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Chapter X.
Report on the Outbreak of Plague in the Kolaba
District.
On April 25th Mr. Gray, the Collector of Kolaba, at the suggestion of
Government, came to consult the Committee, on the state of plague in his district. The
places most affected were Alibag, Uran, Panwell, and Theronda. In consequence
of this, the Committee (General Gatacre, Surgeon-Major Dimmock, and Mr. James)
visited Alibagh on the 28th. Alibag has a normal population of about 7,000, but
in consequence of the plague nearly all the inhabitants had deserted it. Up to the time
when the Committee first went there 180 deaths had taken place, and such a panic
had set in that only about 400 people were left in the town. The rest had dispersed
themselves through the surrounding villages and many were living in the Fort of
Alibagh. No local labour for disinfection was available, and accordingly a regular
disinfecting staff was promised from Bombay.
The Committee on the 29th of the same month visited Ulva and Panwell.
At Panwell, which has a normal population of 10,000,138 deaths had taken place since
the outbreak to the time of the Committee's visit, and about 3,000 people had fled
inland to escape from the plague. Hospitals and segregation huts had been built, and.
disinfection had been started, but all three measures were ineffective through want of
superintendence. No one was making use of the segregation huts, and the infected
houses had in many cases been only whitewashed on the outside, while the floors of
the houses had not been dug up. The dispensary was found in good order. The
Committee made arrangements for a hospital for Hindus and another for
Mahomedans. On May 3rd Mr. James accompanied by Mr. Gray, the Collector, paid
a visit to the villages which lie round Karanja. At Karanja arrangements were
made for opening a hospital, the equipment of which, as well as a Hospital Assistant
and four ward-boys, were to be provided by the Committee. The disinfection of the
village of Kondri was next provided for, to be carried out by the despatch of coolies
and staff from Bombay.
At Uran, which was next seen, arrangements were made for house-to-house
inspection by the leaders of communities and for the provision of two hospitals for
Mahomedans and two for Hindus, one being for the caste generally, the other for
Banias and Purbhoos.
At Mora it was found that the plague had practically disappeared, chiefly
through the efforts of Mr. Carroll ; it was, however, decided to retain the Dharamsala
in case the need for a hospital should arise later on.
Out of the whole district the place which had suffered most of all was Theronda.
Here out of an original population of about 700, there had been 331 attacks, resulting
in no less than 328 deaths up to the 24th of April, almost every caso having ended
fatally.
But all over the district the scare was so widely spread that it was next
to impossible to get any local labour for disinfecting work. The Medical Skiff
of the District, too, was not capable of dealing with an epidemic that had
reached such dimensions. The Plague Committee accordingly made arrange-
ments to supply both labour and experienced disinfecting Inspectors from
Bombay. On May 10th Surgeon-Captain Collins, A.M.S., was deputed to take
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