Vaccination of the Indians: Concept of Health, Hygiene and Race in Colonial Burma (1870-1937)

Abstract

After the three Anglo-Burmese Wars (1824-1885) the British annexation of Burma was completed. Simultaneously there began the process of modernization of Burma which required huge number of labours and agriculturists. The Indians were taken as labourers for the works of construction, clearing jungles and as port labourers. With the expansion of trade and government offices the Indian migrated as traders and white collared job holders. There were both push and pull factors involved in the process and the immigration of Indians from India outnumbered the Burmese to India. With the spread of epidemic diseases and introduction of vaccination in British Burma, the medical officers and government authorities identified the Indian coolies as the prime cause for the spread of diseases like plague and small pox in Burma. The concept of hygiene and health were attached to the Indians as a race and irrespective of their social status or class. All the Indians including well known business men and wealthy merchants were forced to the checkups and vaccinate in the ports of Rangoon and Calcutta before they boarded the ships. Sometimes they underwent quarantine process too. The article tries to undertake this British attitude towards the Indians and their concept of cleanliness and health in colonial Burma.