NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
SATARA DISTRICT.]
253
doubt, imported from the latter. Raviwár Peth had 14 cases, and Malhár Peth had 26 cases in
all. The plague in Malhár continued far along time, viz., October to the end of January
1899, thus endangering the safety of adjoining Peths, although repressive measures, such as
evacuation of blocks, were actively and promptly carried out. While plague was running its
course in Malhár Peth, the disease appeared in the adjoining Peth called Guruvár. It began
in Guruvár in the second week of December 1898 and continued up to the week ending 28th
January 1899, recording 32 cases in all, which was the largest number recorded in the history
of all the infected Peths. From Guruvár the plague was imported in the adjoining Peth of
Shanvár. It began in Shanvár in the week ending 13th December 1898, and ended in the
week ending 14th March 1899, 9 cases in all having occurred. From Shanvár the disease
appeared in the neighbouring Peth of Bhavani ; only 2 cases occurred in the Bhaváni Peth,
after which plague was practically over in the City."
The Hospitals and Camps established during the prevous epidemic were re-opened, patients
and contacts segregated, and evacuation of infected houses and of blocks of houses, large or
small, according to circumstances, and even of whole Peths, was vigorously enforced. Doubt-
less, added experience and more stringent measures assisted in mitigating the severity of the
epidemic : but, whatever the reason, S atara suffered far less severely in this epidemic than in
the previous one, as the following figures demonstrate :—
Month,
October 1888
November „
December „
January 1899
February „
March
„
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Total
...
...
...
...
Cases.
6
49
29
17
34
9
144
Deaths,
3
35
27
15
27
8
115
At about the same time as Sátára (October 1897), the town of Karád succumbed,
Karád.
Population—12,086.
although every endeavour was made to prevent its re-infection.
Each case as it occurred was followed by the evacuation of
several adjoining houses, but without avail. Towards the end of December 1898, therefore,
a large part of the town was ordered to be evacuated ; and some 2,000 people left the town.
Up to the 19th January 1899, no further case occurred. On that day a case developed
itself in a house on the very edge of the evacuated quarter. Another large block was
emptied, and plague then ceased in the town ; although some cases occurred in camp. At
the end of March 1899, the town was re-occupied. Four more cases occurred up to 7th
May 1899, but these were merely sporadic cases and did not cause any alarm. The
epidemic was a very mild one. The following are the figures :—
Month.
November 1898
December „
January 1899
February ,,
March
,,
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Total ...
Cases.
9
19
21
8
5
62
Deaths.
8
17
14
7
4
50
04
254
[CHAΡ. VIII.
Ashta.
Population—11,403.
The town of Ashta, with a population of over 11,000, was
now attacked for the first time.
The first 2 cases of plague in Ashta occurred on the 16th December 1898 ; the origin,
as usual, being obscure. By the 26th of December 4 more cases had occurred, and a large
block of 100 houses was promptly evacuated. Up to the 16th January 1899 no more cases
were reported ; but after that date cases again began to occur—the first few on
the outskirts of the evacuated block. Large blocks of from 50 to 100 houses were now
emptied ; but evacuation did not keep pace with the spread of the disease. Ultimately
(about the 7th of February 1899) the whole town was evacuated ; a large Segregation
Camp being ready by the 17th February, which proved very successful. This Camp was
constantly guarded by police, and was in the medical charge of a Hospital Assistant
who arrived on the 5th February. The houses in the town were unroofed by paid coolies.
The plague operations in the town o£ Ashta and the Segregation Camp abovementioned
were both under Lieutenant H. C. Steen, I. S. C. They were both highly successful, as
the following figures show :—
Month.
December 1898
January
1899
February
„
March
„
April „
May ,,
...
...
..
...
...
...
...
...
...
Total
...
...
...
...
...
...
Cases.
4
5
30
52
20
9
120
Deaths.
2
3
28
40
19
6
98
Tásgaon.
Population—11,261.
Tásgaon was again attacked in February 1899. Before this date several imported cases
had occurred in the town. About the 19th February 1899,
cases occurred in a detached quarter, and, in March, infection
spread to the remainder of the town. Large blocks of houses were ordered by Lieutenant
Steen, who was in charge of the operations, to be evacuated, but owing to opposition, and
to the weather, which in the early part of April was abnormally inclement, evacuation
measures were relaxed. The consequence was a rise in the figures and increasing spread.
Complete evacuation was now decided on and was carried out during May : but at the end
of that month, the town was still on the infected list. Up to that date the following
numbers of cases and deaths had occurred :—
Mouth.
February 1899
March
„
April „
May „
..
...
...
...
...
...
Total
...
...
...
...
Cases.
11
73
42
88
214
Deaths.
7
66
31
68
172
The number of places infected in the third epidemic was very large—240—considerably
more than were infected in the previous epidemic. But, on the whole, the outbreak, though
256
[CHAP.
VIII.
Aunan State.
Population—65,146.
The Aundh State went, through two epidemics, both more or less severe. The first
epidemic, which began about the end of August 1897, lasted
till the beginning of April 1898—the small town ofAundh
itself (population, 3,248) suffering from the middle of October 1897 to the end of December
1897. The following are the figures for the epidemic : —
August
September
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
Month.
1897
„
„
„
„
1898
,,
...
...
...
..
...
...
...
...
Total
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
AUNDIJ.
Population 3,248.
Cases.
38
126
56
...
...
...
...
220
Deaths.
...
12
122
25
...
...
...
...
159
OTHER PLACES.
Cases.
2
13
55
181
211
76
50
43
2
633
Deaths.
2
5
32
123
136
61
37
39
2
437
The second epidemic in Aundh State commenced on the 21st August 1898, at the village
of Alsand. For five weeks the disease was confined to this village ; but thereafter it spread
wider and attacked ten villages ; the last being attacked on the 12th April 1899; since
which date no fresh villages have been infected. Aundh itself remained free during the
second epidemic. Bight villages were completely evacuated with good results. Although
the epidemic as a whole lasted for a period of nine months, in only one case did plague
continue in a place beyond three months. The following statement shows the cases and
deaths for this epidemic :—
Month.
September
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
1&98
,,
1899
,,
„
,,
Total
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Cases.
65
119
177
378
113
10
16
15
1
894
Deaths.
43
85
121
280
78
14
11
10
2
654
Plmltan State.
Population—C6,C83.
The Phaltan State has throughout been free from plague,
with the exception of an imported case or two in February 1897.
SATARA DISTRICT.
Chart showing Plague Mortality.
BELGAUM DISTRICT.
Chart showing Plague Mortality.
257
SHOLAPUR DISTRICT.
Area ...
Population in 1891 ...
Density of population
Rainfall ...
...
...
... 4,542 sq. miles.
... 750,689.
... 165 . 28 per sq. mile.
... 25 inches.
Boundaries.
Sholápur District is bounded on the north by Ahmednagar and the Nizam's territory ;
on the east, by the Nizam's territory and the Akálkot State ; on the
south, by the river Bhima, the District of Bijápur, and the Patvar-
dhan and Jath States ; and on the west, by Atpadi. Sátára, Phaltan, Poona, and Ahmed-
nagar. The District outline is irregular.
Climate ana natural
features.
The climate of Sholápur is healthy, and, except the hot months, March, April,
and May, is agreeable and free from extremes of heat or cold.
The hot season from March to June, especially during March and
April, is marked by a dry scorching heat. The mean temperature daring this period is
80°; and the climate is oppressive, with strong hoi winds and occasional dust-storms. In
March the hot winds blow from i ho east, and in April and May from the west.
The soil of Sholápur is of three kinds—black, coarse gray, and reddish. Most of the
black soil is stiff and clayey, though near the meeting of the Bhima and Sina in the
Sholápur Sub-division it is particularly fine. The chief rivers are the Bhima, with its right
bank feeders, the Nira and the Man, and its left bank feeder, the Sinn, which receives the
Bhogávati from the north.
There is no authentic record of plague in Sholápur District previous to 1896.*
Sholaptir District.
Population—750,689.
Sholapur District has suffered from three epidemics, which occurred in three successive
years. Sholápur Town has suffered from one, but a severe one.
Akalkot State, which is under the Collector of Sholápur, has also
been attacked, but has so far suffered slightly. The datos of dura-
tion of these epidemics were—
1st Epidemic—17th December 1896 to 27th April 1897.
2nd Epidemic—21st September 1897 to 15th May 1898.
3rd Epidemic—19th July 1898 to 31st May 1899.
First Epidemic (Dccemler 1896—May 1897).—Plague began in the Sholápur District
with an imported case 011 the 7th December 1896 in Sholápur Town. Another imported case
was discovered the following day. A month later, on the 21st and 23rd of January 1897
2 more imported cases occurred. The first of these was presumably the cause of 4 indigenous
cases which occurred between the 24th January 1897 and the 1st February 1897, the starting
point in all these cases being Bombay. The notes made by Mr. W. T. Morison, the Collector,
on the cases are instructive :—
17th December 1896—A female passenger from Bombay was found, on arrival of the
train at Sholapur, to be suffering from plague. She died on the
way to the Segregation Hospital.
* Bombay Gazetleer, Vol. XX.
65
202
[CHAP. VIII.
The wards were distributed originally as follows : —
1. Town wards ...
...
2. Wards outside the Town ...
( 1. Mr. Weir, I.O.S.
2. Mr. Pratt, I.C.S.
3. Mr. Kennedy.
4. Lieutenant Bruce, I.S.C.
5
. Mr. Thatcher, District Superintendent of Police
6. Lieutenant Wake.
Mr. Thatcher was put in charge of the small railway village Tiregaon and of the
bungalow and servants' quarters near the station. Lieutenant Wake took over the Motibág
Camp and the now empty Sadar Bazár and Modikhána. On the arrival of Lieutenants Kidd,
Henderson and Cumming the number of wards was increased to 9, 7 being in the town.
Towards the end of November, 30 men of the Durham Light Infantry also arrived for plague
duty. They assisted the Ward Superintendents in searching, and Lieutenant Wake in the
systematic disinfection of the town. From the end of November, too, the operations in the
town consisted chiefly of the ward system and compulsory evacuation of badly-infected
quarters. On the 12th December, Captain F. H. Dominichetti, 28th Madras Infantry,
arrived and took over charge of Mr. Pratt's ward, the latter taking over the superintendence
of the Health Camp. During the week ending. 26th November 1897 Mr. A. Wingate, the
Plague Commissioner, visited Sholápur and inspected the arrangements.
The epidemic reached its climax during the fortnight ending 10th December 1897,
during which time 813 deaths were registered from plague; the maximum for one day
being 98 deaths. The Collector's remarks on this period are striking :—
"These figures, terrible as they are in themselves, fail to convey an adequate idea of
the appalling severity of the epidemic, unless it is remembered that the population had been
reduced by flight by at least one-half of its normal numbers. After the 10th of Decem-
ber, the plague rapidly declined, chiefly owing to the fact that the evacuation of the city was
more and more vigorously pushed on throughout December, until by the end of the month
the city had been completely emptied and the whole population were camped out either
in their own fields and gardens in the environs or the city or were lodged in the large
organised health camps into which the poorer classes were drafted from their homes in the
city. The largest of these health camps was on the open plain near the Fort and contained
nearly 10,000 people. Being built almost entirely of gunny bags stretched over bamboos,
it was named by Mr. Morison 'Pothepur' or 'Gunny Bag Town."'
Evacuation may then be taken as begun on 3rd December 1897 and complete from
31st December 1897. The following figures bear eloquent testimony to its efficacy:—
5th November
12th
19th
„
26th „
3rd December
10th „
17th „
24th „
31st „
7th January
14th
21st
28th
Week ending
1897 ...
1898 ...
INDIGENOUS PLAGUE.
Cases.
146
143
221
363
502
501
300
134
53
26
9
7
5
Deaths.
117
118
182
297
377
436
246
49
36
27
9
11
8
REMARKS.
No evacuation.
Evacuation of infected
quarters only.
Evacuation of the whole
town began and proceed-
ing rapidly.
Evacuation complete,
SHOLAPUr DISTRICT.]
263
SHOLAPUR
TOWN
Population 62,329
Month.
October
1897—4
weeks
November " —4
"
December " —5
"
January
1898—4
"
February
"
—4
"
Total
Cases.
211
873
1,490
47
18
2,639
Deaths.
156
714
1,244
55
18
2,187
REMArKS.
Before evacuation.
After evacuation.
The mortality for the 4 weeks preceding, and that of the 4 weeks succeeding, evacua-
tion, i.e., November 1897 with January 1898, may here be compared:—
Mortality for 4 weeks preceding
714
Do.
do.
succeeding
55
With the evacuation of Sholápur Town the second stage of the epidemic may be said to
end.
Of the third stage, there is little to say. The figures record the rapid subsidence of
the disease, and in the period of a few weeks its total cessation: for, imported cases excepted,
Sholápur Town was practically free from plague from the beginning of February 1898.
SHOLAPUR DISTRICT.]
265
condition of the villages. The villages found infected were immediately evacuated ; by tlie
end of the 3rd week in January, 19 villages had been evacuated. Nevertheless the
plague continued to spread, and fresh villages were attacked every week. It became evident
that closer supervision by superior officers was required, and that it was necessary to
re-organise the system for dealing with the plague in the villages. The section system
was therefore introduced in the first week in February.
" The new system worked well, and its results soon showed themselves in a decline in
the number of cases in the Táluka, which, with a few fluctuations, continued steadily until the
final disappearance of the plague from the district at the beginning of April.
"The following table shown the indigenous cases which occurred in the villages, week
by week, from the beginning of February:—
Week ending
4th February
11th ,,
18th „
25th „
4th March
11th „
18th „
25th „
1st April „
8th „
15th „
22nd „
29th „
1898
„
,,
,,
,,
„
„
,,
,,
,,
„
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
··
INDIGENOUS.
Case
162
104
81
101
56
40
16
G
11
22
1
...
600
Deaths.
141
106
53
78
47
33
15
5
7
6
...
...
492
"The total number of villages attacked in the District was 46."
In the fact that each village, as it was found infected, was at once evacuated, is without
doubt to be sought the reason of the mild figures of the epidemic in the district when com-
pared with those of the town. With the dying out of the epidemic in the town towards the
middle of February the question of permitting the people to return to their houses had to
be considered, and the decisions arrived at are thus enunciated by the Collector: —
"After the disinfection of the city had been completed, and as the numbers of plague
cases in the surrounding villages decreased, the re-occupation of houses in the city was
commenced at first slowly and tentatively; but afterwards, when it was found that no re-
crudescence followed on the re-occupation even of houses which were notorious plague haunts,
permits to re-occupy houses were given in increasing numbers. In no case, however, was
such permission given except to residents of the health camps and settlements who had
been continuously under inspection for at least 10 days. Permission was at first made
conditional on the making of sanitary improvements, wherever necessary, in the way of
better light and ventilation. Overcrowded and insanitary houses were not allowed to
be re-occupied. Nearly all the houses in the Sadar Bazár were thus improved. Much
valuable assistance was given in the supervision of this work in the Sadar Bazár and
Modikhána by Khan Sáheb Sanjána, the Subordinate Judge, and by a local Pleader,
Mr. S. C. Dávar."
Sholápur Town is a good example of the striking efficacy of evacuation even when
resorted to after the disease has become firmly rooted ; and the district demonstrates the
possibility of greatly mitigating an epidemic by keen observation and vigorous action
ab initio. The spread in the district is shown by the following table, the date and origin
being given where known :—
67
266
[CHAP. VIII.
Town or Village.
Sholápur
Shelgi ...
Nandur ...
Walsang
Dhotri ...
Sholápur suburbs
Kurul ...
Sayad Warwa
Bhogaon
Tirhe ...
Kamthi Khurd
Koroli . . .
Kumbhari
Doddi ...
Mulegaon
Borámni ...
Pakni
Sawat Khed
Hotgi ...
Mardi ...
Belati ...
Kavate ...
Kumte ...
Dahitne ...
Haglur ...
Hipparge
Ulhe
Soregaon
Kandalgaon
Sangdhari
Shingadgaon
Dongaon
Sarkoli ...
Bale
Dahitul ...
Degaon ...
Shetgi ...
Kásegaon
Madra ...
Honmurgi
Honsal ...
Kámti Budruk
Musti ...
Vángi ...
B oral
Ahervádi
...
...
...
...
...
....
...
...
...
...
...
..
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
..
...
···
...
...
...
...
..
...
...
...
...
...
...
..
...
Táluka.
Sholápur
...
Mádha
...
...
...
Do
...
...
...
Shálápur ... ...
Sholápur
Pandharpur...
!
Sholápur ...
Date of first indigenous
case.
1st October
1897 ...
17th December 1897 ...
Do.
31st December 1897 ...
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
7th January 1898
14th January 1898
...
Do.
Do.
21st January 1898
...
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
28th January 1898
..
Do. ...
Do. ...
Do. ...
Do. ...
Do. ...
Do. ...
Do.
...
Do.
...
Do.
...
4th February 1898
...
Do. ...
Do. ...
Do.
...
Do.
...
Do.
11th February 1898 ...
Do.
Do. ...
18th February 1898
..
Do.
25th February 1898
...
Source of infec.
tion where known.
Bombay.
Poona.
Sholápur.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
Do.
...
Unknown.
The Third Epidemic began towards the middle of July 1898, and the total number
of cases and deaths up to the 12th of August was as follows:—
Village.
Kondi
Akole
Katewadi ...
Pokhrapur
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Táluka.
Sholápur
Mádha
...
...
Total
...
...
...
INDIGENOUS.
Cases.
10
25
33
107
175
Deaths.
2
8
32
78
120
268
[CHAP. VIII
The source of infection in Shamsápur was clearly traced, for the Collector writes :—
"In the case of the village of Shamsápur, the origin of the infection has been clearly
traced. A woman from Akole came into this village about the 10th of August. She was
a kinswoman of the Pátil, who allowed her into the village contrary to orders, instead oí
detaining her outside under observation. She died of plague and infected the Pátil's family
and the. whole circle of his relations who all live in adjacent houses. The rest of the
population have remained free. Shamsápur is only a small hamlet of 12 houses, and it is not
expected that the plague here will do much mischief. The village has been evacuated."
Comparing this table with that for the last epidemic, it will be seen that, with the
exception of Dahitne, all the villages attached now suffered for the first lime.
The figures up to 31st December 1898 by months from August 1898 are—
Months.
July and August 1898 — 7 weeks
September
„ — 5 „
October
,, — 4 „
November
„ — 4 „
December
„ — 5 „
Total
...
...
...
...
...
Cases,
271
137
199
85
18G
878
Deaths,
193
116
142
68
152
671
Towards the end of December 1898 there was a steady subsidence, and plague has
not been bad in the district since, though the weekly figures show considerable fluctuation,
owing to the sudden infection of fresh villages. In the second half of April 1899 the
district was quite free, but two villages in the Sholápm· Tátuka were re-infected in May.
The attacks, however, have been mild, and in the week ending 2nd June only one of them,
Wángi, returned three cases. Evacuation was always promptly resorted to, and no place
remained, infected for any length of time. The returns for the year 1899 areas follows :—
Month.
January
February
March ...
April ...
May
...
...
Total
...
...
Cases.
100
83
59
14
25
281
Deaths.
86
67
45
16
24
238
A Chart showing weekly Plague mortality in Sholapur District is given opposite.
SHOLAPUR DISTRICT.
Chart showing Plague Mortality.
269
CHAPTER IX.
THE SOUTHERN DIVISION.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
BELGAUM
BIJAPUR
DHAUWAR
ΚΑΝΑ R A
KOLABA
RATNAGIRI
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
···
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
PAGES
... 271 to 275
... 277 to 282
... 283 to 294
... 295 to 298
... 299 to 306
... 807 to 313
271
BELGAUM DISTRICT.
Area
Population in 1891
Density of population
Rainfall
...
...
4,652 sq. miles.
1,013,261.
217.81 per sq. mile.
30 inches.
Boundaries.
Belgaum is bounded on the north by the Miraj and Jath States ; on the east by
the States of Jamkhandi and Mudhol ; on the south-east
by Dhárwár ; on the south by North Kánara ; and on the
west by Sávantvadi and Kolhápur.
Climate and natural
features.
Belgamn, running parallel to the Sahyádri hills, with a
very irregular out-line, measures about a hundred miles from
north to south and fifty to eighty miles from east to west.
The pleasantest climate in the District is in a tract parallel with the crest of the Sahyá-
dris, between the western forests and the treeless east. The Belgaum year may be arranged
into three seasons, the cold and dry season from the middle of October till the middle of
February ; the hot and dry season from the middle of February till the beginning of June ;
and the wet season from the beginning of June till the middle of October. About the middle
of October the cold weather perceptibly sets in, the evening air begins to be chilly, heavy
fogs gather soon after sunset, and towards the morning and for some time after sunrise the
country is shrouded in thick mist. Towards the end of December or early in January the
night temperature is at its minimum. The hot season sets in about the middle of February,
and the temperature rises rapidly until it reaches 100° in May. Geologically the soils of the
District may be divided into two classes, the red and the black. The red soils are primary
soils, that is, they are the direct result of the decomposition of the iron-bearing rocks. The .
black soils are secondary soils, that is, they are rock ruins charged by the addition of organic
matter.
Previous epidemics.
There is no authentic record of plague in the Belgaum
District previous to 1897.*
The Belganm District enjoyed immunity both from imported as well as indigenous
plague till October 1897. But this immunity could not be expected to continue much longer,
when it is remembered that it was surrounded on the north-east, west and north-west by the
Sholápur District, the Kolhápur Agency and the Sátára District, respectively, places where
severe plague epidemics were then raging. As the reports for 1897-98 received from this
District consisted merely of isolated reports on villages, and no report has yet been received
for 1808-99, the progress of plague cannot be sketched in any detail. But the course of the
disease in these villages has been sketched at some length, as the measures taken in them were
presumably similar with those taken elsewhere in the Belgaum District.
Kágvád.
Population—3,839.
First Epidemic (November 1897—June 1898).—The first case occurred on the 21st
October 1897 in Kágvád village, the source of infection being
probably clue to importation from Sátára. The following parti-
culars are taken from the District Deputy Collector, Mr. N. C. Soman's report:—
* Bombay Gazetteer,Vol. XXI.