Published Paper Details:

Midnapore district is a historic land with vast area and unique natural diversity. Owing to its geographical location, the district was an important territory of Bengal Presidency during colonial period. Since a long time the district was ruled by different invaders, among them the British were the chief. After several jurisdictional changes carried by the colonial government, the district acquired its modern shape and held a large area in Bengal Presidency. Therefore, a large population associated with the tract and it became one of the dense districts in Bengal. Population growth influenced the prevalence of epidemics. As Midnapore district belongs to the tropical zone, therefore tropical diseases i.e. malaria, cholera, smallpox, diarrhoea, dysentery, leprosy and different types of fever appeared in the district almost every year. Frequent appearances of such diseases were the main headache of the colonial rulers, because they did not live with satisfaction in the tropical climate of Midnapore. When troops, bureaucrats suffered from tropical diseases then the colonial rulers introduced modern concept of public health and gradually they built a western medical infrastructure in the country. Though, initially they gave all the medical benefits to the Europeans and the natives were deprived of it. On the whole, the colonial government was indifferent to the native people's health.