15
This was also done by the inhabitants of New Wadi in Fanaswadi who left their houses
and went outside the city as soon as plague, became bad in Zaoba's Oart which is close at hand.
The result was they escaped epidemic plague, thus pointing to the value of evacuation.
Some of the watchmen left to look after the houses died of plague.
The examples given by Doctor Bardi in his Bhuleshwar report of rat mortality in epi-
demic form preceding that in human beings by a period of about six weeks bears out ray
conclusions in adopting this view as true in fact.
There is no doubt that from what the sectional medical officers report, that rats play a
primary and most important part in the dissemination of plague poison and that it is due
to them that human beings become infected.
It will be noticed also that the poorer classes suffered very severely, indeed, from the
plague. This being due to overcrowding insanitary dwellings and, doubtless, also to want of
stamina due to the indifferent food they eat and the hard life they lead.
As regards re-infection of localities there is no doubt, that localities previously infected
become re-infected. But 1 think that sufficient stress is not laid on the fact that these loca-
lities are as a rule ones in which the houses have mud floors and soft walls ( i.e., not burnt
brick or stone and mortar).
The course of the epidemic this year was not affected appreciably in any way either by
famine or famine-stricken refugees.
The case of No. 21, 2nd Phophal Wadi in Bhuleshwar, I consider, distinctly points to the
extreme efficacy of disinfection in houses in which rats die.
"During the cholera epidemic C Ward suffered very severely but the people seemed to
accept their fate with resignation. Medicines were freely offered and in many cases accepted
by the poorer classes.
D Ward.
Khetwadi.—There was a slight recrudescence in the months o£
October and November, but the epidemic gathered strength in the last
week of January and was in full force throughout February up to the
middle of March when there was a fall which continued through May.
The present epidemic was more severe than that of last year and ap-
pears to have spread into Khetwadi from C Ward.
Girgaum.—This section may be said to have escaped a monsoon
recrudescence. The epidemic commenced in the second week of January
and was at its worst in the third week of March when 84 plague deaths
were recorded ; but in comparison with last year the disease was less
fatal in its effects.
Chowpaty.—There was no monsoon recrudescence, but it is import-
ant to note that in D Ward the epidemic first started in this section in a
locality known as Bhatwady where dead rats were found followed by
deaths amongst the inhabitants. This was in the first week in January.
Increasing in the second week there was soon after a distinct decrease in the
death-rate owing to the whole quarter being evacuated. But infection
was carried on to the adjoining lanes and the mortality again increased
and reached its maximum in the first week of February. Evacuation
continuing, the epidemic declined, but the district remained infected to
the end of the year. It is noted that last year the epidemic was at its
worst in August and September, whilst this year the section was attacked
in February and March. Excepting this year, this section has always
been the last to be attacked in the district.