92
At PaSrúr these efforts, which were due to the influence of the Tahs ldar, Mr. K. C.
Singha, were not long maintained, and the town became infected in January. In Nárowál,
however, through the influence of the Reverend C. M. Gough, of the Church Missionary-
Society, the action of the local Plague Committee was more Sustained, with the result that
the town escaped an outbreak of plague although it lay surrounded by infected villages, one
of which was only two miles distant.-
(d) With regard to the arrangements for obtaining information concerning plague
Arrangements for obtaining information of plagae occurrences Dr. Jones writes :—
occurrences.
" In this district the usual procedure is for the Lambardár to give information respect-
ing any suspicious deaths'in his village through the Patwárís. When he fails in this duty
an unusual number of deaths is reported from the thána to the Tahs'ldár. ''The Tahsildar
informs us of all such suspected villages and these are then inspected. " Men were
appointed to bring in daily reports—each one having so many Patwári circles. "
Both the Deputy Commissioner and the Plague Medical Officer state that the
reporting of plague cases and deaths was very imperfect.-
The latter writes ;—
"From examination of the chaukídárs' books it is found that there is a variance be-
tween the village books and the deaths sent in by Patwàri as being due to plague. Neither
are correct, for there are but few put down as plague in the books, and on the other hand,
the returns sent in daily have all the deaths occurring on that day put down as plague."
The Deputy Commissioner does not consider that there has been much wilful
concealment of plague cases except in the initial stages of outbreak in villages ; afterwards
cases were freely reported.
Evacuation.
(e) The 1 extent to which evacuation was adopted and the thoroughness with which
it was carried out varied considerably in
different villages. Only a few villages were
completely evacuated. The circumstances of two of them, Arninshah and Bhalolpur, are of
interest. Both a population of 331 and both in the Pasrúr Tahs ; l. In the case of Amin-
shah the people remained in camps until chemical disinfection of their houses was com-
pleted, and only 7 deaths occurred. At Bhalolpur on the other hand, although the people
evacuated the village on the first appearance of plague, they returned ten days later owing .
to the preaching of a Mullah, and 17 persons' died of plague.
Partial evacuation which consisted chiefly in those who had wells going to live at them
was fairly common, though less in the Siálkot Tahsíl than elsewhere.
In some cases huts were offered to the people, but were often refused, together
With all Government aid.
Everywhere Hindus evacuated their houses mere frequently than Muhammadans', many
of the latter objecting to this and other measures on religious grounds owing to the preaching
of the Mullah. Even when partial, evacuation was observed to be beneficial, and it was
chiefly on account of this observation that such people as did so went to live at their
wells.
Cordon and guards.
(f)
No cordons or guards were employed
in connection with evacuated villages.
Segregation of sick and contacts.
(g) Except in the town of Zafarwal, where, owing to the exertions of the local plague
authorities, a few persons suffering from plague
were segregated with their attendants in the
early stage of the outbreak, the segregation of sick and contacts was nowhere adopted.
Medical treatment.
(h) In no case was European medical
treatment accepted.
(i) Except in the city comparatively little disinfection, chemical or other, was done
Disinfection.
in
the
Siálkot District.