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especially that of Nimar, where it would appear that the conditions favourable
for the spread of cholera commonly prevail to the greatest extent in the early
months of the year.
291. If it is the case (and there can be little doubt that it is so) that cho-
lera is diffused chiefly if not solely by means of human intercourse, it must be
obvious that the establishment of an effective quarantine would be a measure of
the greatest utility. The difficulties, however, of rendering quarantine efficient, so
as to render communication between one tract of country and another, are insur-
mountable; and as an ineffective quarantine is worse than useless, it is not advisa-
ble to attempt it with reference to the general population. In the case of jails
or establishments similarly isolated, where there is a chance of its being applied
with success, it should be carried out with as great rigour as the circumstances
will permit.
292. Of the other class of preventive measures against cholera, viz.,
measures directed to the removal of the conditions under which the personal
reception of the contagion is induced, the facts detailed throughout the report
show that measures for the general improvement of the water-supply of the
people throughout the country are the most essential. Strict attention to con-
servancy and general cleanliness must form an important part of any general
measures of improvement ; but the ultimate end to be attained is a plentiful
supply of water, safe from contamination with animal matter.
293. The difficulties in the way of improvement will vary greatly in differ-
ent tracts of country. In the trap formation the nature of the rock will always
prove an obstacle to obtaining water from deep wells. In the sandy deposits in
the neighbourhood of Jubbulpore the danger of impurities reaching the water in
the wells by percolation through the soil can only be obviated by strict attention
to conservancy rules ; but everywhere perhaps the greatest obstacle to improve-
ment, will be the want of co-operation by the people themselves. Frequent inspec-
tions and warnings will be required before natives will be induced to forego the
habit of fouling the ground in the neighbourhood of their water-supply, or where
two sources of supply are available, to choose the safest.
294. That much good may be effected by simple and ordinary measures of
precaution, the general immunity of the towns in which the conservancy rules
issued in 1865 have been carried out, and the diminished mortality in the city
and district of Nagpore during the last two epidemic seasons, compared with the
epidemic season of 1865, may be fairly cited as proof; and such an amount of
success affords good ground for concluding that if the same measures, and others
more especially directed to the improvement of the water-supply of the people.
were systematically applied to all the towns and villages in each district, the
mortality from a pestilence which now so frequently devastates this Province
•would be reduced to a minimum. The success, however, of any measures that
may be adopted will depend very much upon the extent to which the people can
be brought to co-operate in carrying them out; it is therefore of great importance
not to discourage them by attempting too much and aiming at a higher standard
of conservancy and purity of water than is absolutely necessary to the attain-
ment of the end in view.
295. The fact so plainly apparent in the Statements appended, that in all
districts by far the larger proportion of the villages escaped cholera altogether,
indicates that, the remedy cannot be very difficult of application, and that no very
minute precautions are necessary. In the course of my investigations in the
cholera area of 1868 I did not meet with an instance where a mortality from cholera
approaching 1 per cent of the population occurred in a village in which the
sole source of water-supply was a well 30 feet deep, situated well away from