Environment, Disease and Modernization: Public Health in the Princely State of Cooch Behar

Abstract

The recent years have witnessed the publication of articles and monographs on the history of public health and the development of modern health care systems in the princely states of India during the colonial period. The present article intends to critically examine the causes of the occurrences of diseases and epidemics and the introduction of modern health care systems in the princely state of Cooch Behar. The article has been divided into three main parts, firstly – the article makes a comparative study of the health care systems between the ‘pre-modern’ and ‘modern’ era; secondly – the article examines the environmental aspects of diseases and epidemics that were occurred in colonial Cooch Behar, and thirdly – the article delves into the growth and development of western medicines (especially vaccines) and the establishment of several medical institutions like, hospitals, dispensaries etc. in the princely state of Cooch Behar.