6

REPORT ON THE WORKING OF THE HARCOURT BUTLER

        CHEMICAL LABORATORY.—A total of 1,035 samples, comprising of
393 samples of water, 12 samples of effluents, and 630 samples of foods,
drugs and other miscellaneous articles, were examined during the year.

        Water.—Of the 393 samples examined, 54 samples were received
from the Water Officer under the Burma Underground Water Act,
1930. The remaining samples were received from the Municipalities,
District Councils, Town Committees, Hospitals, Jails and other sources

        Effluents.—All the 12 samples of effluents were received from the
Public Works Department.

        A detailed statement of miscellaneous articles examined, is appended
to this report.

        III. INVESTIGATION AND RESEARCH—(a) Presumptive coliform count.—
One hundred and fifty samples of water were tested for
presumptive coliform count, according to the method given in Report
No. 71, published by the Ministry of Health, London. Tests were
also carried out with the same samples, according to the technique
followed by this laboratory. A remarkable corroboration of results was
obtained. Of the 54 samples, which showed a coliform count of 2 or
less, when tested by the former method, all except 3, conformed to a
satisfactory standard of bacteriological purity as judged by the method
adopted in this laboratory. In the case of the three exceptions, lactose
fermenters were present in 20 c.c. in two, and in 10 c.c. in the
remaining one.

        On examining the data the other way round, it was found that,
with the exception of five samples, the coliform count was never
more than 2 in samples of water which, when tested according to the
method followed in this laboratory, showed an absence of lactose
fermenters in 20 c.c. In case of these exceptions, the count did not
exceed 5.

        A report on the method of bacteriological examination of water as
followed in this laboratory, was submitted through the Director of
Public Health, Burma, to the Director, All-India Institute of Hygiene
and Public Health, Calcutta, in compliance with the latter's request.

        (b) Toddy-drinking—its influence on the incidence of cholera.—Toddy-
drinking is very prevalent in Burma. A belief exists that in many
cases, the onset of cholera takes place soon after toddy drinking. An
investigation was undertaken to verify this.

     There are four kinds of toddy in vogue in Burma:—

        (i) Dhani-toddy, which is usually taken by people in the delta
districts and in the Arakan Division. There is no Dhani palm in
Upper Burma, as this palm grows in brackish water only. This toddy
is available for about eight months beginning from September.

        (ii) Htan-toddy.—This beverage is largely partaken of by the people
of Upper Burma, where the Htan palm grows in profusion.