14
HISSAR DISTRICT.
Epidemic.
24. The Hissar District became infected with plague for the first time in February
1903. The first reported case occurred on the
22nd of February, and altogether 599 cases of
plague with 468 deaths were reported. The
disease gained a footing in the Hánsi, Fatahabad and Bhiwáni Tahsíls, whereas the Hissar
and Sirsa Tahsíls suffered only from imported cases and the disease did not spread in them.
The district harboured an enormous number of refugees from Rewári, Ferozepore and
Fázilka.
Precautionary measures.
At certain railway stations, e.g., Bhiwani, the names and addresses of persons arriving
from infected places were recorded, and were
sent to the Municipal Committees ..or Tahsil-
dárs concerned in order that these persons
might be kept under supervision for 10 days. There were 11 cases with 6 deaths in
Sirsa Town, but all were cases imported from Fázilka or adjoining places in the Ferozepore
District. Almost all of them were detected at the railway station. All the cases were
promptly dealt with and treated in the camp, The town of Bhiwáni afforded shelter
to about 3,000 refugees from the plague-stricken town of Rewári, but notwithstanding
this, thanks to the stringent precautions taken by the Municipality, no indigenous outbreak
occurred until the 26th of March. In the Fatahabad Tahsil there were 10 villages in which
imported cases occurred, but in only 1 of these did the disease spread. In the remaining 9
the cases were promptly reported and efficiently dealt with. In the tenth village, Tohána,
the people refused to accept segregation, and 19 cases with 13 deaths followed.
But for the stringent precautions adopted there is no doubt that the disease would
have gained a footing earlier and given rise to a severer epidemic;
At many villages persons arriving from infected areas were kept in quarantine for
10 days.
Information.
Returns were submitted by Patwárís and Municipalities and were checked by the
Assistant Surgeon on plague duty. It is
believed that the returns were accurate.
Disinfection.
Disinfection by chemicals was done only in houses where evacuation was thoroughly
carried out, in all cases with satisfactory
results.
Infection.
The infection first of the district, and afterwards of its towns and villages, was due
to human agency. From Hánsi Tahsíl two
baniás visited Rewári to buy grain which,
owing to plague there, had fallen in price, and
when they returned to their village, Jamálpur, they both died of plague, and their deaths
being concealed an epidemic resulted.
Mortality among rats.
In all cases where rat mortality was observed it followed the appearance of the
disease among human beings by a few days.
In no instance did mortality amongst rats
precede the appearance of the disease among human beings.
Type.
The bubonic type of plague prevailed. The disease was of a severe type. None of
the few pneumonic and septicaemic cases
observed recovered.
Staff and Establishment.
The District Medical Officers and subordinates concerned performed plague duty in
addition to their ordinary work, but for a short
period, from 29th March to May 16th, 1903,
Assistant Surgeon Hari Lál Basu was transferred from Lahore District.
ROHTAK DISTRICT.
Epidemic.
25. The outbreak of plague which occurred in the Rohtak District during the year
under report marked the first appearance of the
disease in the district. Plague was introduced
from adjacent infected villages in the Gurgaon
District, and 292 cases with 220 deaths were reported.
The presence of plague was concealed by the people who were hostile to any official
interference. With the exception of the exercise of the surveillance on arrivals from infected
places in certain towns and, in the case of a few villages, of the right to a free access to
persons coming from infected places, practically no precautionary measures were taken.
No special medical staff was deputed to this district.