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Symptoms,
In the majority of cases there was a clear history of rat mortality in the houses.
Most of them presented the characteristic physiognomy, tongue, pulse, injection of
the occular conjactiva and thick speech,
In one case which was brought in, in a very low condition, but which ended in
recovery, there were corneal ulcers and bed sores.
Vomiting was present in about 60 per cent, of cases. In two cases there was
vomiting of blood shortly before death. There was diarrhœa in 25 per cent, and
constipation in about 47 per cent, of cases. Convulsions were observed in only one
instance in the case of a female child aged 5. Urinary trouble manifested itself only
in about 13 per cent, of cases. Delirium was present in almost all the cases, yet in
more than one case, the patients showed themselves, now and again, quite clear
mentally until almost a few moments before death. Headache was complained of in
almost all the cases.
Fever.
The maximum temperature recorded was 107°. That on admission varied
between 101 and 105.8. The pulse rate varied between 120 and ISO. Signs of
sudden respiratory failure were seen only in two cases. Hiccup was present only in
one case.
Incubation
Period.
Reliable data for drawing inferences regarding the duration of the incubation
period of Plague were possible only in 4 cases.
One important fact that leads to the conclusion that the incubation period is
not more than 10 days, is that whatever few cases occurred in the health camps
attached to the hospital occurred always within 10 days after admission into the
camp.
Secondly, that this incubation period is not necessarily ton days, but may be less
than 10 in certain cases is proved by the following two cases :—
Patient No. 24 who was an occupant of Camp No. I, Marine Lines, for more
than a month, left the camp on 20th February, and went to-his house in Tadwady.
He got attacked on the 24th of February 1899, i. e., 4 days after his stay
in the infected locality. Thus the greatest possible incubation period could
be only 4 days in that case.
Patient No. 23 was admitted into Health Camp No. II on the 19th of February
1899. He lived in an infected locality for 4 days before his admission into the
health camp. Before that period he spent his days and nights continuously for
nearly a fortnight on steamers in the harbour, his work being that of a tally clerk.
He got attacked two days after his admission into the camp, thus giving 6 days as
the greatest possible limit of the incubation period in that instance. In the third
case, the facts lead to conclusion that the incubation period was of more than 7 days.
The patient No. 18 was admitted into Health Camp No. II on the 29th January 1899.
She got attacked on the 5th of February 1899. Thus the infection that she must
have brought with her manifested itself 7 days after her admission into the Camp.
Lastly, in the 4th case, the facts lead .one to infer that the incubation period was
not more than 14 days,
The patient No. 35, who was an occupant of Health Camp No. II, left it for his,
house in Second Carpenter Street on the 23rd April 1899. The disease manifested
itself for the first time on the 7th of May, i. e., about 14 days after he left
the camp.
Thus, from the facts stated above, it appears that the incubation period of Plaguo
varies from 3 to 10 days.