76
Classified differently these figures showed-
Among 83 new coolies deaths were as follows-
67 adults
4 deaths.
14 children over 2 years
0 "
2 infants under 2 years
0 "
Among 212 old coolies deaths were-
145 adults
1 death.
62 children over 2 years
3 deaths.
12 infants under 2 years
6
(2) Births among the whole population numbered 8, there being
4 among 28 new coolie women and 4 among 69 of longer
residence.
The number of persons concerned is so small that these figures
are only approximately representative, but the extraordinary results
obtained are exactly in accordance with the general observation of
what we believe holds good throughout the Duars.
In one case, on a garden with a total population little more than
1,000 persons, 28 deaths were recorded in three months, though only
19 were returned to the local thana, and two more deaths among young
children were subsequently discovered to have taken place. In this
connection it is interesting to recall that as a result of a special enquiry
conducted in the Darjeeling terai in 1892, it was shown that the mor-
tality among the tea garden population there was 106.6 per mille for
1891 and 91.0 for 1892, whilst on one garden we were informed on
good authority the death-rate was 115 per mille. The Darjeeling
terai forms what is practically a continuation of the Duars west of the
Teesta and conditions there are little, if at all, different from those
obtaining in the Duars.
Our figures refer to a community of people drawn entirely from
Chota Nagpur. What the death-rate among Paharias, Kols and
Santals is we cannot say, but it is probable that the Paharia and weaker
plains people die in far greater numbers than our figures for good
class Chota Nagpuris indicate.