49
Remarks and suggestions.
(g) The Plague Medical Officer has no remarks or suggestions to make, but
Mr. LeRossignol, the Deputy Commissioner,
writes as follows :
" The old measures were decidedly repugnant to all the people in this district. Many
natives who seemingly gave us their support secretly worked against us and prayed for the
day when the measures should be abolished.
" Under the present conditions most zaildárs and some of the lambardárs give great
assistance. Municipal members gave no help whatever. Baníás and Khatris in rural tracts
are obstructive. In Jullundur City the ward members and chief men worked well during
the tirst month-and-a-half of the outbreak, and after that did nothing at all. After the
Lieutenant-Governor's Darbár in March nearly all the chief men ceased to do any work, some
because they had got their reward and others because they had got no reward.
" In the district any return to the old order of things is impossible. The disease must
be allowed to run its course with a minimum of damage. Disinfection in rural tracts should
be totally discontinued. In the cold weather extensive opportunities for inoculation should
be given and the chief men should be encouraged to get the people to adopt it.
" The Jullundur Municipality has come to the end of its resources, and will, next
plague season, have perforce to content itself with the provision of a hospital.
" The old chhappars will be issued, but no new ones will be available. It seems to me
that the reporting of plague cases in each village entails very great but useless labour.
" The plague deaths can always be collated from the chaukídárs' books, and if it is
necessary to have statistics of cases as compared with deaths for the purpose of checking
the value of inoculation, I think that these statistics might be collected in the case of, say,
six representative villages in each tahsil.
"This modification would bring great relief."
Staff and establishment.
(h) The following Medical Officers and subordinates were employed on plague
duty in the district : —
(i) Major H. C. Hodgkins, Temporary Medical Offieer.
(2) Captain G. Browse, I. M. S.
(3) Dr. Beley, Temporary Medical Officer..
(4) Dr. Karm Singh, Temporary Medical Officer.
(5) Assistant Surgeon Muhammad Husain with 7 Hospital Assistants, 5 Com-
pounders and 2 Dháís.
LUDHIANA DISTRICT.
Review of epidemic.
47. The following review of the epidemic in the Ludhiána District is taken in
extenso from the admirable report of the late
Dr. Fateh Chand who carried out the duties
of Plague Medical Officer in addition to those of Civil Surgeon.
"The district 1ms just passed through a terrible outbreak. It lasted from October 1901
to July 1902, and was exceptional for its far and wide extension and alarming death-rate.
Out of 845 villages in the district, 653 and all the five Municipal towns were attacked, and
the total loss of life amounted to 47,951.
"The epidemic had three "epochs." The "first epoch" was of gradual growth
and rise of the plague. It extended from the latter part of October 1901 to the middle of
February 1902. The "second epoch" was that of the "climax" and activity and it
lasted up to the first week of May 1902. The third was of its abrupt " decline " and cessa-
tion. This continued to July 1902. The total duration of all the three epochs was nine
months, and that might be called the " life of plague " or the " plague season " of the
district.
" In the case of villages and towns a similar range of epochs was noticed, but their
individual duration was shorter. The total period of plague in villages of ordinary size was.
10 to 12 weeks and of towns 14 to 18 weeks. But the length of this period was subject to
variations as the place was attacked in the first epoch of the epidemic or in the succeeding
stages. Those that were attacked early had it longer than those attacked during the
climax.