Rice Fields and Malaria. 283 
readily to hospital so that the returns of cases then are higher in proportion. 
1908 1909 1910 
Niece. 250 71 153 16 
August os aD 198 73 
September .. elon 260 77 
October His Sood al 311 118 
November... sone) 336 159 
December... so tile! 133 107 
January ore .. 46 66 66 
The marked rise in 1909 is attributed chiefly toa new settlement among some 
new rice-fields, and the rise commencing early was probably due to some plots 
of land not being taken in, so that when irrigation occurred over the rest of 
the fields, with the rain, suitable pools were kept up in these plots among the 
bush, and in the immediate neighbourhood of the houses. 
There is some consolation in the fact that the people who have lived for some 
years in the rice-field settlements become more or less immune from malaria ; it is 
noticeable that we do not get the number of cases at present that we did some 
years back from one of these settlements above referred to, but this immunity 
is by no means complete, the rate still keeps higher than the healthy part of the 
estate, and new comers are very liable to be affected ; it must be remembered 
that not only are these settlements a danger to themselves but to the general 
community ; although a man may not show symptoms of malaria or appear 
to be suffering from its effects the germs may be still circulating in his blood. 
anopheles therefore may get the germs from him and so be ready to convey it to 
outside people who come into the neighbourhood at the time ‘of rice reaping ; 
enlargement of the spleen is considered a sign of malaria, we find that there 
is a considerable greater proportion of enlarged spleens on the rice settlements 
than on the healthy parts of the estate. 
[ have referred more particularly to the estates, as my knowledge of them and 
their people i is greater than in the case of the villages, the villages show a corre- 
sponding rise of fever in the rice reaping time but the exact “details are more 
difficult to obtain. 
Having now I think shown the connection between malaria and rice-fields 
the deduction of means to minimise the disadvantages which this important 
industry has given rise to are, I think, easy to make :—Firstly, no settlement 
should be allowed in the rice-fields. 
Secondly, no rice-fields should be within 200 yards of the houses to the lee- 
ward, or within a quarter of a mile to the windward. The anopheles is not a 
strong flyer but is said to be able to travel at least over 100 yards. In Italy 
I believe there is a law preventing rice-fields near the houses. 
Thirdly, the trenches connected with the rice-fields should be kept clean and 
free from weeds, and the excess of water be properly conducted away from the 
fields and not swamping the surroundings, as is frequently seen and is one of the 
