20
Area and Population.
Jeytulpore, Dhundooka, Purantej and Gogo,—their aggregate area is
stated to be four thousand four hundred and thirty-seven (4,437) square
miles, with a population, according to the last
census taken in 1851, of five hundred and
sixty-one thousand five hundred and fifty-seven (561,557) souls; but
as about six years have elapsed since this census was taken, and during
that time no very fatal disease or other cause of extraordinary mortality
has prevailed to any great extent, it is not improbable that the above
number falls considerably short of that of the actual population of these
districts now.
Proportion of Houses
and Inhabitants to Area.
The proportion of the population to the area as stated, would be
126.5 inhabitants to the square mile, and the
proportion of houses to people is nearly one to
three. A calculation made from a Return of the inhabitants of one
hundred and ninety-five thousand six hundred and sixty-four (195,664)
houses in every part of the Collectorate gives an average of 2.8 indivi-
duals to each house, but this is probably a little below the actual rate at
present. Assuming then three to be about the average to a house, the
following estimate of population per square mile, computed from
District Returns, will afford some idea of the size, or number of villages
in the different Purgunnas :—
|
Inhabitants. |
Houses. |
|||
|
1, |
Duskrohie, Ahmedabad (exclusive |
285 |
95 |
To a square mile. |
|
2, |
Duskrohie, Jeytulpore .................. |
267 |
89 |
|
|
3, |
Purantej ............................... |
152 |
50 |
|
|
4, |
Dholka........................ |
130 |
43 |
|
|
5, |
Gogo ........................ |
127 |
42 |
|
|
6, |
Veerumgaum .......................... |
97 |
32 |
|
|
7, |
Dhundooka ........................... |
75 |
25 |
|
Proportion of Vaccina-
tion.
Throughout these districts vaccination is unceasingly carried on by
men. in the employ of Government. In the
natural year just closed (1856) eighteen thou-
sand four hundred and one (18,401) persons were operated on,
which would give a. proportion of 3.2 per cent. to the whole popu-
lation. Means have been lately taken for the more defined and equable
distribution of the Vaccinators' labours, by which it is hoped their effi-
ciency will be increased ; but as this will form one of the subjects of the
Divisional Annual Report, particulars are not now needed. The
circumstance is mentioned here, as it is not improbable that the time
lost in transferring Vaccinators to new stations, may have caused the