The work of mitigating distress from famines has accordingly come to constitute a large part of the work of the British Government in India. Elaborate preliminary preparations are made in fear of their recurrence. The work is carefully systematized and officered. The country is dis tricted, and in each district an examination is made of such matters as the water-supply. the social condition of the people. the probable extent of need in ease of famine. and public works. The budget makes animal provision against fatuities whether they actually prevail or not. In the re lief extended the Government policy aims at pre venting death and at benefiting the individual. Wages are better for the individual than doles. Accordingly. the able-bodied man is given employ ment on public works. for which he is paid in money. The amount paid is much less than the normal wage, but sufficient to keep him in work ing condition. Provisions are supplied by the merchant. and the Government railway makes every effort to facilitate their transportation. For those not able to work hospitals and orphan ages are prepared.
The public works are generally such as are considered 4)1 value in affording protect ion against a recurrence of famine. They are of two classes-1 hose which faciliuuc t ratisportat and those which increase the water-supply. Spe cial difficulty is always encountered in the ad ministration of relief in any district, because there are not to he found 'oral organizations whose purpose has been to deal with charitable problems. or individuals trained in the manage meld of men and the superintendence of public works. or doe, the conseicnee of the native prove to be generally trustworthy. Public relief is not extended until the villagers begin to leave their !Ionics and wander about the in search of doles. usually toward a large centie of population, the profuse though indiscriminate village charity having been well-nigh exhausted. Th, as a rule. especially the agriculturists. are very loath to abandon their homes. The mendieants and the day laborers are the tirst victims of distress and the tir-t to quit the vil lage. They are soon followed by artisans and agriculturists. The public works are usually many miles away. and the journey thither is likely to be exceptionally critical. At the public works the family unlit is not destroyed. When all the members of the family are accustomed to labor outdoors at home they are tilted to work also on the public works. Artisans make or re
pair tools, make clothing, and the assem blage becomes in many respects a normal com munity. When climatic conditions are again favorable the farmers especially are eager to re turn 141 their hinds. And then the tine], and ofttimes the most necessary. mission of the Gov ernment is to see that they are provided with seed, with cattle, and the necessaries for produc ing a crop.
The loss of life from starvation is sometimes considerable, but deaths front diseases which so frequently accompany the famine are generally greater. (Inc of the most difficult tasks of the Government during the famine period is to en force necessary sanitary regulations. however, taking one year with another for the whole coun try, the loss of life from fatuities constitutes hut a small per cent. of the total death-rate. Their influence in reducing the population is greatly augmented through the very Ileeidell decrease in the birth-rate during the famine period. (See section on The ravages of disease in India are not peculiar alone to famine periods. •he climatic and sanitary conditions give rise to which at intervals carry desolation over the country. Hospitals, richly endowed and admirably regulated. supported by Government as well as by private munificence, exist in all the large towns: and great efforts are constantly allude to bring the benefits of medical skill and knowledge within reach of the poorer classes. In all parts of the country dispensaries have been (lamed where inediciin., are given out and pa tients advised. Di-ease in India is not a little due to bad water and had drainage. Where a new water-supply ha s been int rod need. and drains have been made. as in Calcutta• the improvement in time health of the inhabitants has been marked. Several of persons are vaccinated an• nually in India. .lo•tality is aggravated by the passion of the people for pilgrimages. All ages and both sexes each year traverse vast areas for their devotions. and die by hundreds on the route. The Mohammedan pilgrims go in numbers to Mecca, Kerbela, and Jerusalem, and a large pro portion tiller return. The effort of the English to enforce sanitary regulation, naturall3 meets with serious difficulties which grow out of the prejudiet., and customs of the people. Visits of the sanitary officers t.1) t Ile dwellings of the .3,14111antniedans, as is sometimes nctesxarV during the prevalence of II plague, occasion much com plaint tin the part of the natives.