40
[CHAP. I, ΡT. Π.
4. Kirkee.—Plague broke out here in the Artillery Cantonment, situated 4 miles
from Poona, and the followers of the four batteries stationed there suffered severely.
Ihese men were living with their families in lines on a sloping plain, under military
discipline, and in circumstances far superior, in a sanitary sense, to those of the
average villager. When the disease appeared the lines were isolated, so that none could
enter or leave without the knowledge of the military authorities. A special hospital was erected
close by, where all sick persons were sent as they were discovered by the search
parties of European Artillerymen, who visited each house thrice daily. It is therefore
probable that all cases of plague were promptly discovered and removed to hospital, and
in each case the usual disinfection was thoroughly and promptly carried out. Yet, in spite
of all this, it was found that, in those not protected by inoculation, 1 out of every 6 of the popula-
tion was attacked, and 2 out of every 3 attacked died. The epidemic was therefore a severe
one. The population of the lines numbered 1,530; and out of these, 671 volunteered for inocu-
lation. At the close of the epidemic the plague hospital admission and discharge book was
examined, and compared with the register of those inoculated, with the following results.
The circumstance that the population operated on were under military discipline, and
confined to their lines by a cordon, renders the accuracy of the figures undoubted.
Numbers.
Cases.
Deaths.
Percentage of
Mortality.
Inoculated
671
32
17
2.5
Not inoculated
859
143
98
11.4
Here, then, is seen a body of people divided into two groups by the fact that one had under-
gone inoculation and the other not, but differing in no other way, reacting towards plague in
such a markedly different manner that the conclusion is forced on one that the inoculation
must be the cause. This absolute similarity of conditions considered, the 671 inoculated should
have had proportionately 112 cases and 77 deaths if they had remained as susceptible to the
disease as their uninoculated brothers, sisters, parents, wives, husbands, children; but instead
of that, they had only 32 cases and 17 deaths, or a reduction in the death-rate of 77.9 per cent.
Reduced as the death-rate is, it would doubtless have been much more so, but for the fact that
a very much weakened vaccine had to be used, owing to the demand having got beyond the
resources of the Laboratory at that time.
5. Belgaum.—Plague cases began to appear in Belgaum—a town of 40,700 inhabitants
—in October 1897, five deaths being reported in that month. In November, 111
deaths occurred, 156 in December, 226 in January, and 50 in February 1898, after
which an insignificant number of attacks took place, till in May the epidemic ceased.
The 26th Regiment of Madras Infantry were, during this period, living in lines
close to the Cantonment and City, and suffered similarly.
The first reported case
among them took place on 12th November, when Sepoy 2224, Grovindaswamy, was
brought to hospital and died the same day.
Next day another sepoy was attacked
and also died. On the 15th a drummer was seized, and on the 17th the disease
appeared among the followers. By the 21st, 13 attacks had been reported from the lines,
4 of these being among sepoys. On the 22nd November the Companies most severely
attacked were moved out into camp, and by the 28th the whole regiment, families, and followers
had left the lines. These were then disinfected by washing with perchloride of mercury
solution, whitewashing, and removal of tiles from the roofs. During this transition period