6
The hopes were not realized. Inoculations were carried out in both villages in
December 1900, and outbreaks of plague occurred in Birári in February and in Bholián in
March 1901. Bholián was, however, the last village in the neighbourhood to be attacked,
remaining free from plague for some time after all the surrounding villages had become
infected.
Although inoculation failed to prevent outbreaks of plague in these villages, the
inoculated inhabitants suffered much less severely than did the uninoculated.
At Birári, with a population of 304, 214 persons were inoculated, and of the 40 plague
cases with 13 deaths that occurred here, only 5 cases with 2 deaths occurred among the
inoculated population.
At Bholián 163 of its 192 inhabitants were inoculated. The outbreak of plague
which occurred here was a severe one, 20 cases with 15 deaths occurring; but, as far as
can be ascertained from the hospital records and inoculation registers, only 5 inoculated
persons were attacked, all of whom however died.
23. A statement (No. 4) is attached showing the number of inoculations performed
by the Medical Officers in the Gurdáspur and Siálkot Districts.
Statement No. 4 showing the number of inoculations per formed by the Medical
Officers in the Gurdáspur and Siálkot Districts.
Serial No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Name of operator.
Captain E. Wilkinson, I M.S.
Captain A. Burst, I.M S.
...
...
Captain P. St. C. More, I. M. S.
Vidya Nátha Singh ..
Thákar Dás
Abdul Azíz
..
..
...
Díwán Chand
..
..
...
Ralia Singh
. . . . . . .
Bálmokand
...
Designation.
Chief Plague Medical Officer, Punjab
Plague Medical Officer, Gurdáspur
and Siálkot Districts.
Ditto
ditto
Assistant Surgeon
...
Ditto
Ditto
Ditto
Ditto
Ditto
Total
Number of
inoculated persons.
1,342
9
2,409
1,519
1,403
69
29
235
7,180
With reference to this statement it may be mentioned that Captain More, I.M.S.,
and Assistant Surgeons Díwán Chand and Ralia Singh arrived only shortly before the
occurrences which have been described in a previous report, and which led to the abandon-
ment of all measures to check plague except such as were applied for by the people.
Patiála.
Inocalations 3,791.
24. Inoculations were performed in each of the three infected places in the Patiála
territory during and before the outbreak of
plague Particulars are given in the state-
ment below :—
Place.
Khamanon Kalán ...
...
...
Bassi
...
...
Khamanon Khurd ...
...
...
Occurred during September (details not
known).
Total
Population,
Census
1901.
1,424
13,778
769
15,971
Cases.
127
9
9
31
176
Deaths.
78
3
5
12
98
Inocula-
tions.
1,520
1,589
682
0
3,791
AMONG INOCULATED
PERSONS.
Cases
5
1
9
0
15
Deaths.
I
I
5
0
7
25. The inoculations at Khamanon Kalán were begun some time after the com-
mencement of the outbreak of plague. The 1,520 persons inoculated included the sepoys
on cordon duty. Of the 5 inoculated persons who subsequently contracted plague one was
a sepoy who succumbed to the disease. Of the remaining 4 cases one was that of a disin-
fecting coolie.
26. That only 1,589 persons were inoculated at Bassi, a town of over 13,000 in-
habitants, was partly due to the small extent of the outbreak and partly to a rumour that
a boy had died from the effects of inoculation. Enquiry, however, proved that this boy was
the only uninoculated member of his family and had died of plague ; no other member of
his family having been attacked.
It was unfortunate that of the 3 deaths among the 9 cases of plague at Bassi, one
should have been that of an inoculated person.
27. The inoculations at Khamanon Khurd are of interest, because the majority of
them were performed shortly before the outbreak of plague there. As this village is close
to Khamanon Kalán inoculation was offered to its inhabitants during the outbreak there, and
421 persons were then-inoculated, leaving 348 uninoculated persons in the village. When
plague broke Out here a few weeks later, 261 more persons were inoculated, and it is
stated that, allowing for absentees, the whole population was thus protected.
Nine cases of plague with 5 deaths occurred here, all the patients having been
inoculated.