No. II. ]
II.—PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES.
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Query No. 11,—continued.
Cardew, G. S., Deputy Inspector General., Ben. I.—I have always been an advocate for an
immediate move into camp, not only in view of avoiding local influences, but, what is of equal
importance, of occupying the men and relieving their minds of the alarm and excitement which
too frequently takes place on the first appearance of the epidemic. The ground to be selected
should, of course, be high and dry, away from villages, exposed to a free current of air, and
having a supply of good water. Distance and direction should be regulated with due regard to
the course in which the disease is moving ; and, whenever practicable, a river should be crossed.
Chalmers, C. B., Deputy Inspector General, Ben. I.—Early removal from the affected
locality, in an easterly direction.
Cowen, H. L., Surgeon Major, Mad. B.—I have on two occasions known this to stop an
epidemic. In 1853, cholera broke out in the jail at Jaffra (Ceylon). I had the prisoners
at once moved out to several places, and this measure at once stopped the disease. In 1864,
an epidemic of cholera appeared at Colombo (Ceylon) in the Ceylon Rifle Regiment, and on
this occasion, I had the regiment broken up into several detachments, partly camped out, and
partly housed at a distance from the cantonments.
Cox, L. C., Deputy Inspector General, Ben. I.—The 94th Regiment was out in camp when
the thermometer stood at 112° in their tents. There was a terrible outcry that the after-results
of this exposure would prove more disastrous than cholera could possibly do. And yet the actual
result was that there was not a single case of sun-stroke, ardent fever, or dysentery, and the
regiment is now notoriously the healthiest in the station. With proper care in the selection of a
site, and with due attention to the comfort of the men, I feel certain that no danger need be
apprehended in moving into camp in the hottest weather, so long as the men are protected from
direct solar exposure ; I mean, so long as they get into their tents from off a march before the
sun has become high. The necessity of this measure, when cholera has gained a footing in a
station, is too well established a fact to need any further proofs. I should hold myself highly
culpable if I neglected, for a single day, this all-important measure.
Crawford, J. W., Surgeon Major, Ben. I.—Removal from the affected locality, at right
angles to the prevailing winds, to an encampment on the highest dry open ground within easy
distance, so as not to fatigue the men, has, in my experience, a most marked and decided effect
in arresting the disease. I have found the distance of a mile even sufficient for this purpose.
Callen, P., Assistant Surgeon, Ben. I.—The natives believe in the contagiousness of the
disease. It was no uncommon thing in Wurdah, in 1865, to enter a village and find no one
but the dead and the dying ; every one that was able to leave had left, and in some cases, the
inhabitants actually set fire to their villages to prevent the spread of the disease.
Daly, G. H., Surgeon, Ben. I.—Removal from the affected locality has always been attended
by unquestionably good results, and might always be resorted to except under very unfavour-
able and special circumstances, such as the want of proper accommodation, of the presence of
very yet weather, when the removal will be necessarily attended by fatigue, exhaustion and
exposure. The distance to be travelled over ought always to be short, and the locality chosen
ought to be high, dry, shady, and distant from sheets of water and villages. The direction of
the march should be at an angle to the then prevailing winds.
Daun, H. T., Assistant Surgeon, Ben. I.—The vessel Elphinstone was anchored in Bombay
harbour off the Cotton Bunder, and one night we had five cases of cholera among the sailors.
The sick were sent on shore, the wood of the deck where the éjecta had fallen, was scraped and
disinfected, the vessel went out to sea, and not a single case of cholera occurred on board
afterwards.
DeFabeck, F. W. Α., Assistant Surgeon, Ben. I.—The force was marched out into an open
piece of ground previously selected, about three miles to the south-west, and to windward of
the station. The move proved to be a judicious one, for not a single case occurred in the force
thus encamped, and the only sufferers were among those left behind for guard duty.
Elliot, R. C., Deputy Inspector General, Mad. B.—Removal from the affected locality is
the first thing to be attempted, and, as a rule, has always proved beneficial.
Fogo, J. M. S., Surgeon Major, Ben. B.—If cholera is prevailing in a large native
community in India, it is better to get away from it as far as possible ; and the further the
removal, the less is the chance of communication. The most rigid quarantine is liable to be
broken. In the case of troops, the circumstances in which they are placed being so different,
it is believed that, when cholera appears among them, it is best to consider only the building in
which cholera has appeared to be affected, and to move the men out of it to a properly selected
quarantine ground. The step is likely to be quite effective with them, and the removal need
not be to a great distance.
Gibbons, J., Surgeon, Mad. B.—My experience leads me to believe, that during the
prevalence of an epidemic, the influence or action of the cholera poison is localized, it may
be in a single establishment, as a jail or in one barrack in a cantonment, or again in a town,
in a district, or in a tract of country. I consider that removal is the first and greatest
precautionary measure, provided such movement be to beyond or outside of the choleraic
influence. In 1850, the infected companies of the 44th Regiment were moved from Valetta to
Gozo Island, about three hours' steaming, A case died on board between the two islands, and
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