86S
[CHAP.
XI.
From November 1896 to March 1897, 26 cases were imported—all, with one exception,
proving fatal—but each was at once detected, and prevented from establishing infection.
This was rendered the more easy on account of the situation of the houses and dwellings
throughout the Agency; for they all stand in their own compounds, entirely detached from
each other. Patients were examined by a Medical Officer, their clothes burnt when neces-
sary, their houses disinfected, unroofed, and in all cases vacated by the inmates. A shed
was also erected outside the town for the treatment of patients.
Towards the end of the year 1897, when plague was raging in a severe form in
Belgaum, Major H. M. Abud, I. S. C., who was then acting as Political Superintendent,
opened an Observation Camp at Kumbheshvar at the foot of the Amboli Ghát and another
at Konal at the foot of the Rám Ghát. These Camps served the two principal routes from
the infected districts ; but there were also four foot-paths leading into the State from above
the Ghats. These were effectively guarded by men of the Sávantvádi Infantry Corps.
Up to the middle of April 1898, all travellers were detained at these Camps for a
period of seven days (after disinfection both of themselves and of their kit), a different
warrant being allotted to the arrivals of each day ; but subsequently only those found with
suspicious symptoms were detained ; the rest, after being inspected and disinfected, being
allowed to proceed to their destination, where they were placed under surveillance for
eight days.
The knowledge of the existence of a rigid system of inspection and detention at a place
soon checks the importation of plague into it, and this was exemplified in Sávantvádi, where,
between April 1897 and September 1898—a period of 18 months—only 4 imported cases
occurred.
Shirwal.
Population—137.
First Epidemic.—In October 1898, the State was subjected to the only epidemic it has
known—if, indeed, an outbreak in a village of 137 souls, lasting
for a month, and affecting 1 8 people, of whom no more than
6 succumbed—can be so termed. During the week ending 7th
October 1898, a Mahár belonging to an infected village of the Belgaum District manages
to evade the guard watching the different passes, and, cutting across the Gháts by
an unfrequented path, visited a woman residing in the village of Fukeri, and, having
communicated the infection to her, returned to British Territory, where presumably he died.
The woman was attended in her illness by a relative, who belonged to the village of Shirwal,
three miles distant from the Belgaum boundary. This relative, a man, caught the disease,
and, returning to Shirwal, infected his village.
Within a week 13 people were attacked. Never was the origin of an outbreak more
clearly traced. The outbreak was reported to Mr. Walsh on the 13th October 1898, and be
thus describes the repressive measures adopted:—
" In order to prevent the spread of the disease to the neighbouring villages, the Awath,
of the village of Shirwal in which plague had broken out was at once surrounded by a cordon
of Police find men of the Local Corps ; huts were erected on a site some half a mile distant
from Shirwal, to which all the inhabitants of the A wath were removed, but without being
permitted to take any item of their clothes or bedding ; these persons were disinfected, as
was also any kit which they were allowed to take with them. The persons stricken with
plague were placed in a separate shed, where they were treated by a hospital assistant, who,
after some days' delay, was assisted by two inoculated attendants. All the huts in the
Awath and all the clothes and bedding of the inmates thereof were burnt; the ground on
which the Awath stood was first saturated with kerosine oil, which was then fired. The
State Kárbhári was directed to appraise the value of the huts and property destroyed, and to