NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
84
The table below shows the weekly progress of the epidemic and the distribution of
infected villages, cases, deaths and inoculations by tahsils, is shewn in Statement No. 1
(Appendix A) :—
Table shewing the course of the epidemic of plague in the Gurdáspur District weekly
from Octobtr 1st, 1901, to September 30th, 1902.
WEEK ENDING SATURDAY,
October 5th ...
Do. 12th
Do. 19th ...
Do. 26th ...
November 2nd
Do
9th
Do. 16th
Do 23rd
Do. 30th
December 7th...
Do. 14th
Do. 21st
Do. 28th
January 4th ...
Do. nth ...
Do. 18th ..
Do. 25th ...
February 1st ...
Do. 8th ...
Do. 15th ...
Do. 22nd ...
March 1st ...
Do. 8th
...
Do. 15th
...
Do. 22nd ...
Do. 29th ...
April 5th
Do. 12th
...
Do. 19th
...
Do. 26th
May 3rd
...
Do. 10th
Do. 17th
Do. 24th
Do. 31st
...
June 7th
...
Do. 14th
Do. 21st
Do. 28th
July 5th
Do. 12th
Do. 19th
Do. 26th
August 2nd ...
Do. 9th ...
Do. 16th ...
Do. 23rd ...
Do. 30th ...
September 6th
Do.
13th
Do.
20th
Do. 27th
Do. 30th
...
• ••
•••
...
...
...
...
z
...
...
«».
• *.
VILLAGES.,
Declared in
fected
22
8
II
13
16
18
12
24
13
21
17
24
31
16
14
12
21
33
18
27
24
25
23
39
39
27
37
22
21
22
20
26
13
11
12
8
0
4
0
1
0
2
1
1
0
1
1
8
1
1
2
1
0
Decleared free
...
...
...
...
2
3
3
9
3
S
9
5
3
10
16
8
9
16
12
16
16
18
23
21 .
38
25
47
47
38
43
36
41
39
30
11
25
20
6
2
33
13
7
3
15
3
I
2
3
0
DURING WEEK.
Cases
166
192
161
27s
401
495
543
618
837
764
578
716
841
646
525
635
952
967
819
828
854
966
1,183
1,188
1,338
1,406
1,220
870
762
750
898
750
541
415
168
87
48
15
22
47
50
17
12
8
8
4
8
5
26
33
34
21
Deaths
82
84
95
92
128
234
253
292
348
493
526
458
479
473
482
344
422
559
641
561
551
570
568
691
743
766
867
880
642
S46
470
533
495
367
278
121
64
40
13
19
34
28
14
8
7
S
2
5
3
15
16
22
13
TOTAL UP TO DATE.
Cases
150
316
508
669
944
1,345
1,804
2,347
2,965
3,820
4,560
5,144
5,860
6,701
7 347
7872
8,548
9500
10 467
11,286
12,114
12 968
13 934
15 117
16 305
17,643
19049
20.269
21 139
21,901
22 651
23,549
24,299
24,840
25,255
25,423
25,510
25,558
25,573
25,595
25,642
25,692
25,709
25,721
25,729
25,737
25 741
25,749
25,754
25,780
25,813
25,847
25,868
Deaths
82
166
261
253
481
715
968
1 260
1608
2,101
2.627
3 085
3564
4037
4 519
4 863
5,326
5 885
6708
7087
7643
8213
8784
9472
10215
10 981
11,848
12,728
13,370
13 917
14386
14 919
15,414
15,779
16,057
16,078
16,232
16,272
16,285
16304
16,338
16,366
16,351
16,386
16,394
16,399
16,401
16,406
16,409
16,424
16,444
16,466
16,479
REMARKS.
85
• From Statement No. 1 (Appendix A) it will appear that the Shakargarh Tahsíl
suffered most, and it will be seen from the foregoing table that the, epidemic increased gra-
dually until December 1901, declined slightly during January 1902, again began to increase.
in February, and culminated in March. There was a rapid decline from June to August.
In September, although only two tahsíls, Gurdáspur and Pathánkot, were infected, the
number of cases increased to 119, the recrudescence having begun.
The severity of the outbreaks varied greatly in different villages. A table is given
below in which are shewn the particulars of those villages in which the incidence or fatality
of plague was more than usually high :—
Table showing particulars of certain villages in the Gurdáspur District in which the
outbreaks of plague were especially severe.
Serial No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Name of place.
Shakargarh Tahsíl.
Bher Kalán
...
...
...
Dogar
...
...
Churián
...
...
Bhalia Jattán
Sikáriále
Wairowáli
...
...
...
Gurdáspur Tahsil.
Gaddípur Khurd ...
...
...
Sarái ...
Bhattián
Census populations in logi.
285
187
95
189
280
313
92
70
143
Attacks
42
49
25
65
67
75
34
44
44
Deaths
18
28
9
36
36
51
18
21
34
PERCENTAGE OF
Attacks to populations
14'7
26'2
26'3
34'4
23'9
24'0
36'9
62'9
fatality to attacks
42'9
57'0
36'0
55'4
537
68'0
52'9
477
30'8
77'3
Bearing and attitude of the people.
{a) Of the bearing of the people in the presence of the epidemic and of the attitude
towards plague measures and of the effect of
the epidemic upon trade, &c, Major Dallas,
the Deputy Commissioner, writes :—
" Until there is a very severe outbreak of plague in a village, the people are generally
very apathetic and as a rule do not seem to concern themselves at all, and even when it
comes nearer home to them they are not at all inclined to adopt any measures which give
them trouble, or interfere with their customs. There have been no complaints about the
burial of the dead or case of orphans. With so many deaths in a district there must of
course be some dislocation of business, but there are many large towns or centres of trade
in this district, and so I cannot say that business has been very much interfered with, nor
do I notice any very great diminution in crime or litigation."
Preventive measures.
(b) A large number of persons fled from the town of Gurdáspur when plague was
severe there. Very little was done to prevent
outbreak of plague in uninfected places. In very
few villages was any attempt made to exclude persons from infected places, though the Deputy
Commissioner heard of " one village which placed some of their members on the road with
a pile of grain to be distributed to beggars and fakirs who were to be requested to take
something and pass by the village without entering it."
Surveillance over arrivals in towns was in no case observed.
Arrangement for obtaining information of plague
occurrences.
(c) Patwárs were responsible for recording and reporting all plague cases and deaths
in their halkás. These registers and returns
were checked by Girdáwars and other mem-
bers of the Revenue staff.
90
Statement No. 2 (Appendix A) shows the number of infected villages, plague attacks
and deaths in the district throughout the year.
The spread of plague was gradual until January 1902, when a considerable increase took
place which continued until the 3rd week in April, 3,652 cases with 2,418 deaths having been
reported in the district (exclusive of the city and cantonment) during the week ending
April 19th.
Towards the end of May the disease began to decline rapidly, and the epidemic
came to an end in the last week of June.
The progress of the disease differed in different tahsíls. In the Zafarwál it reached
its maximum in February ; in Raya the highest number of cases and deaths occurred in
March ; and in the Pasrúr, Siálkot and Daska Tahsíls the disease occurred in April.
Only the Raya Tahsíl became free from the disease before June : the last case in this
tahsíl occurring in May.
In the table below are given particulars of certain villages in which the outbreaks of
plague were very severe. The severity of the disease varied gradually in different places,
both as regards the incidence and fatality of attacks of plague. It should be stated, as will
appear later, that the information on this point is very imperfect —:
Table showing particulars of villages in the Siálkot District in which outbreaks of
plague were especially severe.
Serial No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
10
I
12
I
14
I
1
17
18
19
Name of place.
Daska Tahsíl.
Ghalotián Khurd
...
...
Thákarke ... ... ...
Zafatwál Tahsil.
Purále Koler
...
•••
Kingra
...
...
...
Jhamot
...
•••
...
Khánwáli ...
...
•••
Pasrúr Tahsíl.
Khokhar
...
...
...
Beháripur ...
...
Dáda Baywa
...
...
Budha Dharog
...
...
Siálkot Taksíl.
Fanjgrain ...
...
Ráwal
...
...
...
Gamman Kalán
...
.
..
Malbke
Matral Kalán
Saidanwáli ...
...
..
Kot Aráín ... ... ...
Bákarpur
...
...
Maloke
...
...
Census
popula-
tion in
1901.
492
401
142
455
88
388
150
184
406
259
330
216
400
75
73
196
248
274
125
Attacks
159
165
55
14
25
182
43
84
106
9
173
64
358
43
21
73
70
158
67
Deaths.
143
123
44
13
17
142
28
39
69
7
157
51
212
21
15
59
39
79
51
PERCENTAGE OF
Attacks
to
popula-
tion.
32'3
41 1
38 7
30'7
284
53 '5
289
45 6
229
308
52 4
296
89 5
57'3
281
37'2
382
57 6
58 6
Fatality
to
attacks.
91'1
74 5
800
92'8
68'0
76'3
65'1
46'3
65'1
77'7
907
79'6
59 2
488
7*4
80'8
55'7
50'0
76'1
REMARKS.
91
Besides the city and cantonment of Siálkot the head-quarters of the Zafarwál
Pasrúr, and Daska Tahs'ls were infected as well as the towns of Chobira in the Zafarwál
Tahsíl, Sambriál, Jámoki and Sumbhowála in Daska Tahsíl, and Kila Soba Singh in the
Pasrúr Tahsíl.
The following table shows monthly cases of plague in the Municipality of Siálkot,
of which the population in 1901 was 44,789 :—
Month.
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
June
1901
"
1902
"
"
"
"
...
...
• ft«
...
...
...
...
Total
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Number
of
cases
100
111
243
361
449
364
54
3
1,685
Deaths.
40
54
122
199
248
177
22
...
862
Percentage
fatality of
attacks.
40
48
50
55
55
49
41
...
51
REMARKS.
Bearing and attitude of the people.
(a) The Plague Medical Officer states that, although greatly alarmed at the spread
of plague in their midst, the people gave
themselves up to fate and refused to adopt
even simplest measures to check the disease, many declaring that all precautionary measures
were futile. Added to this was suspicions on all officials of the district. The Deputy Com-
missioner, however, remarks that the attitude of the people has been satisfactory, and that
the people are beginning to recognise that plague is not brought about by the efforts of
doctors and contractors for their own ends.
A considerable number of persons, chiefly Bhábrás, fled from Siálkot City when
the epidemic was severe : flight also occurred from some other infected towns and villages.
In a few cases the Hindus, both in the city and elsewhere, abandoned their dead in their
flight, and the Municipality of Siálkot employed a gang of Jhiwars to cremate dead
bodies thus abandoned.
Effect on trade, agriculture, &c.
(b) With regard to the effect of the epidemic on trade, agriculture, &c, Mr. Tollinton
writes :—
" The outbreak of plague undoubtedly had a depressing effect on business in the
city. Many Bhabrás and shop keepers removed themselves and their families to non-
infected places. A few children were left orphans in the city and were taken to the city
poor-house. Cultivation suffered to a certain extent in villages, but the lands of the
dead were invariably cultivated. Several cases of organised crime were reported, bodies
of villagers sacking and looting the houses of money-lenders who had fled from the plague.
There were also doubtless many such cases which were not reported."
Precautionary measures,
(c) Very little was done by the people of infected places to protect themselves from
plague. The villagers did not attempt to
prevent the entering of persons from infected
places, and the only towns in which any efforts were made to exercise surveillance over
jarrivals were Pasrúr and Nárowál.
94
A large proportion of the inoculations in the city, 739, was among persons connected
ftíth various missionary bodies—the majority of which were inoculated twice.
The number of inoculations performed in each tahsil was as follows :—
Raya
Daska
Pasrúr
...
...
Zafarwál
Siálkot (excluding city)
...
...
...
...
Total
4)319
4,333
4,244
3,621
39
16,556
Of the attitude of the people towards inoculation Dr. Jones remarks that they are
beginning to understand that inoculation confers a certain degree of immunity and are
gradually getting less frightened of it. He does not mention whether any objections were
raised against it on account of religious obligations or social customs, but Captain Hugo
mentions that this was not the cause in the city, saying that the people were afraid ot
inoculation as it was a new thing.
Owing to the circumstances which have been mentioned when referring to returns
of plague occurrences, much difficulty was experienced in obtaining statistics showing the
results of inoculations. Dr. Jones remarks, however, that deaths among inoculated persons
are reported.
The statistics given by Dr. Jones are embodied in the following table :—
1
Tahsll.
"Pasrúr
Zafarwâl
...
Raya
...
Daska
...
Siâlkot
Total
198,746
190,970
192,440
206,148
312,688
1, 100,992
UNINOCULATSD.
Number
194,502
187,349
188,121
201,815
311,602
1,083,389
Cases.
1 0.344
9,829
977
11,173
19,443
51,766
Deaths.
6 95S
6.432
750
7, 113
12,830
34,080
Percentage
attacks of population.
5.3
5.2
•5
5.5
6.2
4.8
percentage of attacks of popu
67.2
64.4
76.8
63.7
66.0
65.7
Number.
4,244
3,621
4.319
4 333
1,086
17,603
INOCULATED.
Cases.
14
16
10
104
4
148
Deaths.
8
12
4
29
4
57
percentnge of attacks to population.
0.5
04
0.2
2.4
.4
•8
percentage fatalit
57.1
75.0
400
27.9
100.0
38'5
The figures given in the above table indicate that inoculation conferred considerable
benefit both in protecting from attacks of plague and in diminishing the case .mo'rtality,
only .8 per cent, of the inoculated having been attacked with plague as compared
with 4.8 per cent, of the uninoculated, and only 38.5 per cent, of attacks among inoculated
persons having proved fatal as compared with 657 per cent. among the uninoculated.
Further statistics regarding inoculations in the Siálkot District are given in State-
ments Nos. 5 and 9 in appendices.
Infection.
(k) Both the Deputy Commissioner and the Plague Medical Officer, while agreeing
that human intercourse is the most important
feature in the spread of plague, are of opinion
that the disease is also conveyed not only within infected places, but from infected to unin-
99
Evacuation. Segregation.
(d) Very little was don,e either in the way of evacuation or segregation. The Deputy
Commissioner remarks that segregation was
incomplete , in almost every instance.
No European medical treatment was accepted.
Disinfection.
(e) ' Disinfection of infected houses was carried out in several villages and in the town
of Gujránwála, where 746 houses were disin-
fected.
The chemical solution of perchloride of mercury was used and was applied by trained
disinfecting coolies.
The measure was not popular, and the green colour of the solution was especially
obiected to in the town of Guiránwála. Its effects were believed to be beneficial.
Inoculation.
(f) Only 1,958 persons were inoculated in the Gujránwála District during the year
under report, and of these 347 were inoculated in
Gujránwala Town. The Deputy Commissioner
observes that it was difficult to persuade people to be inoculated. He mentions that the
general impression is that it involves an unnecessary trouble, and that people are inclined
to put off inoculation to the time when the disease actually breaks out.
No injury is reported as having followed inoculation, and no inoculated person was
attacked with plague.
Infection.
(g) Plague was introduced into the Gujránw'ala District from the neighbouring district
of Siálkot, Ibbránwáli, the first infected village,
being on the boundary. The town of Gujrán-
wála was infected by refugees from Sialkot and Jammu. Within the district the disease
was spread chiefly by human intercourse, though the Civil Surgeon is of opinion, from
the fact that mortality among rats was frequently observed in villages before plague occurred
among human beings, that these animals also conveyed infection from one village to
another in addition to discriminating it throughout infected villages. Cases were noticed
of persons having been attacked with plague shortly after handling dead rats.
Local conditions.
(h) Local conditions were not observed to
have any influence on the course of the epidemic.
Plague among rats and other animals.
(i) As stated above rat mortality was very general in infected villages. Rats were
often observed to die in great numbers " from
7 days to a month " before the appearance of
plague among human beings. No relation was noticed as to the extent of plague among
rats and among human beings. It is stated that rats were caught in traps and their bodies
burnt. Cats are said to have died of plague after eating rats died of the disease.
Type and severity of the disease.
(j) The bubonic type of plague prevailed, though it is stated that pneumonic and
septic cases were observed at the commence-
ment of the outbreak.
Classes affected.
(k) The poorer classes suffered most from plague. In Gujránwála Town Mahrás
(Hindu water-carriers), Bhabrás and Kashmiris
were chiefly affected.
Recommendations.
(A No recommendations were made either by the Deputy Commissioner or the Civil
Surgeon.
(m) The following Medical Officers and subordinates were employed on plague duty
Staff and Establishment.
in
the district :—
(1) Lieutenant W. Weston, I.S.M.D., Civil Surgeon.
(2) Assistant Surgeon Ashútosh Datta and one compounder.,
loo
Rawalpindi Division.
GUJRAT DISTRICT.
52. The Gujrát District was visited by plague for the first time during the year'under
report, appearing first in a village on the Siálkot border early in March 1902 and shortly
afterwards in the town of Gujrát. The disease spread to all the tahsils of the district.
Outbreak also occurred at Lála Musa and at the towns of Jalálpur Jatán and Shádiwál.
The epidemic came to an end in July, but early in the following month it again made
its appearance in the town of Gujrát which had been free of the disease since the latter
part of June.
The following table shows the number of infected places, and of plague attacks and
deaths in each tahsil :—
Gujrát
...
Gujrát Town ...
Kharián ...
Phália ...
Tahsils,
...
•••
••
...
...
... ...
...
Total
Population.
290,839
19,048
242,687
»97,974
750,548
Number
of infected
towns or villages.
17
I
9
4
Population of
infected vil-
lages.
36786
19.048
8,454
5,561
69,849
i
u
616
82
104
126
928
Deaths.
34
76
79
553
l01
It will be seen from the table below that the epidemic beginning in March remained
until the end of May, after which it rapidly declined, disappearing altogether at the end of
July to break out again early in August :—
WEEK ENDINO SATURDAY,
October 5th
Do. 12th
...
Do. 19th
. Do. 26th
Do.
9th
Do. 16th ...
Do.
28th
Do.
nth
Do.
18th
Do. 8th
Do. 22nd
...
March
1st
...
Do. 8th
Do. 15th
Do. 22nd
Do. 29th
April 5th
Do. 12th
Do. 19th
Do. 26th
May 3rd
...
Do. 10th
Do. 17th
...
Do. 24th
...
To. 31st
June 7th
Do. 14th
...
Do 21st ...
Do. 28th
July 5th ...
Do. 12th ...
Do. 19th ...
Do. 26th
August 2nd
...
Do. 9th ...
Do. 16th ...
Do. 23rd
...
Do. 30th ...
September 6th
...
Do.
13th ...
Do.
20th
Do.
27th
Do.
30th ...
VILLAGES.
Declared infected.
I
I
3
2
2
3
2
2
1
2
3
7
1
1
...
...
...
.»•
...
...
...
...
•1
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Declared free.
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
4
1
2
1
».
1
1
2
8
...
1
2
2
2
3.
...
1
...
...
DURING
WEEK.
cases.
3
20
19
13
12
25
54
51
57
65
84
105
105
131
67
29
12
S
5
4
I
I
3
4
S
9
8
13
18
Deaths.
2
19
15
'4
7
17
23
28
26
41
49
71
58
80
28
27
10
4
5
4
1
1
2
4
1
2
6
6
2
TOTAL UP
TO DATE.
Cases.
3
23
42
55
67
92
146
197
254
319
403
508
613
744
811
840
852
857
862
866
866
866
866
867
868
871
875
880
889
897
910
928
Deaths.
...
...
2
21
36
50
57
74
97
125
151
192
241
312
370
450
478
505
515
519
524
528
528
528
528
529
530
532
536
537
539
545
551
553
REMARKS.
*Gujrat Town re-infected on, 6th August
1902.
IO
5
SHAHPUR DISTRICT.
53. Plague first made its appearance in the Shahpur District in October 1901 when
an outbreak occurred in the village of Rakron, a village of 1,392 inhabitants in the Bhera
Tahsil. It is situated close to the border of Gujrát District whence its infection was prob-
ably derived. The outbreak was not reported by the villagers, and was only discovered in
February 1902, when the Deputy Commissioner, while touring in the neighbourhood, noticed
the high death-rate in the village, and asked the Civil Surgeon to make enquiries.
The Civil Surgeon at once proceeded to Rakron and diagnosed plague in its
pneumonic form. By the time 393 cases with 183 deaths had occurred. The village was
evacuated after some delay and disinfected, and no further cases occurred.
The only other outbreak of plague in the Shahpur District was at Alipur, a village
of 1,430 inhabitants, close to Bhera. The disease was brought here in January 1902 by
some women returning from a visit of condolence to some relations in Siálkot District.
Twenty-seven cases with 15 deaths occurred here.
The disease is reported to have been
of the pneumonic type. The same arrangements were made here as at Rakron, with the
exception that the village was only partially evacuated.
With the above exceptions all the cases which occurred in the Shahpur District
were imported from other districts, the number of reported cases amounting to 435, of
which 206 were fatal.
The following table shows the distribution of all plague cases and deaths in the
Shahpur District during the year under report :—
Table showing certain details concerning Places infected with Plague in the
Shahpur District from October 1st, 1901, to September 30th, 1902.
5
I
3
4
5
6
7
8
Name of place.
Rakron ...
Alipur
Khusháb ...
Firúka ...
Banam ...
Bhera Town ...
Shahpnr City ...
Jahanabad
Total
|
Census Population, 1901
1,392
1.430
11,403
1.512
400
18,680
5.855
2.513
...
Date Declared infected.
October
1901
...
January 1902
...
23rd January 1902
27th March 1902
Ditto
5th April 1902
29th May 1902
29th June 1902
...
Date
8th April 1902
19th April 1002
11th April 1902
...
2nd April 1902 ...
Ditto
11th April 1902 ...
29th May 1902 ...
29th June 1902
...
...
Date dected tiee.
!
393
27
2
6
3
2
1
1
435
Deaths.
183
15
1
3
2
2
...
206
Percentage to population
28.2
1.9
• 1
•7
...
...
...
...
Percentage fatality of attacks.
PERCNTAGE FALITY OF ATTACKS.
46.7
55.5
50.0
50.0
66.6
l00.0
...
...
...
107
In addition to the above cases a plague case in a convalescent state was reported to
have occurred at Pind Dadan Khan, from Gujránwála, and a suspicious case occurred in the
house of a shop-keeper in Jhelum City in August 1902. The patient at his own request was
permitted to return to the Gujrát District from whence he had just previously arrived.
RAWALPINDI DISTRICT.
55. Only two cases of plague, both imported, both fatal, occurred in the Ráwalpindi
District during the year under report.
The first occurred in Ráwalpindi Cantonment on April 4th, 1902. The patient was
the daughter of a Havild r of the 3rd Punjab Infantry, who with his wife and family had
recently arrived from the Ludhiána District.
These with other persons coming to the regiment from infected places were segregated
by the regimental authorities and the girl developed plague while so segregated. All precau-
tions were taken, and no further case occurred in the cantonment.
The second case of plague occurred in the Murree Bazár on April 20th. The patient
was a Bania who had arrived a few days previously from a plague-infected village in the
Siálkot District. This man and his family were promptly segregated, the house and its con-
tents disinfected, and on the death of the patient his clothes and bedding were burnt.
Inspection oí travellers
(a) A plague inspection post was established at the 17th mile of the Ráwalpindi-Murree
Road under Punjob Government Gazette Noti-
fication No. 750, dated 25th April 1902. Lists
of travellers passing up this road showing places from which they had come were sent
daily to the Assistant Commissioner in charge of the Murree Sub-Division and to the Civil
Surgeon, Murree, also to the Deputy Commissioner and Civil Surgeon at the head-quarters
of the district. Besides this, the Police examined travellers arriving from plague-infected
areas at the Ráwalpindi and Chak Lála Railway Stations. In the first instance inspections
were made at the former station only, but it having been brought to notice that many
travellers from infected areas, in order to escape the inspection at that station, alighted at
the Chak Lála Station and continued their journey on foot to their homes in the Ráwalpindi
District, it was deemed necessary to place Policemen on duty there for the safety of the
Ráwalpindi Cantonment and City. No cases of plague were detected either at the Road
Inspection Post or at the Railway Station.
The following Medical staff was employed on plague inspection duty on the Murree
Road inspection Post :—
Assistant Surgeon Shankar Dás, who on being relieved by Assistant Surgeon
Satesh Chandra Náth Ghosh, reverted to his civil duties at the Murree Civil Hospital, and
two Hospital Assistants and two Dháis.
The Civil Surgeon of the district supervised the working of the post.