Disease and demography in colonial Burma / Judith L. Richell.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Richell, Judith L., 1943-1999.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Politics and government.

Social conditions.

Epidemiology.

History.

Public health.

Population.

Burma--Population--History--19th century.

Burma.

Burma--Population--History--20th century.

Public health--Burma--History--19th century.

Public health--Burma--History--20th century.

Epidemiology--Burma--History--19th century.

Epidemiology--Burma--History--20th century.

Burma--Social conditions--19th century.

Burma--Social conditions--20th century.

Burma--Politics and government--19th century.

Burma--Politics and government--20th century.

Physical Description:

xiv, 327 pages : illustrations, maps ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Singapore : NUS Press ; Copenhagen : NIAS Press, 2006.

Summary:

Disease and Demography in Colonial Burma is an examination of the factors that shaped demographic change in Burma between 1852 and 1941. Despite increasing contemporary interest in the historical demography of the non-European world, there has been little detailed exploration of Burma's extensive but problematic population records. Judith Richell developed a demographic framework for Burma by analysing late nineteenth century and early twentieth century census data, and used this information to analyse population change within the country. Colonial Burma experienced relatively high rates of mortality, and Richell related this phenomenon to nutrition, the development of sanitary and health services, the impact of migration from India, and agricultural change. She also assessed infant, child and adult mortality, the incidence of endemic diseases such as beri beri and malaria, and outbreaks of plague and cholera as well as the influenza pandemic of 1918. The data the author collected and her discussion of these topics provide an exceptionally valuable resource for scholars interested in Burma, demography and public health in Southeast Asia.

Contents:

1 Numbering the people 1

2 Birth rates and death rates in colonial Burma 57

3 Infant mortality 85

4 The family and childhood in colonial Burma 127

5 Adult morbidity and mortality and the development of public health in Burma 165

6 The determinants of mortality: Nutrition and malaria in colonial Burma 217

Appendix 1 Burma: Chinese population by district 266

Appendix 2 Upper Burma: Hindu population by district, including Jain and Brahmanic 268

Appendix 3 Upper Burma: Muslim population by district 269

Appendix 4 Lower Burma: Hindu and Muslim populations by district 270

Appendix 5 Lower Burma: Hindus and Muslims as a percentage of the district population, from contemporaneous census records 272.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 309-321) and index.

ISBN:

9971693011

8791114705

OCLC:

57638044