83
epidemic lasted but three days, viz., from the night of the 11th until the evening
of the 14th ; during which time there were four deaths out of sixteen seizures."
Outbreak in the town
of Rajahmundry.
96. The first death occurred in the town on the 12th May, and from that time
to the end of the month there were forty-six deaths. I may
note here that the Central Jail built on an open airy site, out-
side the town of Rajahmundry, though averaging 845 inmates, never had a single
case of cholera. As to the climatology of Rajahmundry, the Civil Surgeon
remarks, "I noticed nothing extraordinary in the state of the weather, which is
always hot and dry at this time of the year." The town was quite healthy before
the arrival of two cholera-stricken patients on the 8th May. The Civil Surgeon
informs me that he cannot trace any actual communication between the priso-
ners, or officers of the jail, and the two men who died of cholera in the town
on the 8th May.
Condition of pilgrim's
site at Budrachellum,
Upper Godavery Dis-
trict.
97. The sudden and virulent outbreak of cholera in the Godavery District led
me to inquire whether the pilgrims frequenting the shrine of
Budrachellum on the Upper Godavery had anything to do
with it. The festival of this place began on the 10th April
and lasted till the 12th, and the Superintendent of Police notes that some
pilgrims returning from the festival reported its appearance there on the 10th
April. The Sub-Collector also states, " it is reported that the disease prevailed
there to a slight extent of a mild type."
Report of Assistant
Surgeon Hazlett.
This testimony, however, is but of little value, as Budrachellum is not within
the official supervision of either reporter, and they must have
been obliged to trust to current rumours. Against these
rumours, there is the positive testimony of a competent professional observer,
who was present at the festival, and who declares that no cholera prevailed
there. The following letter from Assistant Surgeon Hazlett is, I think, conclu-
sive on the point of the absence of cholera to the eastward of Woongatla during
the early days of April :—
" In reply to your letter, No. 970, of the 24th ultimo, I have the honour to inform you that I
was present at Budrachellum, during the festival held there in last April. No cases of cholera or
severe diarrhoea were brought to my notice, and I do not think that any could have occurred without
my knowledge, as in addition to a Dresser, there were a number of police stationed there, who had
instructions to report any cases of sickness.
" I received information about the same time that there had been a mild outbreak at Rajahmun-
dry.* I think it occurred in the end of the previous month, but I have no reason to suspect that it
spread into this district, for even if it had prevailed in any of the small detached villages in the
jungle, I would probably have heard of it through the police, and if amongst any of the gangs of
coolies, it would certainly have been reported to me. Prom my own experience and from the
history of former epidemics, I am of opinion that cholera has always been imported from the Lower
Godavery District, where it usually is very prevalent, and it has been brought from thence into this
district by people either coming for employment on the works or to attend the festival at Budra-
chellum. The latter place and Doomagudiem are the only villages of any importance in this vicinity,
and cholera always commences in one or the other, usually in Budrachellum, on account of its
being the first place of any size arrived at by people coming up from the lower district. Since this
has been an Engineering station, there have been three epidemics in 1865-66 and 1870 ; all originated
at Budrachellum, the first during the festival, the two latter about the commencement of the rains ; but,
according to reports, cholera has on former occasions frequently visited this neighbourhood."
* This must have been a mistaken rumour. There was no cholera in Rajahmundry before 8th May.— (W. B. C.)
y