25
It is strange to notice that the Jews living in Bellasis Road seem to be immune
from Plague, for they have not Come forward to he inoculated and there have been
very few deaths from Plague amongst them. Meanwhile Hindoos living in the
same road were severely attacked not only from Plague but Small-pox. In this
section also there was a considerable influx of refugees.
In Khara Talao and Bhuleshwar the Plague was quiescent until November, and,
gradually increasing, reached its zenith in the week ending 17th March up to the
middle of April. Here again this year as in last, the centres of infection were parts
of Duncan Road, Ghogari Mohalla and Ali Umar Street. The classes that suffered
most were in Khara Talao Hindus, as Lieut. Searle states, in the proportion of 29
out of 46, in Bhuleshwar Mahmomedans, 28 out of 37, due to the fact that most of
the latter were inoculated, and only new-comers and famine refugees and Mahomedans,
regular inhabitants of these parts, being uninoculated, suffered most.
Those who suffered least in Khara Tulao were Borahs, living mostly in good
houses, and some numbers of these had taken to inoculation. Those who suffered
least in Bhuleshwar were the Mochis, all of whom were inoculated this year, a
contrast to previous years, when they were the worst sufferers.
As regards reinfection most of the localities attacked last year suffered again
this year ; but Lieut. Searle states, after careful enquiry, that reinfection, after vaca-
tion and disinfection, seldom if ever takes place. Hia opinion is that if Plague
breaks out it must have been an imported case. The deaths have been larger in
number this year from Plague as compared with last year, and this is due to the
number of famine refugees and beggars.
In Byculla Plague commenced in epidemic form in the beginning of December
1899. The localities attacked were the same as last year : Ripon Road east side, and
Agripada, also Moreland Road stone chawls Nos. 42A to 49 successively. Hindus,
lower caste, and Mahomedan Julahas suffered most. The section was early filled
with famine refugees. The highest mortality occurred in the week ending 17th
March 1900 and up to the beginning of April 1900. The epidemic this year
was different to the past year in Byculla, the mortality from Plague and all
causes being greater, and this is probably due to the number of emaciated famine
refugees. Road-side cases were equally due to Plague and to ordinary causes.
Numbers of these destitute people as well as ordinary inhabitants of the place
were inoculated, which must have limited the number that might otherwise have
succumbed to Plague.
Small-Pox;.—All parts of the District were infected ; the people seemed quite
indifferent to the disease, as usual. Often persons suffering were met going about
the streets as if there was nothing to trouble about, because the disease is
considered a sacred one and treated as such, by burning lamps and candles, and
offering incense to the patient. There was a difficulty to find room in Hospitals for
the patients.
General
Remarks.
In writing their reports District Officers have had no uniform stand-
dard to guide them in deciding what constitutes an epidemic; the
following table is drawn up from the weekly returns of plague and sus-
picious deaths, and is based on the entirely arbitrary but uniform
hypothesis that a death-rate of 14 per mille per annum may be taken to
confer upon the disease the notoriety of epidemic dimensions. From
this point of view it appears that Plague was epidemic in Byculla
throughout the year; in Kamatipura from the middle of July to the end
of the year ; in Dongri from the beginning of August to the end of the