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Disinfection.
(b) In Sangrúr City houses were disinfected with the coloured perchloride of mercury
solution, and later with phenyle 1 in 50, partly
because the people believe that the green colour
killed healthy rats and spread the plague infection, partly because the phenyle solution was
more easily prepared and could be used for all kinds of things.
Only three villages were chemically disinfected, the people refusing to vacate their
houses. When people refused chemical disinfection they were advised to light fire in their
houses and burn nim leaves and sulphur.
Inoculation.
(c) Dr. Dhingra states that inoculation was popular at Sangrúr, and 2,655 persons in-
cluding many pardah ladies were inoculated
in the State. In the villages inoculation was not
popular, and only about 200 villagers were inoculated. Only two inoculated persons contracted
plague, both of whom recovered. No injury was observed to follow the operation, though
many rumours were afloat as to its bad effects.
Infection.
(d) Dr. B. L. Dhingra, the Chief Medical Officer of the State, notes that infection
was introduced and spread by human agency,
the first cases having been imported into
Sangrúr City from Ludhiána, and plague was introduced into villages later by persons
from the Ludhiána District and from the towns of Máler Kotla, Patiala and Nábha.
He suspects that in some instances infection was conveyed by grain, as the
disease appeared in villages shortly after grain had been brought from infected place's,
the grain having been stolen in some instances. It is mentioned, however, that the person
who bought the grain was the first to suffer from plague, and it is more likely
therefore that they contracted the plague in infected places than that they carried
infection in the grain.
Mortality among rat3.
(e) Mortality among rats was observed six days before the outbreak of plague
among human beings at Sangrúr. The rats first
died in the wheat market, and Dr. Dhingra
suspects that infection had been imported by the grain which had a few weeks previously
been brought from infected villages Rats died in every street and lane in Sangrúr, but in all
cases in which evacuation was done immediately on the discovery of dead Tats or dying rats
no human being was infected. The contrary was the case when advice as to evacuation was
not followed. In the villages rat mortality was observed to be simultaneous with the
outbreaks of plague among human beings. Cats and dogs are said to have died of plague
in these villages.
NATIVE STATES UNDER THE SUPERINTENDENT, HILL STATES.
67. Of the Native States under the Superintendent, Hill States, Nálágarh and Baghát
were infected. In the former the first case occurred on 5th March 1902 and the last
on 25th May 1902. In the Baghát State there were only 4 cases in all, of which 2 were
doubtful, but these were considered as having actually been plague cases. The first case
occurred on 9th March 1902, and the last on 1st May 1902, though returned in April.
Nálágarh State.
(a) The outbreak in the Nálágarh State was limited to the town of Nálágarh (population
4,027) where between the date mentioned
above 263 cases of plague with 206 deaths
occurred. Infection was probably introduced from Rúpar. Very little was done by State
authorities to check the outbreak. The Rája retired to Rámgarh Fort, and most of the
State officials left the town. The only measures that appear to have been adopted by the
people themselves were that about 300 persons went into camp for about 10 days, and that
in a few instances the occupants of infected houses tried to desinfect them by burning
nim leaves in the rooms. Mr. Craik, Assistant Commissioner, who was deputed to visit
Nálágarh, reported that practically all the well-to-do people bolted, with the result that
plague appears to have been more or less at a standstill and the poorer people were left in
great want.
Bhagát State.
(b) The cases of plague in the Bhagát State were all among employés of the Simla-Kálka
Railway. Two of these cases occurred at
Koti, and two at Jabli ; all were fatal. In the
case of Koti, the cases of plague (2 only) occurred among the railway gangs working near
Koti Tunnel on March 9th. The gang affected had lately come from Kálka, and must
have brought the infection from that place, which is only 7 miles off Koti.
In the case of Jabli, 9½ miles from Kálka on the Simla road, the two cases occurred
in the family of Bábu Tehl Singh, Sub-Overseer, Jabli Sub-Division, Kálka-Simla Railway.
The disease is suspected to have been imported by a Bania in a consignment of grain from
some infected area. Immediately after the arrivai of this grain rats commenced dying.