KATHIAWAr.]
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to prevent spread, and the usual measures of evacuation and disinfection, etc., were
at once adopted. On the 24th February, Colonel J. M. Hunter, the Political Agent,
and Major A. V. Anderson, I. M. S., arrived at Kutiyána to inspect the measures already
in force and to institute such others as might be necessary. Their first care was to
thoroughly investigate the circumstances under which the cases had occurred, but they
could discover little, and the following meagre details were all that could be learned :—
" Porbandar and Mángrol are the two nearest ports through which there had been,
numerous arrivals during the past two months from Bombay, but it was impossible to
trace the importation of the disease to any particular individual. The imported case
on the 19th was that of a man who had arrived in the town about a month before and
had undergone 10 days' observation at Porbandar.
" I am inclined to think the disease had existed for some little time without discovery
owing to the neglect of the rules which I introduced last year for the registration of deaths
and the examination of all bodies before disposal to ascertain the cause of death. This is
much to be regretted, as earlier measures might have prevented the disease becoming in-
digenous and saved the Darbár the trouble and expense which will devolve upon it now,
but which will be a salutary lesson in future."
On inspecting the city they found the ward system with census parties in full swing;
and medical portion of the operations under Dr. Vaishnav, who treated the victims in caste
hospitals outside the town. Houses in which cases had occurred were completely evacuated
and disinfected. They instituted the following additional measures :—
1. Observation Camps.
2. Segregation Camps.
3. Contact Camps.
These were erected on the spot and the whale of the population of the infected portions of
the town sont out into one or other of them.
Lieutenant R. S. Pottinger, Assistant Political Agent, was- appointed Special Plague
Inspecting Officer. A few indigenous cases at Kutiyána and imported cases at Bhávnagar
and Mángrol occurred during the next few weeks : but the measurs in Kutiyána were not
without effect, for on 15th March 1898 Colonel Hunter reports—
" On the 1st March Mr. Pottinger, Assistant Political Agent in charge Sorath Práut,
who has been placed on special plague duty to inspect the several port observation camps,
etc., accompanied Surgeon-Major Anderson during his second visit to Kutiyána and super-
intended the transfer of about 1,000 people from the infected quarter of the town to the
health camp. Dr. Anderson's report has not yet reached me; These measures have had a
marked effect. For several days there were no cases in either camp or town, while the
latter has been free for the last eight days.
"On the 2nd instant I visited the ob ation camp at Bhávnagar in company with
His Highness the Thákor Sáheb and Dservuderson, and found all the arrangements
satisfactory.
r. A
" I am glad to report that the measures to prevent the plague spreading from Kuti-
yána have so far been completely successful, as the disease has not appeared, elsewhere in the
Province."
It will be noticed that the town had been free for eight days. The following week the
town was free again. This leads Colonel Hunter to say—
"The measure of clearing out the occupants of the houses in the infected quarter has
effectually prevented the spread of the disease in the town."
The following week, 25th March 1898, there was no case at all ; and only 1 death in a
previous pending case ; and during the next month only 4 cases in all occurred. Indeed,
from the beginning of April to the 20th May no indigenous plague was reported from the
Agency, but imported cases continued to be detected at Porbandar, Wadhwán and Bhávuagair.