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In every instance these imported cases were promptly reported, and except of
Jahanabad all the patients were segregated and the infected houses chemically disinfected.
The patient at Jahanabad was a Sub-Overseer in the Irrigation Department. He suffered
from only a mild attack of plague and returned to Amritsar before he could be segregated,
the building which he occupied was however disinfected.
Attitude of the people.
(a) From what has been noted above it will appear that the attitude of the people to-
wards plague measures was satisfactory. Mr.
Bird, the Deputy Commissioner, remarks that
the people were generally willing to act on advice offered them, and instances came to light
when the people of healthy localities would not admit into their villages or have any contacts
whatever with persons coming from infected areas. With this exception, plague made no
difference in the habits of the people. The Civil Surgeon states the people preferred their
own methods of treatment ; the people of Rakron were rejecting the services of a hakim
appointed by the Deputy, Commissioner for their benefit.
Disinfection.
(b) In the village of Firuka the people themselves attempted to disinfect their infected
houses by lighting fires on the floors and burn-
ing sulphur.
Disinfection was carried out according to the instructions contained in the memo-
randum on disinfection : 112 houses were disinfected.
Inoculations,
(c) Only 856 persons were inoculated in the Shahpur District during the year. Most
of these operations were performed in March
and April. The Civil Surgeon remarks that the
high temperature of the season was a bar to inoculation in the summer months. Inoculation
was chiefly limited to the educated classes, officials, and others. The Civil Surgeon remarks
that the " illiterate entertained many absurd ideas " on the subject of inoculation.
Infection.
(d) In every instance the infection was
carried by human intercourses.
Local conditions.
(c) The Civil Surgeon remarks that the dry soil of the infected places probably pre-
vented the spread of plague. Although this
may have had some effect, it is possible that it
is chiefly due to the attitude of the people towards plague measures, and the promptness
with which cases were segregated that the small extent of the outbreak in the Shahpur
District is low.
Rat mortality.
(_f ) Rats were reported to have died at Rakron immediately before human beings
were attacked. In no other places was unusual
mortality among rats observed, and no other
animals were attacked with plague.
T ype and seventy of plague.
(g) As noted above, the cases of plague at Rakron and Alipur were reported to be of
the pneumonic variety. All the imported cases
were of the bubonic type.
It should be pointed out however that the fatality of attacks at Rakron 46.7 per cent.
and at Alipur 55.5 per cent. is much lower than that usually observed in cases of pneumonic
plague.
It has been mentioned that the disease at Rakron was not reported for some
months after its first appearance, and it would seem probable that most of the cases which
were not seen by the Civil Surgeon were of the bubonic type of plague, and it is possible
that cases of other diseases may have been returned as plague.
Staff and Establishment.
(h) The following Medical Officers and subordinates were employed on plague duty
in the district :—
(1) Miran Bakhsh, Utárid, Civil Surgeon.
(2) Assistant Surgeon Shiv Das.
NOTE.—-Civil Hospital Assistant Rám Chand did plague duty in addition to his ordinary duties.
JHELUM DISTRICT.
54. No indigenous cases of plague occurred in the Jhelum District during the year
under report. Two imported cases were discovered and segregated immediately on their
arrival.
In one case the patient was the wife of a sawár of the XVIth Bengal Lancers, who
had been on leave in Ludhiána. In the other the patient was a small boy whose parents died
of plague in Lala Musa. In neither cases did the disease spread, as prompt and effectual
measures were at once taken.
The first of these cases occurred on 16th of April and the patient dying a few days
later, and the second on May 3rd, 1902.