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until the present year, I have had no opportunity of studying. It certainly
did not occur to me, that the northward movement of cholera, both along the
Eastern and Western Coasts in the early months of 1871, was significant of
danger to the area of the Deccan table-lands.
22. The experience, however, of the present outbreak, shows that the back-
ward movement of a cholera wave is not easily defined. We know too little of
the laws which determine its progress, to say what places are, or are not, liable
to be attacked.
Villages and towns
along the high roads of
communication in Nel-
lore and Kistna Districts
affected.
23. As a matter of fact, a glance at the sketch map of the Nellore and
Kistna Districts will show that the villages and towns along
the high ways of communication were particularly singled
out for attack.
Cholera introduced in-
to Secunderabad bazaar
before the Military au-
thorities knew of its
existence on the eastern
road.
24. Unhappily the introduction of cholera into the town of Secunderabad
along this eastern road was actually accomplished before
the Civil or Military authorities had any knowledge of the
existence of the disease on the tract. The travellers alluded
to by Dr. Barclay arrived on the 18th May apparently in good
health, and were not seized with the active symptoms of cholera until the 20th.
No quarantine regulations (except such as would systematically detain every
traveller outside the cantonment for a definite space of time) could have pre-
vented these people from entering the town, and possibly bringing in with them
the seeds of the disease.
Extension of epidemic
to residents of Secunder-
abad.
25. On the day following the seizure of these three travellers by cholera,
(Sunday the 21st), a case occurred in the village called the
Picket or " Chota Mulkapoor." The death was reported to
the Assistant Quartermaster-General to be due to cholera.
The Senior Apothecary of the Cantonment Hospital was sent at once to investi-
gate the matter. It does not appear that he saw the patient alive or dead, but
he concluded, from the results of his inquiries, that the case was not one of true
cholera.
Dr. Barclay remarks, under date the 23rd May, in his diary, with reference
to this case:—" The house in which the death occurred had been cleaned and
leeped, and the whole village was found scrupulously clean. The clothing of
the deceased was buried with him. The further precaution was taken of
having the house disinfected."
26. On the 22nd May the wife of a Sepoy in the 24th N. I., in the " Tarbund
Lines," was seized with diarrhoea, which, on the 24th instant, lapsed into genuine
cholera.
Detention of cholera-
etricken travellers on
23rd May, at a Tillage
near the Hussar Bar-
racks.
27. On the evening of the 23rd May, information reached the Medical
Officer of the 3rd Regiment N. I. that cholera had appeared
amongst some cart drivers, just beyond the village of
Chilkulgoodum where the camp had halted. On proceeding
to the spot Dr. Martin found two men labouring under
unmistakeable symptoms of cholera. " With some difficulty he extracted from
the assembled cart drivers the information that on their way from Masulipatam,
near the Kistna river, they had been attacked by the disease, and lost several
of their number." (Dr. Barclay's diary, 24th May 1871.)
2