoos 
and Mahomedans eat two principal meals, consisting of rice, fish, and curries, 
the Mahomedans eating meat also, whilst bread and mithias (sweetmeats) 
are eaten between meals. He mentions twenty-one kinds of vegetables, 
besides leaves, stalks, and fruits (including potatoes, cabbage, cauliflower, 
lettuce, turnips, carrots, beetroot, celery, radishes, French beans, cresses, &c.), 
of which about 8 ozs. are eaten at ameal. They are generally digestible and 
nutritious; they grow in the district, and cost 1 pice to 1 annaper 21lbs. He 
gives the mode of cooking. Forty-five kinds of fish, with cow’s, buffalo’s, 
and goat’s milk, and various kinds of meat, eggs, and game, are quoted; and 
of these about 8 ozs. are taken at the two meals. Fish is fried in oil, with 
condiments, and added to the prepared vegetables. Milk is eaten simply 
boiled, or boiled until it becomes a semi-solid mass; or is curdled by heat 
or acid, and eaten with the curd separated or otherwise. Butter is gene- 
rally made from the douhee (milk curdled with acid), and sometimes from milk ; 
it is rarely eaten by the natives, who prefer ghee or clarified butter, and fry 
their food in it. Shor or malai is milk kept at a low heat for six hours, 
until the cream rises (as in making the clotted cream in Devon), Hindoos 
