Page:How People May Live and not Die in India.pdf/25

 places His own power, His own life-giving laws in the hands of man. He permits man to create mankind by those laws—even as He permits man to destroy mankind by neglect of those laws.

POSTSCRIPT.

Since this Paper was read, the lower death-rate of troops new to the country has actually been put forward as a proof that India is becoming healthy, and the 69 per 1,000 is an old antiquated average! But more than this, the diminution of mortality arising from the short duration of service, is ascribed to improvements carried out at Indian stations since the Royal Commissioners began their inquiry. The leading authorities on the subject ascribe the main causes of disease to want of drainage—bad sites—bad water badly distributed—wretched sanitary condition of native bazaars and towns—bad barrack and bad hospital construction—surface over-crowding from want of barrack accommodation—want of occupation for the men—intemperance in eating and drinking—want of proper barrack and hospital conveniences; it is difficult to see how India could have been freed from these causes of disease in three short years, which is about the average time since the Stational Reports were signed.