75
He notices that the outbreaks were less severe in villages on dry sandy soil than in
those the soil of which was moist and clayey.
. He also states that those classes suffered most from the disease who lived amidst the
most insanitary surroundings such as Chamars and sweepers.
Mortality amongst rats.
{m) Reference has already been made to
mortality among rats.
This was observed in almost every infected village and it usually occurred between
10 and 20 days before the disease assumed epidemic proportions.
The Deputy Commissioner remarks that the proportion of attacks was usually
higher in villages in which rat mortality occurred than in those in which it did not,
though no relation was observed between rat mortality and the fatality of attacks among
human beings.
No definite evidence was obtained of plague among other animals.
The Plague Medical Officer writes:—
" No measures were taken by people to kill rats. With Hindus rat killing is as
great a sin as killing a man."
Type of plague.
(«) The bubonic type of plague prevailed, though cases of pnuemonic and septic
plague were also observed.
The Plague Medical Officer writes :—
"The rush of the work did not allow of the means and opportunity of collecting statis-
tics from which to calculate the ratio of one to the other."
Classes affected.
As already mentioned, it was remarked that plague affected Chamars and sweepers.
Other menial classes also suffered badly, and
women of all classes suffered more than men.
Commenting on these facts Mr. Atkins says:—
" The probable explanation is, that the menials are poor and live in smaller, more
crowded and dirtier houses. They often sleep on the ground, they could not go out, and live
on their wells as zammd;\rs often did. Women are more in the house than men, go about
more with bare feet, often wear clothes touching the ground, and lead less healthier lives/'
No special features of the disease were noticed, and as already mentioned no
opportunities for observing the results of medical treatment were afforded.
Recommendations.
(0) The Plague Medical Officer makes no suggestions, but Mr. Atkins writes with
reference to the management of plague opera-
tions :—
" The proper way, in my opinion, is to put the local officers on special duty and -
relieve them by officers sent for the ordinary Tahsil or District work.
" If one-talks to them first about the ordinary affairs of the village and gets them talk-
ing one can then lead up to plague and they are not nearly so shy and reserved about it.
The Tahsildar of the tahsil and the Extra Assistant Commissioner who is doing bad
livelihood cases can do much more with the people than a man who goes on special
plague duty."
The Commissioner, Mr. Younghusband, endorses these remarks.
Staff and establishment-
(p) The following Medical Officers and
subordinates were employed on plague duty in
the district:—
(1) Assistant Surgeon Vidya Natha Singh.
(21 Assistant Surgeon Hari Lai Basu.
(3) Assistant Surgeon Umrao Beg and 1 Hospital Assistant and 1 Compounder.
LAHORE CITY AND MUNICIPALITY.
47. The first outbreak of plague in the City and Municipality of Lahore occurred
during the year under report. It was fortunately a mild one, only 208 plague cases with 120
deaths having been reported, and of these 38 cases, 22 of which were fatal, were imported from
other infected places.
The following account of the outbreak is compiled from that given in the report of
the Deputy Commissioner, who states that he was able to adopt the report of Mr. Calvert,
City Magistrate of Lahore, almost unaltered:—
"The first cases of plague reported within Municipal limits were in Muhalla Sathan
in the city near the tahsil, on 10th January 1902. Plague had appeared in the district in
the preceding November and meanwhile all the necessary preparations had been made. The
matters of Sanitary Sub-Committees, hospitals, disinfectors, and special conservancy staff had
been attended to and the Municipality was well prepared for the outbreak.