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localities, and the filthy habits of the people, formed also main features in
inducing the disease."
Cuttak.—" Cholera, as usual, visited the district in February, soon after
the pilgrims flocked in for the first Puri festival, and again in March, in which
month the Dol Jatra takes place. It continued its ravages up to August,
after which it rapidly declined. The peculiarity of the disease is to confine
itself to localities which are pilgrim routes and pilgrim resorts."* * *
Puri.—" Cholera of a mild type, seldom ending fatally before three days,
and attended with comparatively less mortality than in former years, broke
out in this district in January, declined with the cessation" (sic) " of the rains,
and finally disappeared by the end of July.* * * There were two distinct out-
breaks of the disease. The first occurred in the second week of January, and
was imported by pilgrims from the Nilgiri sub-division of Balasur.* * * By
the end of March this outbreak was extinct throughout the district. The
second outbreak occurred early in June among pilgrims on the Trunk Road,
and in Puri, beginning at a lodging house for pilgrims, and spreading rapidly
throughout the town, and in several parts of the district. This outbreak ceased
by the end of July. The number of pilgrims this year was considerably larger
than in many years past."
Balasur.—Cholera visited various parts of the district, during the year,
and was attended with a large mortality.
Huzaribagh.—No report of cholera received from this district; but the
mortuary returns show a total of 328 deaths during the year, against 111
in 1872.
Lohardagga.—Cholera was present during the year in 1.6 out of 23
registering areas of this district. It was of brief duration in every place
except Ranchi, where it appeared early in June, and did not finally disappear
until the beginning of September.
Singbum.—Cholera was present in this district thoughout the year. It
assumed an epidemic form in July and August in the eastern part of the
district bordering on Midnapur, and advanced in a westerly direction towards
Chaebasa and Saraikila.
Manbhum.—Cholera prevailed in this district during the year, but not
epidemically. The mortality was, however, considerably in excess of the
preceding year, in fact thrice as great, the figures being 840 in 1873 against
289 in. 1872. In June cholera of a virulent type broke out in the village
of Gobindpur and in the bazar. In that month 43 were attacked and 23
died. * * * On the 6th July the disease disappeared in the town of Purulia,
in the bazar, and continued almost throughout the month. It was confined
to the lower or eastern portion of the town, which is also the poorest. It
was observed that the people of this place drank the water of tanks which
were almost dry instead of resorting to the beautiful lake to the north of the
bazar. The mortality that resulted from this outbreak was very high. * * *
The Civil Surgeon writes :—" This morning, in going my rounds, I was told
that a native was lying a little way off the high road leading out to Rani-
ganj. I went to the place, and saw a man in a state of collapse, and he assured
me that he had been lying there all night exposed to the heavy fall—2
inches and 57 cents of rain. His clothes were still wet. His story was,
that being seized with symptoms of cholera yesterday evening, he was turned
out by his host. The latter singularly enough, has now cholera, and is by far in
a worse condition than the man whom he turned out in such a heartless
manner."* * *
The incidence of the cholera of 1873 among the troops and jail popu-
lations in this province is shown in the subjoined abstract statements.
Among the European troops—total average strength 3,505—there were
altogether 6 admissions and 2 deaths from cholera, giving a death-rate
of 0·57 per mille of strength. Of the 5 stations occupied by the European
troops, the 2 following recorded cholera in 1873 :—
Fort Willaim
Dinapore
Strength
859
,,728
Admissions
3
,,3
Deaths I
„
1
The strength of the affected troops is 1,587, the percentage of admissions
to strength 0·38, and of deaths to admissions 33. Of the 6 admissions, there
were 1 in April, 3 in June, 1 in September and 1 in December.