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[CHAP. X.
Third Epidemic (February 1899—June 1899).—Yet a third epidemic occurred in
Karachi during the current year.
A long series of dropping, or sporadic, cases occurred between the cessation of the
second epidemic and the commencement of the third. No single week, indeed, throughout
this interval passed without plague being returned. Of this period Mr. Sladeu, the Acting
Collector, gives the following interesting account:—
" The course of the plague subsequent to the re-occupation of the town after the second
epidemic will now be briefly traced.
" At the end of July, the epidemic was lingering on in the Ranchor and Sadar Bazaar
Quarters, at Kiamari, in the Lyari Quarter and the Trans-Lyari Camps.
"In the Ranchor Quarter, six cases occurred in a fresh center, in a compound inhabited by
inoculated persons, towards the end of July. After an interval, plague broke out among the
sweepers, who up till then had been comparatively free, and this was followed a fortnight later
by a sharp outbreak among the sweepers at Kiamari. Finally, in the middle of September,
there was another revival among the Katchis in the Ranchor Quarter. About 300 persons were
then segregated, among whom a few cases appeared, and about 10 days later, as fresh cases
occurred in the same quarter, a large block was evacuated and kept vacant for about
6 weeks. The quarter then remained free, except for a solitary case in October, from 29th
September to 2nd March 1899. At Kiamari, plague died slowly and caused some anxiety,
as it continued through the busy export season with a few cases every week. Then after a
brief interval occurred an outbreak among the sweepers, which was severe, but was quickly
stopped by evacuation.
" In the main portion of the Lyari Quarter, the plague died away rapidly in June and
disappeared in July. In an isolated corner of the quarter, called Dhobi Ghat, plague un-
expectedly broke out at the end of July among Mekranis, Banias, and others, but fortunately
did not affect the dhobis. The affected area was evacuated immediately and no further càses
occurred except in segregation.
"In the Voluntary Camp area, a few cases occurred in July, and early in August a
Mekrani village took infection from Kiamari.
" In the middle of August, plague appeared in a little cluster of huts in the gardens,
known as Tharu Lines, inhabited by Lasis. It is on the bank of the Lyari, and several
families suddenly crossed and camped on the other side. Six cases occurred here. The whole
village was evacuated and cleaned and kept empty for 3 months.
" On the 17th October, plague appeared in another small community in the gardens, the
owners of the gardens being Khojas and their servants Katchis.
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" To go back to the Sadar Bazaar. After 21 cases and 15 cases in the first two weeks of
June, the plague fell to about 5 cases a week: it seemed to disappear and again revive.
Several cases occurred among the Mochis early in August, then followed a respite of several
days, and it again broke out among the Mochis in the middle of September. This time Mr.
Brayson, Deputy Collector, who was in charge, had the whole Mochi Quarter vacated and
insisted on the ground floors being paved before the residents returned. This had the desired
effect at the time, but it did not prevent the plague breaking out among the same community
this year. From the Mochis the infection seems to have been spread by rats to neighbouring
houses. The rats were very numerous in the Sadar Bazaar and Civil Lines, and a few were
occasionally found dead in the former quarter. Infection conveyed by rats seemed the most
probable cause of a case in a Memon compound not far removed from the Mochis' houses.
" On the 4th October a Memon girl in Rambagh developed plague who was found to have
slept 2 nights with friends in the Sadar Bazaar. Although this and the neighbouring 2 or 3
houses were vacated at once, the infection had already spread, and in the next three weeks
there were 7 cases among the Rambagh Memons in this neighbourhood, and one Hindustani
child appears to have caught it from playing with them.