UNIT-5 DETAILED TEXT: THE HEALTH TREATS OF CLIMATE CHANGE

1. How are mortality and excessive heat related?

The change of weather and climate act upon the human health differently. Higher and lower
temperatures affect human health and mortality. Scientists recognize excess mortality as a
result of global warming. The recent heat waves in Chicago and Europe caused of medical
problems for the poor. So mortality and excessive heat are closely related.
2. How does a human temperature affect disease causing vectors?
Vector born diseases are infectious diseases. They are caused by the affects of climate
change. They are passed by animal hosts or vectors causing Malaria, Dengue and Yellow
fevers… etc. Vector born diseases are found in warmer climates.
3. What are aero allergens? How are they produced? How does climate interact with them?
(or)
4. How does climate change worsen air pollution directly and what are the effects on
mortality due to this?
Changes in climate affect the air we breathe. Increasing co2 levels raise of the growth of
plant that release air-born allergens. Finally the outdoor aeroallergens affect the indoor air
quality as pollutants… etc. Poor air qualities of indoors and outdoors affect the human
respiratory and cardiovascular systems. The pollen seasons can increase allergy and asthma
among the public. Climate could threaten access to safe water leading to dehydration and
diseases… etc.
5. What is public health surveillance and why is it important?
The Public health surveillance is an approach to identify and control public health problems.
It involves more than collecting data. The surveying organization analyzes data, reviews
findings and takes an action when needed. It provides a way to track its results. The world
Health Organization (WHO) plays a lead role in surveillance at global level.
6. What is a heat watch system? And how does it help the health problems due to climate
change?
The heat watch system is a system that measures temperature widely by the tools. It
forecasts the weather report that lead to dangerous heat stress. It identifies heat caused
deaths and gives help to the people who need protection from heat waves.
7. What is the approach used in the system developed and implemented in Philadelphia for
weather conditions?
The system developed and implemented in Philadelphia for whether conditions is the Heat
Watch system by International journal of Climatology. It identifies the weather conditions
historically associated with increased mortality in a certain location. Then it gives warning
when such condition a raised. The observances of statistical conditions in advance alert the
people and the municipal authorities to provide shelters.
8. Does air quality control help in public health? How can a one control and manage it?
Yes, the air quality control helps in public health. Housing style and the use of air
conditioning can lessen the impact of great waves. Air quality monitoring and management
program control air pollution levels in developed countries. Ozone and particular matters are
monitored daily across the USA. Air quality management strategies are directed at limiting
emissions of ozone precursors and controlling particle sources.
9. What is the role of Clinicians in public health surveillance?
Clinical care is the mitigating factor the impact of climate change on health. Effective treat
meant strategies are made for heat stress and allergy by the clinicians. They have to identify
the occurrence of such cases that signal emerging illness.
10. What are the main conclusions the author has made climate change and public health?
The World Health Organization (WHO) and global bodies are to strengthen public health and
infrastructure and capacity. At the national level, the risks of climate change should motivate
countries to enhance data system and improve preparedness. Climate change adaptation
science is to be implemented all over the world. The above features are the main conclusions
that the author had made climate change and public health.

Long Answer Questions

1. What are the different health problems due to climate changes, which the author points out?
Ans: (Q. Nos. 1 2 3 4)
2. What are the different measures the author talks about to manage health problems due to
climate changes?
Ans: (Q. Nos. 5 7 8 9 10)

Critical Questions
1. What kind of health problems are common to India in relation to climate change?
India is a large developing country, with the Great Himalayas, the world's third largest ice
mass in the north, 7500 km long, and densely populated coast line in the south. Nearly 700
million of her one billion population living in rural areas directly depend on climate-sensitive
sectors (agriculture, forests, and fisheries) and natural resources (such as water, biodiversity,
mangroves, coastal zones, grasslands) for their subsistence and livelihoods. Further, the
adaptive capacity of dry land farmers, forest dwellers, fisher folk, and nomadic shepherds is
very low. Climate change is likely to impact all the natural ecosystems as well as
socioeconomic systems, as shown by the National Communications Report of India to the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Major health effects due to changing climate can be broadly classified as follows:
1. Extreme weather-related health effects: Extreme weather events such as severe storms,
floods, and drought have claimed thousands of lives during the last few years and have
adversely affected the lives of millions and cost significantly in terms of economic losses and
damage to property. India and the subcontinent saw five of the 20 major natural calamities
recorded worldwide in terms of victims.
2. Air pollution-related health effects: As the changing climate may alter the temperature and
humidity, interaction among the pollutants may get modified too as their formation depends
on these factors. Some air pollutants demonstrate weather-related seasonal cycles.
Increased air temperature can lead to earlier pollen season and altered distribution of
allergen and thereby leading to asthma episodes
3. Water and food-borne diseases: These diseases can be classified by route of transmission,
thus distinguishing between water-borne (ingested) and water-washed diseases (caused by
lack of hygiene). Diarrhoeal disease is one of the most important causes of disease burden,
particularly in developing countries.
4. Vector-borne diseases: Changes in climate are likely to change frequency, lengthen the
transmission seasons, and alter the geographic range of important vector-borne diseases,
malaria and dengue being the most important. Rodents, which proliferate in temperate
regions following mild wet winters, act as reservoirs for various diseases. Certain rodent-
borne diseases are associated with flooding, including leptospirosis, tularemia, and viral
hemorrhagic diseases. Other diseases associated with rodents and ticks, and which show
associations with climatic variability, include Lyme disease, tick-borne encephalitis, and
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.
5. Effects of food and water shortages: Rising temperatures and changing patterns of rainfall
are projected to decrease crop yields in many developing countries, stressing upon food
 supplies. Both acute and chronic nutritional problems are associated with climate variability
and change. Drought diminishes dietary diversity and reduces overall food consumption, and
may, therefore, lead to micro-nutrient deficiencies.
6. Psycho-social impacts on displaced populations: Much of the India’s populations live on
coastlines that will be threatened, and as the coastlines disappear, their residents will be
forced to migrate. The consequent destruction of homes and communities will eventually
force unprotected populations to seek safer ground, often increasing environmental and
social pressures in their new locations.
7. Health impacts from conflicts over access to vital resources: Climate change is projected to
bring changing rainfall patterns, increased temperatures, evaporation, and salinization of
water sources through rising sea levels. With much dependence on natural resources and
climate-sensitive sectors such as agriculture, water and forestry, India may face a major
threat from scarcity of vital resources.

2. Will green revolution save us from health problems caused by climate change?

Experiences with the green revolution are varied. The green revolution transformed global
agriculture, especially wheat and rice. Through selective breeding biologists created dwarf
varieties of wheat that put most of its energy into edible kernels rather than long, inedible
stems. Agriculture has undergone a “green revolution” over the past 50 years, with more and
more crops being produced from an acre of land than ever before.
Just as forests are often said to be the lungs of the Earth, the same is true for crops. During
the growing season, forests absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and release it when leaves fall
to the ground and decompose in the fall. Likewise, when corn sprouts and grows into mature
cob-laden stalk, it absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and releases it — exhaling
— when it withers, dies and decomposes. Such agricultural inhaling and exhaling of CO2
contributes to seasonal changes in the global carbon cycle.
One study shows that forests in the Northern Hemisphere have been increasing the amount
of CO2 they absorb and release into the atmosphere each year due to greater agricultural
productivity in recent years.
Some scientist say that these agriculture-driven changes in the global carbon cycle may not
mean a lot in the context of climate change as agriculture accounts for about only 12% of
human generated greenhouse gas emissions on earth.
Pursuing the goals of increased productivity per unit area and per unit of labour involves
many of the tools of the existing green revolution technology, adapted to the needs of rural
food-insecure people. The green revolution also considers farmers in more marginal areas as
well as those who, in the near future, will not be able to benefit from the value of using
higher inputs. Their well-being can be improved by creating fiscal and policy environments
that encourage them to utilize proven or improved germ-plasm, obtained from local
resources or developed especially for their particular conditions.
The green revolution technologies were not without their problems: the need for a
significant use of agrochemical-based pest and weed control in some crops has raised
environmental concerns as well as concern about human health; as irrigation areas
expanded, water management required skills that were not always there; gender roles were
shifted; and there were new scientific challenges to be tackled.
The lessons from the green revolution taught that scientific advances alone cannot solve the
food security problems of developing countries. Political leaders must create suitable socio-
economic and institutional enabling environments, while access to credit and markets should
play a key role in improving productivity. Greater equity does not necessarily arise from
greater food production. The environmental consequences that the introduction of high-
 input/high-output agriculture can have are also appreciated, as well as the vulnerability of
high-potential and low-potential lands alike when farming systems change dramatically.
Sustainable progress nearly always involves broad popular participation, allowing people
themselves to select from among the new tools and to blend these with the technological,
social, cultural and economic settings which were created by their traditional systems.

One Word Substitutes

1. Detailed plan of journey: Itinerary
2. A person with lots of experience: veteran
3. A small enclosure for cattle, sheep, poultry, etc: pen, sty, coop, etc.
4. A person who rides in front of an important person (escort, pilot, etc): outrider
5. Exclusive possession of trade in some commodity: monopoly
6. A scientist who studies astronomy: astronomer
7. A building in which monks live: monastery
8. A system of government where people elect representatives by vote: democracy
9. An assembly of listeners: audience
10. A person who believes in the existence of only one God: monotheist
11. A careful examination of one’s own thoughts: introspection
12. One who changes sides: turncoat
13. One who loves books: bibliophile
14. A system of governance by new people: neocracy
15. Killing of a human being: homicide
16. A person who has experience of many different parts of the world
17. That never fails or never makes mistakes: infallible
18. One who always runs away from danger: timid
19. A large glass container in which fish and other water creatures or plants are kept: aquarium
20. A song or a poem that tells a story: ballad
21. One who rules without consulting the opinions of others: dictator
22. A person who criticizes popular beliefs: iconoclast
23. An official right to be the only person to make, use, or sell a product or an invention; a
document that proves this: patent
24. A man or a boy looking or behaving like a woman or a girl: effeminate
25. A word that means the opposite of another word: antonym
26. A large mass of ice that movers very slowly down a mountain: glacier
27. Showing a belief in fate and believing that one cannot control or prevent events from
happening: fatalist
28. A speech delivered without any previous preparation: extempore
29. Words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or a group: jargon
30. A person who enjoys food and drink of high quality and knows a lot about it: epicure
31. Indifference to pleasure or pain: stolid or stoic
32. A style in which a writer makes a display of his knowledge: pedantic
33. One who talks in sleep: somniloquist
34. A system of governance with complete power in one person: autocracy
35. Place where people are treated for illness (like a hospital): sanatorium
36. Ability of a person to do many different things: versatile
37. One who represents a state in a foreign country: ambassador
38. A person who has studied subject in detail: scholar
39. Remains of prehistoric animal or plant preserved by being buried in earth: fossil
40. One who exists at the same time as another: contemporary
41. One who can speak two languages: bilingual
42. Killing of infants or babies: infanticide
43. One who copies others ideas: plagiarist
44. One who is all powerful: omnipotent
45. Situation where there is no governance in a state: anarchy
46. That which can be easily broken: fragile
47. Persons working in the same department: colleagues
48. Loss of memory: amnesia
49. Disrespect to holy objects, etc.: sacrilege
50. A person appointed by parties to settle the disputes between them: arbitrator
51. A great lover of books: bibliophile
52. A person who never drinks alcohol: teetotaler
53. A person who believes that all events are predetermined: fatalist
54. Someone who is the first to think of or make something: inventor
55. A person who operates a telegraph: telegraphist(?)
56. A person who is trained to advise people with problems: counsellor
57. A woman who can sew and make clothes or whose job is sewing and making clothes:
seamstress
58. A person with far-reaching ideas and thoughts: radical
59. A person who believes in or supports democracy: democrat
60. Hard to please: fastidious
61. A remedy for all diseases: panacea
62. Having a ready disposition to fight: bellicose, aggressive, belligerent, militant
63. A small shop that sells fashionable clothes, cosmetics, etc.: boutique
64. Incapable of being seen through: opaque
65. One who questions everything: cynic
66. That which cannot be avoided: inevitable
67. A sentence which has more than one meaning: ambiguous
68. A handwriting that cannot be read: illegible
69. One who is greedy of money: avaricious
70. One who has no money: pauper
71. One who is easily deceived: gullible
72. A position for which no salary is paid: honorary
73. One who looks the dark side of everything: pessimist
74. One who is all powerful: omnipotent
75. He tried hard to win the singing contest, but he lost in it as he suffered from cold on the
final day.
76. She emerged as the leader of the group in the group discussion held in her college.
77. When her husband was criticized, she leapt to his defense.
78. Though he wanted to become an engineer, he was destined to become a tennis player.
79. It was an arduous journey from here to Shillong.
80. Talks between the government and the employees are going on to avert a strike.
Correction of errors

1. We discussed about the cyclone.

2. Immediately we reached at the airport.
3. I have ordered for his dismissal.
4. Vikas married with to his friend’s sister.
5. Many students entered into the hall very late.
6. She resembles to her father.
7. This candidate is intelligent, buts lacks of experience.
8. What is the time (in?) by your watch?
9. They have travelled to Tirupati in on train.
10. The board members were pleased at with me.
11. She was trembling by with rage.
12. We all congratulated her for on her success in the project.
13. Who is in on the phone?
14. I watched an interesting show at on TV.
15. Will you see me on next Friday?
16. She is just about (the?) right height to be a police constable.
17. Are you going to home now?
18. The ball slowly rolled slowly into the goal.
19. I don’t care for about your opinion.
20. She has been ill since for two weeks.
21. The manger suggested me to take leave.
22. He is junior than to me.
23. This is the worst storm in (for) ten years.
24. She sent the letter to me on my old address.
25. The loud music prevented me to sleep from sleeping.

UNIT-5 NON-DETAILED TEXT: PROFULLA CHANDRA RAY

Short answer questions

1. What was Ray’s doctorate thesis on?
Ray’s doctoral thesis was on “Conjugated Sulphates of the Copper Magnesium Group: A
Study of Isomorphous Mixtures and Molecular Combinations.
2. What was Ray’s first assignment in the Presidency College?
Ray first assignment was the job of a lecturer in Chemistry at Presidency College,
Calcutta.
3. What were some of Ray’s discoveries while analyzing certain rare minerals?
Ray was conducting experiments to discover some of the missing elements in Periodic
Table. He came across a mineral in the form of yellow crystalline deposits. This led him to
discover mercurous nitrate and several of its derivatives.
4. Describe the compound Ray discovered. What are its properties?
The compound discovered by Ray is mercurous nitrate.
5. How did Ray get associated with University College of Science?
Ashutosh Mukherjee invited Ray to be the first University Proffessor of Chemistry at
University College of Science.
6. Where was Ray born? How does he describe the place and the adjoining villages?
Ray was born on 2 August 1861 in Raruli village located in Jessore district of now
Bangladesh. The villages in the region were located on the banks of beautifully
meandering river Kapotakshi.
7. Name the company Ray founded. With what objectives did Ray establish it?
In1892, Ray established Bengal Chemical and Pharmaceutical Works Ltd with an objective
to create jobs for unemployed youth of India. His motto was to enjoy work and hardship
that would help an individual to fight better.
8. Where did Ray complete his graduation and doctorate from? What was his area of
interest?
 Ray completed his B.Sc. and D.Sc. from Edinburg University. Though he pursued his
research in Chemistry, he was attracted towards history and literature and read the
works of several eminent scholars of the west.
9. After returning to India, what was Ray’s first job? What opinion did Ashutosh
Mukherjee offer to him later on?
Even highly educated and renowned scientists like Ray were discriminated against by the
Britishers in India. On his return to India, Ray was denied a job and had to live with the
hospitality of Jagadeesh Chandra Bose’s family. However, after a year’s wait, Ray got the
job of a lecturer in chemistry at Presidency College, Calcutta. Later Ashutosh Mukherjee
persuaded Ray to accept professorship at the University College of Science.
10. Which school did Ray go after coming to Calcutta? Why couldn’t he continue for long
and which school did he join later?
In 1871, Ray joined Hare School founded by a Scottish educationist and philanthropist,
David Hare in Calcutta. As Ray was from Bangladesh, he was insulted and ridiculed by his
school mates. However his frequent bouts of dysentery made him quit and move to
Albert School.
11. Which professor was most impressed with Ray at the Presidency College? Why?
Chemistry course of Professor Alexander Pedler impressed Ray. He admired the ease and
skill with which chemistry experiments were demonstrated by Prof. Pedler in the lab.
12. What helped Ray in going to England for higher studies?
In 1882, while pursuing his B.A at Metropolitan Institution, ray was awarded Gilchrist
Prize scholarship. He discontinued his B.A. and went to join B.Sc at Edinburg University in
England. Later he received Hope scholarship and continued his post-doctoral research.
13. What hardships did Ray face after he returned from England? How much time later
could he get his first job?
Ray returned to India in August 1888, a time when scientific research was at its infancy in
India. Consequently there were not many job openings for Dr. Ray. He waited for almost
a year spending his time at Jagadish Chandra Bose’s place, thanks to their hospitality. In
1889, he got a modest position of Chemistry lecturer at Presidency College in Calcutta.
14. Name some awards that Ray won?
1. Gilchrist Prize Scholarship (1882)
2. Hope Scholarship Prize (1887)
3. Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire (1911)
15. What was ray’s contribution in helping people when Bengal reeled in famine?
The Bengal famine of 1922 brought out the philanthropist in Ray. He raised Rs 3 lakhs
from friends and actively participated in relief measures. He personally supplied food
and groceries to the affected villagers. When the village folks were suffering from
malaria, he supplied necessary medication from his Pharmaceutical Company at very
affordable or free of cost to the victims. Ray spent nine-tenths of his income on charity.

Column A Column B
Father of Indian Pharmaceuticals Dr Profulla Chandra Ray
Ray’s first school in Calcutta Hare School
Spiritual association of Ray Sadharan Brahmo Samaj
Albert School founder Keshab Chandra Sen
Village where Ray was born Raruli, Kathipara
Ray attended classes here as external student Presidency College
Scottish watch maker who settled in Calcutta David Hare (1775-1842)
spreading education
 Scholarship Ray won for studying in England Gilchrist Prize Scholarship (1882)
Mahender Lal Sircar Established Indian Association for
the Cultivation of Science (1876)`
A compound discovered by Ray Mercurous Nitrate
Ray’s Company Bengal Chemicals and
Pharmaceutical works ltd.
Mendeleev Periodic Table
Title of book written by Ray The History of Hindu Chemistry
1916 Ray joined University College of
Science
He inspired Ray to write a book on Hindu Chemistry Mercellin Pierre Eugene Berthelot

Fill in the blanks

1. Profulla Chandra Ray was born on 2 August 1861 in Raruli Katipara (Bangladesh)
2. Ray’s father was wealthy. He was a land proprietor by profession.
3. Ray was admitted to Hare School when the family moved to Calcutta.
4. David Hare who established Hare School was born in 1775.
5. After sometime in the Hare School, Ray joined Albert School
6. When Ray went to England, he was received by another fellow Indian Jagadish Chandra
Bose.
7. Ray obtained his B.Sc in 1885 from Edinburg University.
8. Ray completed his doctorate in the year 1887.
9. Ray was the Vice President of Edinburg University Chemical Society
10. Ray joined Presidency College in 1889
11. In 1901, Ray went to receive Gopal Krishna Gokhale, freedom fighter, from the Calcutta
railway station.
12. The History of Hindu Chemistry was published in 1902 and the sequel was followed in the
year 1908.
13. Berthelot was of French nationality.
14. Ray started his company, Bengal Chemicals in 1892.
15. Ray also wrote a book on zoology and titled it Simple Zoology.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Dr Profulla Chandra Ray was fondly known as
2. Ray’s birth place was on the banks of river Kapotakshi
3. Ray won the Gilchrist Scholarship that helped him to go to England.
4. Ray discovered the compound mercurous nitrate.
5. William Ramsay named Ray the founder of Chemistry School in India.
6. Ray resigned from the Presidency College in the year 1916.
7. The chemicals business set by Ray was called Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals
8. Bengal Chemicals was converted from a private concern to a limited liability company in
1902.
9. Ray’s book on animals was called Simple Zoology.
10. What was the amount donated by Ray to Calcutta University? Rs.1,80,000/-

Long Answer Questions

1. Describe the hardship Ray had to face on his return to India.
Short answers: 9, 13
2. Write Ray’s contribution to the freedom struggle.
 Ray was drawn into the Indian freedom struggle by Dr Nilratan Sirkar. Sirkar introduced
him to Gopal Krishna Gokhale and Mahatma Gandhi. Ray was instrumental in Gandhi’s
maiden visit to Calcutta. Ray was inspired by Gandhian thought that led to participation in
National movement.
3. Explain the dual characteristic of entrepreneurial and social vision of Ray.
Ray established Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceutical Company to generate employment
to the youth in Calcutta. After few years, the company earned huge profits and Ray
converted the firm into a limited liability company with employees as its shareholders. The
company expanded its product base. He also produced medicines for malaria at affordable
rates.
4. Explain how Ray helped his fellow people during the infamous famine of Bengal in 1922.
Short answer 15.