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" Compulsory measures of any kind are of course out of the question r the disease is
now so widespread that, even if such measures were advisable, it would be impossible to
enforce them. The only method, therefore, by which we can hope to restrict or moderate
the epidemic, is by helping the people to take their own measures against it and by directing
their efforts into the proper channels ; it is not sufficient to only tell them what to do.
village communities are so split up by factions, Intrigues and personal malices, that it is
useless to expect even a large majority in any village to be able to impose its will on all
the residents, unless there is some sanction of law or executive authority behind it. The
people at the height of the epidemic were thoroughly frightened and were ready to adopt
almost any" measures that appeared likely to give them a chance of escape, but in only rare
instances were they able to carry them out with that unanimity and completeness which was
required for success * * *.
" There are admittedly only 4 known ways of dealing with plague—(1) quarantine;
(2) evacuation ; (3) disinfection, either with-or without'evacuation ; and (4) inoculation.
"Now the village communities are strongly in favour of quarantine, are ready to-
accept evacuation as a necessary evil, will have nothing to say to disinfection in any shape
or form, and thoroughly dislike inoculation : this at any rate is the state of feeling in this
district.
" It would appear to follow therefore that if efforts are to be made to help the people
to help themselves, they can be only or mainly in the direction of quarantine and evacuation.
As to chemical disinfection it has been thoroughly discredited in the past epidemic; the
people have always been opposed to it, and now I think that even the Civil Surgeon and the
Medical subordinates, who had the practical management of it in the epidemic have lost
faith in it.
" It is'somewhat difficult of course to get rid of one's prejudice in its favour, but the
facts observed in the past six months here would seem to prove its uselessness.
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" I am therefore strongly opposed to chemical disinfection at any stage of the
epidemic.
" Inoculation stands on a different footing, but the experience of the last three months,
i. e. since the inoculation campaign started in this district in April, does not lead one to be
very hopeful regarding it. The people, while in a state of panic, will welcome almost anything
which seems likely to act as a preventive and numbers came forward in April while the
disease was still raging, but during May and June, when it was on the wane, the numbers
grew less and less, until there is now practically not only no demand for it, but no willingness
to submit to it.
" It may be accepted that if plague breaks out again with equal virulence, there will
be a demand for inoculation in next March and April, but I very much doubt there being any
willingness to accept it during the autumn and winter months. The disease in other words
will have to become epidemic before inoculation will be generally accepted, and "therefore it
can hardly be held to be a means of preventing its spreading.
" There only remain then the 2 measures, quarantine and evacuation, and it is princi-
pally with a view to have these rendered efficient that I write.
"According to the present Plague Rules any village can impose a 10 days' quarantine,
and according to the present law any one evading or forcing the quarantine guard can be
punished under Section 269, Indian Penal Code," but the villages were provided with no
machinery for enforcing quarantine, and orders were received that no prosecution under
Section 269 should be instituted without sanction of superior authority.
" It is needless under the circumstances to say that in only a small proportion of vil-
lages was quarantine effectual. As a matter of fact 336 villages made quarantine arrange-
ments and out of that number only 140 succeeded in keeping plague out, but the fact that
140 villages did succeed in keeping it out is of considerable importance.
" There is no necessity to take the arrangements out of the hands of the villagers
themselves, or to compel any village to set up quarantine if it did not wish to do so, but
there can be no harm in (1) letting it be known by proclamation, &c, that Government strong-
ly approves (if this is the case) of it, and wishes each village to make arrangements for it ;
(2) allowing the Lambardárs to appoint and pay out of the chaukídári cess so many extra
chaukidárs as may be required for effectual quarantine ; and (3) letting it be known that the
Lambardárs will be supported, and that any person evading or forcing the quarantine will be
severely punished under Section 269, Indian Penal Code.
'' These are the measures I would suggest as to quarantine.
" Evacuation is regarded by the villagers as the only remedy when plague has suc-
ceeded in entering the village, and if the obstacles in its way were removed, would be very .
largely availed of.