6
* NOTE.—Ganjam is with-
in the endemic area,
and it is not quite
settled byScott's narra-
tive that cholera did
travel out through this
district to the places to
the south on the Cora-
mandelCoast.-(W.R.C.)
In these territories it first appeared in the district of Ganjam. The Magistrate of that place, in
a letter dated 20th of March 1818, states that the inhabitants had suffered
Ganjam.
severely from fever and cholera. It does not appear, however, that the
cholera was at all very prevalent in most parts of that district.* It was
pretty frequent at Aska from the 23rd of April until the 16th of May. At
the latter period it suddenly disappeared ; but it again manifested itself in
the beginning of July, and during the month prevailed more generally than
it had formerly done. After November few cases were observed in the
Ganjam District, although the disease was then, and for a year afterwards,
general in the contiguous district of Vizagapatam. Fever prevailed in
several parts of the former district until March 1819. At Berhampore cholera was pretty frequent
in September and October 1820.
Chicacole.
No authentic information regarding the course of the disease at Chicacole has been obtained ;
but it is known, that this place was not exempted from its destructive
influence
Vizagapatam District,
Vizianagrum.
†NOTE.—The early date
of the appearance of
cholera in theVizagapa-
tamDistrict is the chief
reason for supposing
that cholera on this
occasion took the un-
usual course of moving
southwarcla long the
sea-board.—(W. R. C.)
No well-marked case occurred at Vizianagrum until the 20th of May ; † and then, the cases
which did occur continued to be slight until the 26th. From this time
until the 5th of July the disease continued to prevail generally. For a month
after its commencement, though formidable in appearance, being attended
by violent spasms of the whole body, it almost always yielded to the
timely application of the appropriate remedies. But during the remaining
fortnight although, at first much less alarming and without evident spasms,
it frequently resisted every mode of treatment, applied even in the early
stage. After the 5th of July only a few slight cases occurred.
Vizagapatam.
At Vizagapatam it appeared about the 15th of May. The weather is said to have been then
oppressively hot, and the air loaded with humidity. It would seem that few
Europeans were attacked after June ; but the disease, differing occasionally
in its prevalence and in the severity of the symptoms, continued to be general in Vizagapatam and
the neighbouring country until February 1820. It had somewhat declined in December 1818, but
became again very prevalent in March. In May 1819 a greater number of cases were exhibited
than in any other month ; bat the greatest proportional mortality occurred in April and November
of that year.
Godavery District,
Rajahnaundry.
It showed itself in Rajahmundry about the 10th of July ; began to decline about the beginning
of August ; and disappeared early in November. It re-appeared at this place
on the 25th of January 1819, while an uncommonly cold wind was blowing
from the south-east ; and it continued to prevail until the end of April.
Ellore.
It commenced its attack at Ellore about the 5th of July, both on the 1st Regiment of Native
Cavalry stationed there and the Native inhabitants. It was remarked that
the Mussulman families were the greatest sufferers, although the population
consisted principally of Hindoos. The greater mortality among the former was ascribed to their
obstinacy in refusing proper medical assistance.
Kistna District,
Masulipatam.
At Masulipatam cases first occurred about the 10th of July. The convicts confined in the Fort
were the subjects of these cases. And, indeed, the disease for some time
appeared only in one bomb-proof apartment. This one was low, damp,
ill-ventilated, and very crowded ; but, although these disadvantages were in some measure remedied,
it continued to produce a greater number of cases than the other two, which were commodious and
comfortable. The disease commenced in the town and neighbourhood about the 20th of July ; was
very prevalent during August ; declined rapidly in September; and disappeared early in October,
while the weather was chilly and the rains heaviest. It was nearly confined to the lower classes of
the people. It re-appeared at this place about the 15th of June 1819 during extremely hot weather.
This attack, however, was not so violent, nor of so long continuance as the former.
In the several villages situated along the southern bank of the Kistnah river, from the eastern
extremity of the Zillah of Gruntoor to the western extremity of the district of Palnaud, it seems that
it appeared nearly simultaneously about the end of July ; that it gradually extended southwards ; and
that about the middle of November 1818 it quitted that part of the country. It commenced about the
beginning of the westerly rains, and continued until the termination of the rainy season. It is
reported to have been more fatal during the prevalence of bleak westerly winds than at other times ;
and in the villages situated in the vicinity of tanks than at other places. The Banians or merchants