Author:

Gourango Chandra Roy

Department of History
Ananda Chandra College
College Para, Jalpaiguri,West Bengal
Email: gourangochandraroy@gmail.com

Abstract:The climate of Jalpaiguri was un-healthy. It is rainy area. Almost, all the areas of the
district were covered with dense forest, copies, jungle etc. There were many diseases, like- fever, Terai fever, stomach diseases, lungs/respiration and others. Educationally and economically the society was backward. The people were not aware about the disease. Therefore, scientific treatment was not prevalent in this area specially in the rural area. In rural area, there were no modern types of health care centre. Before the advent of the Britishers, people depended on  Baidya, Ojha, Hakim etc. The patients were depended on indigenous treatment (health system) but most of treatments were unscientific. They believed in superstition even most of the people depended on different God and Goddesses. W.W. Hunter wrote that almost 57 type native medicines and drugs, which were prescribed by the Kabiraj or Baidy (Hindu medical practitioners). Britishers started or had taken initiative to develop the modern health system. They established hospital, dispensary, clinic and appointed qualified doctors etc. However, it was done gradually, not at a time.

Key Words:Allopathic, Baidya, Dysentery, homeopathy, Indigenous, Pollution, Vaccination