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in the little town of Karauli was wiped out in consequence. The market gardening classes,
Mál's, Sainís, Kambohs, Rains and the like, whose hard and sordid lives on tiny holdings
seems to stunt the faculties, preferred to take their own way in many instances Soldiers
on pension, or on leave from their regiments, not infrequently exerted a malign influence."
The attitude of leading men also varied. ' None offered opposition, many were
apathetic and few helped heartily. Some set a good example without being able to induce
others to follow it. This Mr. Maynard remarks was partly due to the suspicion of the poorer
classes that the principal men were trying to curry favour with the authorities, though as a
matter of fact they were influenced by a more vivid realization of the danger. Mr. Maynard
adds that " The .semi-Europeanised and educated classes were uniformly reasonable. Some
most valuable assistance was given by the pleaders of Ambala City, and a member of the
same class did a good deal to popularize inoculation in the town of Rúpar."
Effects of the epidemic on trade, agriculture, etc.
(c) With regard to the effect of the epi-
demic on trade, agriculture, etc., Mr. Maynard
writes :—
Trade.
" The winter trade of the cantonment shopkeepers was seriously injured by the
epidemic, owing to the closing of the Sadr.
Bazar to all who had not permits. Elsewhere
trade suffered by the diminution of intercourse, the deaths of clients and customers, and the
general depression which the calamity produced. I anticipate a diminution of about 16 per
cent, in the income tax demand. ' Liquor contractors benefited because spirit is regarded as
a prophylactic.
Agriculture.
" Agriculture suffered but little. The autumn crop had been reaped before the epidemic
began and it had passed its zenith before the
spring harvest.
Litigation and crime.
" Litigation almost ceased while plague continued, but crime was encouraged by the
unprotected state of property in evacuated
villages, and thefts and burglaries were numer-
ous. Civil cases were postponed, but most criminal cases were disposed of after the prisoner,
and witnesses had been quarantined for ten days. Some families were wiped out altogether
Treatment of plague orphans.
leaving property to be dealt with as unclaimed ;
and many left only minor orphans, whose goods
were temporarily taken charge of by the executive authorities pending settlement of the
question of guardianship.
Education.
"Schools were always closed in infected places, and the school masters when not
employed as branch post masters utilised for
work connected with the plague administra-
tion."
Measures taken with a view to prevent outbreaks of
plague in uninfected places.
(d) The people were strongly advised by
the Deputy Commissioner to protect themselves
by excluding strangers, and of this he writes : —
Attempts to exclude persons from infected areas.
" The desirability of excluding; persons from infected places was everywhere un-
derstood, and in some villages their exclusion
was vigorously enforced. But the selfishness
of influential individuals, the lack of cohesion and organized authority in most communities
and the pressure of social obligations combined with the natural apathy of the majority ta
frustrate in some measure the promptings of prudence. There were cases in which men
forcibly intruded themselves or their relatives upon an unwilling village, or reluctantly
admitted dangerous guests, whom they would gladly have excluded if they could have
pleaded an order of Government against their admission. Nevertheless outbreaks were in
a few instances averted, and in many instances deferred, by the efforts of the people to
protect themselves. It was a common thing to find roads diverted so as not to pass directly
through a village, and the wells were often very closely watched owing to an impression
that the disease is communicated through water."
No mention is made of the surveillance over arrivals in towns.
(e) In addition to the measures adopted by the people themselves, caste and other
gatherings were prohibited by the Deputy Commissioner, who writes : —
" Caste gatherings, including wedding baráts, were prohibited except by special
sanction. A number of applications for sanction were refused, and in some cases the orders
were violated. The barát is undoubtedly a very dangerous vehicle of disease, and "several
outbreaks are traceable to local marriages. The people who were not personally interested
in the festivities were often very eager to have them prohibited."