§ MR. CONYBEARE (Cornwall, Camborne)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been called to the great increase of deaths in India during the years 1886–8, and especially to the increase of deaths from fever; and in view of this great increase in the fever death rate, the Government will consider the duty of taking steps to promote better conditions of health among the people?
§ *THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir J. FERGUSSON,) for the UNDER SECRETARY of STATE for INDIA (Sir J. Gorst,) ChathamThe statistics will be found at page 268 of the Statistical Abstract. They do not show a progressive increase in each year in the total number of deaths or in the number of deaths from fever, which latter depend in a great measure on the season. It should be remembered that the system of registration of vital statistics is being steadily improved, and, that, as the improvement continues, a steady increase in the number of registered deaths may be expected. Sanitary reforms are attempted, so far as the means and the sentiment of the native population permit it. In the rural tracts progress is necessarily slower than in the towns. The question is engaging the constant attention of the Secretary of State and the Governor of India.
§ MR. CONYBEARECan the right hon. Baronet say whether the deaths from 1886 to 1888 from fever were in excess of those of the bad years from 1870 to 1879?
§ SIR J. FERGUSSONI have no detailed information on that point, but it is the fact that deaths from fever were very numerous in 1887, when there was a very heavy rainfall, and that they were lower in the next year—1888.