The Muruts of North Borneo and their declining population

Abstract
1. The Muruts, who inhabit most of the interior residency of British North Borneo, have decreased from 30,000 in 1921 to less than 19,000 in 1951. This is due to an excess of deaths over births. 2. Major possible causes of depopulation are briefly reviewed. Murut depopulation cannot be explained by hostilities, loss of livelihood or major epidemics. 3. It is pointed out that a decay in social organization due to outside influences, which has occurred among the Muruts, may lead to a worsening of environmental conditions and hence by indirect means to a decline in population. 4. Alcohol was not thought to play an important part in the Murut decline. 5. The Muruts have a poor child-producing record. This was considered to be due to the after-effects of post-pregnancy infections, causing fixed retroversions of the uterus and blockage of the fallopian tubes. This is held to be the most important factor in Murut depopulation. 6. High vaginal swabs from Murut and other populations with much infertility showed that 38.3 per cent. of 60 women harboured anaerobic cocci, while only 10.8 per cent. of 37 of the highly fecund Tambunan Dusuns showed such organisms. 7. This is consistent with the theory that a high carrier rate for anaerobic cocci is a factor in determining the high incidence of post-pregnancy infections.

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