17
Infected Areas.—In Girgaum plague attacked a place called Sarkari
Tabella in Girgaum Main Road and from this locality in January it spread
to Kandewady and Mugbhat, Benham Hall Lane and Bhatwady. Dead
rats were reported previous to the people being attacked.
In Khetwadi plague commenced in Khetwady Back Road. The
Falkland Cross Lanes all became badly infected as happens nearly every
year, and in a short time cases were occurring in all parts of the section.
Capt. Dunbar Stuart remarks upon the infection of Walkeshwar and
Mahaluxmi as follows :—
In Walkeshwar and Mahaluxmi it began in January ; especially prevalent in Walke-
shwar, in Banaganga Temple Compound probably through Sadoos, &c. In Mahaluxmi all
the old places were re-infected this year, especially Tardeo Road, Forjett Street, Pedder Road
and Warden Road, I should say, through rats. Napean Sea Road got infected all through
rats.
Communities Attacked.—Capt. Stuart is of opinion that it is the loca-
lity which is mainly responsible for infection. That if Brahmins had to
live in the same hovels and places as the poorer Hindoos, they would be
attacked just the same. Though it is possible, he says, they being of
cleaner habits might not suffer as much.
Rats.—With regard to rats he says :—
I am convinced that rats Were and are the cause of all the plague infection, i.e.,
being the means of carrying it about from street to street.
Dead rats were found in Altamount Road after which plague appeared, Napean Sea
Road is another example. The appearance of dead rats was always a warning to the people.
In Girgaum the inhabitants appreciated this warning and removed themselves into camps at
Sion, Dadar and elsewhere.
Famine Refugees and Beggars.—This District was not bothered with emigrants or vaga-
bonds. There is no place where they can put up. The only places where one comes across
common ailments amongst them such as fevers, diarrhoea, &c. are at the two temple compounds—
Banaganga and Mahaluxmi. It being a point of honor that all beggars diseased or otherwise
can always get food of sorts from the people in attendance there, &c.
E Ward,
West«
Lieut. Ballantyne traces the course of the epidemic as follows. :—
Course of the Epidemic.—In the ward the epidemic commenced on the 29th December
from which date the mortality steadily increased in Kamatipura and Tardeo sections.
In 1st Nagpada plague did not assume the form of an epidemic till about the
19th January. In Kamatipura the highest plague mortality was recorded in the week ending
9th February 1901 when 110 actual plague cases were recorded. In 1st Nagpada the highest
plague mortality occurred in week ending 2nd March 1901 when G2 cases were registered.
In Tardeo the week ending 2nd March 1901 plague was at its highest when G?> plague cases
occurred.
Taking Ward E, West as a whole, the highest plague mortality was in week ending
2nd March 1901, when 216 cases were recorded. There was a sudden fall in the month of
April but the epidemic continued up to the close of the year.
In Kamatipura the epidemic began to diminish in virulence from the week ending
2nd March 1901 when plague cases fell from 109 to 88 in the next week. In 1st Nagpada
from 16th March the epidemic began to abate when plague cases fell from 59 to 45. In
Tardeo plague commenced to decline in the week ending 9th March, cases falling from
57 to 42.