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Infection.
(h) As has been seen, the infection of the plague was introduced into the Gujrát Dis-
trict from the neighbouring infected district of
Siálkot and by refugees from Jammu.
In every instance infection appeared to be conveyed by human intercourse, being
introduced into new uninfected places either by the refugees from infected places or by
residents who had contracted the disease while on a visit to relations suffering from plague.
The people of Dhaman in the Khárián Tahsíl complained that plague had been in-
troduced into the village by means of grain which had been collected from shop-keepers
at Lála Musa, loaded on a bullock, which for propitiatory ceremonies was let loose to carry
away the disease from Lala Musa and was captured by certain Kumhárs of Dhaman,
amongst whom plague broke out.
Mr. Estcourt remarks, however, that Kumhárs do a great deal of carrying trade of
vegetable between the villages and the shop-keepers of Lala Musa amongst whom plague
was violent.
Local conditions.
(i) No reference is made to the effect of local conditions upon the course and extent of
the epidemic; it is most probable that the
reason for the comparatively small extent of
the epidemic in the Gujrát District is due to the lateness of the season at which infection was
first introduced.
Mortality among rats.
(;) Mortality among rats is stated to have preceded outbreak of plague among human
beings in most places. Mr. Estcourt, how-
ever, remarks that at two villages, Kaon and
Bahawal, where the pneumonic type of plague at first prevailed, no special mortality among
rats was noticed.
At Shádiwál, Jakla and Lála Musa, at all of which places severe outbreaks of plague
occurred, rats died in large numbers.
At Lala Musa the number of dead rats was very large, and frequently the owners of
shops left their shops locked, and a large number of dead rats were found in these shops, when
they were again opened.
No measures were taken to destroy rats ; the people were advised to pour kerosine oil
on the bodies of rats found in or about their houses and to burn them on the spot.
No other animals were observed to have died of plague.
Type and severity of the disease.
(k) Except in the villages of Kaon and Boháwal which have already been referred to
and which were the first places to be infected
in the district, the bubonic type of plague pre-
vailed. In these two villages the first cases of plague occurred were of the pneumonic type.
It is recorded by the Deputy Commissioner that the people of Kaon were persuaded to leave
their houses and live at their wells, and by March 30th, by which time 28 cases with 25
deaths occurred, it appeared that the outbreak had ceased. On April 9th, however, there
was a severe duststrorn and the people returned to their houses before they had been
disinfected. Plague again broke out among them, but this time only bubonic cases occurred.
The difference in the fatality of attacks between the pneumonic 89.28 per cent. and the
bubonic 64.15 per cent. type of plague is noteworthy.
Classes affected.
(l) Except at Lala Musa where plague was chiefly confined to Hindu shop-keepers and
at Shádiwál where the Hindus suffered more
than Muhammadans, no classes were observed
to be especially liable to or immune from attacks of plague, though everywhere except at
Lála Musa and Shádiwál women suffered much more than men.
Mr. Escourt suggests that among agriculturist classes men are less exposed to infection
than women, as they are at work on their lands all day, but this difference in the liability to
exposure does not exist in the case of Hindu shop-keepers who by sitting in the shops all
day are exposed to infection equally with their women. No person on plague duty was
attacked with plague.
Recommendations.
(m) Mr. Estcourt, referring to the difficulty that was experienced at Shádiwál in
getting infected shops opened for disinfection,
owing to their owners having locked them up
and fled, considers that power should be given to open such locked premises in the presence of
such responsible persons, such as a Tahsíldár or Náib Tahsíldár, for the purpose of cleaning
and disinfecting them.
Mr. Estcourt also refers to the complaint of certain small Municipalities, such as
Kunja and Dinga, that they were not permitted to refuse access to persons from infected
places, as in the case of villages, arrangement could, he thinks, be quite well made by these
petty Municipalities without causing much inconvenience.
Staff and Establishment.
(n) The Civil Surgeon of the district did plague duty in addition to his ordinary duties
with one Hospital Assistant and one Compoun-
der especially deputed for plague duty in the
district.