SONTHAL PERGUNNAHS.
43
In Sahibgunge
Subsequently, in the beginning of March the disease broke out in Kanklotea bazaar in
Sahibgunge, which is a most populous bazaar by the side of the railway line, about 24 miles
to the northwest of Rajmehal town. The population here is a mixed one, consisting chiefly
of Hindu and Mahomedan tradesman from different parts of the country. Here fifteen cases
and four deaths were at first reported but twenty-six cases more subsequently occurred with
eight deaths among them. Six of these cases, which ultimately recovered, were among the
recently vaccinated. The occurrence here was traced to contagion from an infected village
near Colgong.
A second outbreak
in Rajmehal
The disease then broke out at Koylabazaar, a village inhabited chiefly by Mahomedans
and situate within 3 miles of Rajmehal town. Here 13* cases and 2 deaths had occurred
as the result of inoculation. Subsequently it broke out in two Paharia villages, viz; Tegra-
pahar and Kharobasha, in the interior of Pakour. In the former 8 persons were attacked
of whom 1 died; and in the latter 43 persons of whom 20 died. In these two instances
outbreak was traceable to contagion from Koopapahar.
Then in one more village in Rajmehal Sub-division. viz, Borome, which is situated near
Bejapore station, and inhabited by Hindus and Mamomedans, 10 cases of small-pox with 6
deaths had at first occurred, but subsequently 20 cases more with 2 deaths were reported.
A few more villages have since been infected with the disease, but as these do not fall within
the year under report, the particulars are not given here. In those cases in which contagion
is mentioned as being the cause, the histories so far as they could be gathered in a few
instances, have already been given with the special reports and have not therefore been
repeated here.
Thus in Pakour sub-division 6 villages were infected, with a total number of 118 cases,
of which 45 died, the rate of mortality being 38.1 per cent; and in Rajmehal sub-division
4 villages were infected, with total number of 90 cases of which 22 died or 24 4 per cent.
The number of deaths is given on the authority of the people on whose statements we have
to depend for ascertaining it.
Among the number attacked, 10 were ascertained to have been previously inoculated,
4 of whom died; and 8 were recently vaccinated, all of whom recovered. It could not
be ascertained whether any more persons among those that have died, were previously in-
oculated or not. But none of the cases mentioned above were among the previously vac-
cinated. In fact, the villages mentioned, with the exception of a very insignificant portion
of Sahibgunge, had never before witnessed the benefits of vaccination.
Thus the fire lighted up in one or two places by inoculation, led to a general confla-
gration which would have continued its ravages unchecked had not vaccination come in
to quench its fury.
Death-rate
from
small-pox—high
Cause
The death-rate is indeed startling. But when it is considered how extremely difficult
it is, in these districts, to get the information of any outbreak of epidemic disease, it should
rather be surprising that the rate of mortality has not been higher. If early information
could be obtained, early measures could be adopted and much danger might be averted.
But there is no police here, and the people are extremely apathetic and indifferent. So that
were it not for strict vigilance on our part, I am afraid the consequences would have been
still more fearful. But we were constantly on the alert and the moment that we got the
scent of small-pox we were ready with the means of protection at our disposal. I had
strictly warned my vaccinators to be constantly on the look-out for any outbreak of
small-pox, and the moment that they should hear of its occurrence, they should proceed
at once to the spot, protect all the unprotected people of the locality, and then report
to me.
And I am glad to be able to testify to the zeal and energy displayed by some of them in
this respect. The two vaccinators who were employed at Pakour have been very energetic
and successful in carrying out my instructions. Many villages I should say have been saved
chiefly or solely through their active interference. To mention one instance, Heranpore,
which, as said before, is a most populous village and where one case of small-pox had
occurred, would undoubtedly have fallen a victim to the disease had not these two vaccina-
tors come from a distance, where they were at work, and taken prompt steps to throw a
circle of protection around the infected house. When I came to inspect, I could not suffi-
ciently commend the activity and promptitude with which they had acted. I took steps
to prevent all intercourse with the infected house and arranged everything for the regular
treatment of the case with carbolic oil; and I was afterwards glad to find that by these
* One of these 13 cases was seen at Guddagunge near Koylabazaar, but as this case had originally come from
Koylabazaar, and as the disease did not show any tendency to spread at Guddagunge, I have omitted all separate
mention of that village and included the case among those of Koylabazaar.