HEALTH AND WELFARE. 247
Ahmedabad. This is in exact relation to the origin of the labour force
in these three centres. In Bombay most of the labour comes from
Konkan, a poverty-stricken and unhealthy tract; and the low grade of
physique among these people is largely due to poor constitutions from
birth and to a deficient diet. The nature of the work, the unhealthy
conditions in some of the mills and bad housing must all have an addi-
tional detrimental effect, although the general practice of returning to
their country and the increased earnings which some enjoy may counter-
act these evils to some extent. The immigrants from Kathiawar, Raj-
putana and the United Provinces, who work in Ahmedabad, have a better
physique than the local labour force, the variation again being due to
differences in diet. The somewhat higher standard of the Sholapur
worker is due to the more healthy stock from which he comes and to his
habit of taking regular exercise. It is also worth noticing that, of the
three centres, Bombay has the worst sex-ratio and Sholapur the best.
Generally speaking, the cotton mill workers have little of the stamina
required for sustained industrial life and are easily susceptible to malaria
and other diseases. Even the more highly paid weavers show a physique
little different from that presented by the general labour force of this
industry. The health of the women workers is of an even lower grade.
Mill work added to the cares of family life in a wretched environment
lays them open to infection, and tuberculosis is common.
Bengal Jute Mill Workers.

Among the Bengal jute mill workers the general standard of
physique is only fair, but here also remarkable differences are evident.
Operatives from up-country are usually sturdier than the Bengalis
and evidence indicates that the emigrant from North India ordinarily
resists industrial fatigue well, his diet and constitution standing him in
good stead. The workers from the United Provinces and Bihar compare
favourably with the Madrasi, who seldom possesses a high grade of
physique, but it was definitely stated that the local man was the worst
recruit from the physical standpoint. Even those outsiders who have
permanently settled in Bengal for a number of years seem gradually to
deteriorate in general build and constitution, and this may be attri-
buted to deficiencies in diet, to trying climatic conditions and to the
wider prevalence of malaria and other diseases.

Iron and Steel Workers.

In Jamshedpur the workers come from all parts of India whilst
comparatively few have settled down. As a consequence wide variations
in physique are to be seen. The tendency of those who have settled, how-
ever, is said to be towards improved standards, due to regular work, better
Wages, better housing and open air conditions of living.
Miners.
In the mining areas the workers come from a hardy stock and
both among men and women the physique is generally good, this being
especially true of the Santals and Bilaspuris. No such generalisation,