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After plague had been present in the city some little time, these died in shoals until the
drains became choked with them and the maggots crawled up in quantities over the floors
from their dead bodies ; yet none of the resident zenana ladies contracted the disease, and
of the few women who did, it could not be stated for certain that they contracted it within
the fort, as they could all have had intercourse with the outside. It is true that a number of
these ladies were inoculated, but not all. Had the attacks been in any way proportionate
to the mortality amongst rats none should have escaped It is true, however, that the
mortality was high amongst those that suffered in the fort, as it is said only two, and they
were inoculated, had mild attacks and recovered."
At one time rewards were offered for the destruction of rats in Patiála City, but
this was after the outbreak of plague had subsided, when, it was stated, very few rats were
left. Only 33 rats were produced by claimants of rewards.
No other animals are mentioned as having suffered from plague.
Type and severity of the disease.
(l) The type of the disease was mainly bubonic. From what has been stated the
seventy of the disease as shown by the fatality
of attacks cannot be compiled with accuracy
owing to the insufficient information obtained.
Recommendations.
(m) In concluding his report, Major Hendley
writes as follows :—
" For the future there seems to be no doubt but that the measures of most import-
ance are in order as given—(I) Inoculation; (2) Restriction of intercourse; (3) Evacuation ;
(4) Killing, of rats; (5) Disinfection. Of these inoculation is sufficient in itself, and if the
people will only resort to it the remainder will not be found necessary, though they will
always prove to be good assistants to it. Every effort should be made to make inoculation
popular and to get officials and leading men of all sections to preach its benefits. The
people in the villages should be encouraged to keep to themselves, and nothing will be more
efficient for this purpose than to extend the provisions of the restrictions which they them-
selves are well able to impose upon each other if a breach in a rule made by the whole
village occurs. Every attempt should be made to kill rats during these months. Efforts are
being made to catch them in traps, but owing to the objection the Hindús have to take life,
there are great difficulties in the way. As regards evacuation and disinfection, I do not feel
inclined to advise the expenditure of much money on either but in exceptional cases.
" The experience in this State as regards evacuation is that the people should be left
to their own devices. Any attempt to interfere is looked upon with great suspicion, and the
offer of chappars is to most of them much the same as the threat of extortion would be."
KAPURTHALA STATE.
61. The Kapúrthala State became infected for the second time during the year 1901-02.
Appearing on October 19th, 1901, in the village of Panchat in the Phagwara Tahsil, plague
spread to several other villages in the tahsil and to the town of Phagwara. Altogether 42
villages and towns were infected in the Phagwára Tahsil, and 2,484 cases of plague with
1,559 deaths occurred between the date mentioned above and the 31st of May, when the
epidemic ceased.
On January 4th plague broke out at Dhaliwal, a village of 2,742 inhabitants in the.
Dhilwán Tahsil, about 6 miles from Kapúrthala City, and 235 cases with 154 deaths occurred
here, the outbreak ceasing in May. In spite of the severity of the disease in the villages, it
did not spread, no other cases having been reported from this tahsil.
The total number of places infected in the Kapúrthala State during the year was 43,
the number of plague cases reported 2,719, and of deaths 1,713.
In addition some two or three cases suspected to have been plague occurred among
new arrivals in Kapúrthala City. These were promptly segregated.
Measures adopted to prevent outbreaks of plague.
(a) The measures taken for dealing with plague were similar to those adopted by the
Punjab Government, and until the people realiz-
ed that no compulsion would be employed
they displayed the same dislike and suspicion of State interference as had been observed
in British districts of the Punjab. Special measures were taken for the protection of Kapúr-
thala City ; quarantine camps were established on the Kartárpur and Jullundur roads
and guards were posted on the outskirts of the city to prevent the entrance of persons from
infected places.