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7. The conclusions that have been reached regarding public measures
of malaria prevention for Bombay are as follows:-
(1) The measures should be directed against all mosquitoes, but the
suppression or reduction of the species of anopheles that carry the disease
must first be aimed at.
(2) The measures must be so contrived and directed as to bring about
not merely a mitigation of the disease but the eradication of autochthonous
malaria from the city.
(3) The more rapidly the measures are carried into effect the greater
will be the certainty of their complete success.
(4) The main sources of infection are at present localized; but, failing
effective measures, they may spread throughout the island.
8. The responsibility for carrying into operation these measures devolves
upon the Municipal Corporation of Bombay, and the Governor in Council trusts
that the Corporation will address itself to the task with energy and carry through
the operations to success without delay. He has no doubt that the Corporation
will meet with the willing co-operation of all classes of citizens now that careful
investigation has shown what is necessary. The large public bodies, such as the
Port Trust, the Improvement Trust, and the two great railway administrations
have already shown their willingness to co-operate, and they will no doubt undertake
the necessary measures within the areas subject to their jurisdiction. The
Corporation should be informed that Government will give steady support to their
endeavours.
9. In the first place it will be necessary for the Corporation to consider the
proposals contained in paragraph 459 of the report, which are as follows:-
(1) to decide whether the measures shall be taken against all mosquitoes
or be directed specially against those responsible for malaria;
(2) to vote sufficient money for the purpose;
(3) to sanction the appointment of a Special Assistant to the Executive
Health Officer, who can devote his whole time to the direction and supervision
of the necessary measures;
(4) to sanction an increase in the existing subordinate staff of the Health
Department, so as to allow of the necessary numbers of Inspectors and
labourers required for the work;
(5) to obtain adequate legal powers for carrying out the necessary
measures.
10. In dealing with mosquito reduction the Governor in Council agrees with
Dr. Bentley that measures should in the first instance be first directed to the
eradication of the deadly malaria carrier. The organization required for this
purpose would be capable of expansion so as to deal with all mosquitoes. When
malaria has been adequately controlled, the Corporation will no doubt turn to the
larger question. The complete reduction of mosquitoes has been attended with
considerable improvement in public health in all places where it has been carried
out, and there is no doubt that similar beneficial results could be achieved in Bombay.
11. Dr. Bentley shows that for an annual expenditure that may vary
between two and five lakhs, Bombay could be completely freed from mosquitoes.
The cost of measures directed against the malaria carrier alone would not be much
more than one lakh annually for the whole of A, B, C, D, and E wards of the city,
while the area of the most intense infection (A, B and C wards) could be adequately
dealt with for an annual expenditure of Rs. 50,000. These sums do not take into
account the staff of the Health Department whose services would be utilized, but
provide for a complete new organization. The most dangerous permanent
breeding places of the malaria carrier-the house wells in the Fort and Dhobi
Talao-could probably be protected by filling in or by providing proper covers for
a capital expenditure of Rs. 50,000 and for another Rs. 50,000 one-half of the
remaining wells to the south of the Grant Road could be effectively protected.
The Governor in Council will be prepared to provide a sum of Rs. 1,00,000 from
Provincial revenues and to place it at the disposal of the Corporation to assist them
Genl 483-2