12
and then to report the case to me, so that no time might be lost in combating the
disease at its commencement. A supply of dammer and sulphur was also placed
in each chowkey; and Colonel Coles, the District Superintendent of Police, was
good enough to give a party of 16 of his men and one jemedar to see that the
fires were kept up, and the disinfectants put on them from time to time. There
was likewise a supply of chunam and McDougall's powder in each chowkey, and
Mr. Cumine and myself went from house to house advising the people to use
these freely in their houses.
25. The excreta of cholera patients was at once disinfected, and all soiled
clothes burnt; the infected houses fumigated and whitewashed, the floors
scraped and freshly cow-dunged. All others living in the house were prohibited
from approaching any of the sources of water-supply, the water they required
being drawn by outsiders and poured into vessels which were placed in the
verandahs of the infected houses when those living within required water. They
were also restricted as much as possible from moving about among the people,
and sulphur fires were burnt in their verandahs.
26. Having received reports of several fatal cases of cholera in Lakuli,
a village about 15 miles from Tanna, I detached a medical subordinate to that
place to give his professional assistance, and telegraphed to Bombay for another
to replace him. This latter subordinate I told off especially for cholera duty,
as I did not wish those connected with the hospitals to run the risk of carrying
infection into the military hospitals or into the jail.
27. On the 24th May a boat belonging to the Customs Department arrived
from Bassein, and anchored in the creek opposite to the military lines, when it
was found that the inspector on board had cholera. The boat was placed in
quarantine, and dropped down the creek when the tide served, and anchored some
distance below the town. She was kept in quarantine until the man recovered,
when she was thoroughly fumigated—all the men on board, as well as their
clothes, being likewise fumigated before going on shore.
28. Receiving reports of cholera having broken out in several villages in
the Collectorate, I sent a supply of cholera mixture to the different chief con
-stables. I will not allude further to the course of cholera in the districts, as no
doubt Dr. Cody, the health officer of the circle, has given you a full report
already.
29. I trust the measures taken may meet with approval,—at all events I
think it may fairly be claimed for them that they were the means of mitigating,
if not of utterly stamping out, an epidemic disease which, judging from what is
taking place all around us, would have committed large havoc in such a town as
this. The type of the disease in the few people it has attacked here has been so
modified by the artificial atmosphere which I have created, that the death-rate
has been exceedingly small. As an instance that such is the case, I will take
Lakuli, the nearest village in which the disease showed itself. There the death
-rate, by last accounts received, was 67.3 per cent., whereas in Tanna the death
-rate up to the present time has been only 22.3 per cent. of those attacked. I
think such a difference as this is sufficient to encourage one to use every endeavour
to combat with the disease.
30. That there is a septic condition of the atmosphere, is proved by the
fact that people were attacked in four different quarters of the town.
31. If you consider the measures I have taken are calculated to put the
municipality to unnecessary expense I shall discontinue such of them as you
disapprove of, on receiving your instructions to that effect.
32. Mr. Robertson, the Collector of Tanna, has, since his arrival here, given
me every support and assistance, and without which I doubt very much, indeed
I am certain, that I could not have carried out my views, as the municipal