International E-publication: Publish Projects, Dissertation, Theses, Books, Souvenir, Conference Proceeding with ISBN. 

Public Health in Murshidabad District during the Colonial and Post-Independence Periods: A Historical Review

Author Affiliations

  • 1Department of History, Nagar College, Murshidabad, West Bengal, India

Res. J. Language and Literature Sci., Volume 13, Issue (1), Pages 15-20, January,19 (2026)

Abstract

The tendency to see public health and the environment as complementary to each other became a norm of colonial governance. Judging by the geographical conditions, the role of public gatherings, markets, trade and other political events gained importance. The humid climate of the region, stagnant water bodies, changing course of the Bhagirathi River and inadequate drainage created constant health hazards, which increased the frequency of outbreaks of malaria, cholera, kala-azar and fever. The areas where damp environment, water bodies or dirty ponds were more common, the outbreak of disease in those areas led to a decrease in public gatherings, population decline. As a result, descriptions of such unhealthy environments are often prominent in the reports of British officials. However, despite these adverse conditions, the article discusses how colonial and local initiatives gradually expanded the public health infrastructure of Murshidabad. The dispensaries of Berhampur, Lalbagh, Kandi, Jangipur and Azimganj - often established with philanthropic support - became significant health centres in the mid-twentieth century, providing intense care, diagnostic services and outpatient facilities. Although the impact of unsanitary conditions was more or less noticeable in all the districts of Bengal, Murshidabad district has been selected for the purpose of this article because it was recognized for its administrative and commercial importance since pre-British times. The article will provide a historical overview of how the question of public health came to the fore with government support while it was the centre of the administrative structure and what kind of initiatives were taken to remedy it.

References

  1. Hunter W. W. (1883)., Annals of Rural Bengal., Smith, Elder and Company.
  2. O, Bengal District Gazetteers Murshidbad 1914.,
  3. Gastrells. J.E (1860)., Geographical and Statistical Account of Murshidabad District., p.14.
  4. Hunter W. W. (1877)., A statistical account of Bengal (Vol. 20)., Trübner & Company.
  5. Walsh, J. T. (1902)., A History of Murshidabad District (Bengal): with biographies of some of its noted families., Dalcassian Publishing Company.
  6. Hope, M. B. (1843)., Report of the General Committee of Public Instruction of the Presidency of Fort William in Bengal.,
  7. Sarkar, S. (2018)., Institutionalization of Public Health in India: All India Institute of Public Health and Hygiene., Journal of People’s History and Culture, 6(1), 22.
  8. David B. Smith (1879)., The Report on the Sanitary Commission of Bengal for the year 1870-71., Bengal Secretariat Press,Calcutta, p.20
  9. General Report on Public Instruction (1846)., Lower Provinces of the Bengal Presidency For 1845-46, Calcutta.,
  10. General Report on Public Instruction (1843)., Bengal Presidency, For 1842-43, Calcutta.,
  11. General Report on Public Instruction (1886)., Bengal for 1885-86, Calcutta., p.14.
  12. Mandal G. K. (2022)., The Role of Christian Missionaries in Medical Services in Murshidabad District of West Bengal., JHSR Journal.
  13. Mitra A. (1951)., Census 1951, West Bengal: District Handbooks., Manager of Publications.
  14. Bahadur R. B. B. M. (1938)., Final report on the survey and settlement operations in the district of Murshidabad, 1924-1932.,