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[CHAP. XL
epidemic now took place, reaching a climax of 53 cases—46 deaths daring the week ending
29th October, and dying out towards the middle of December 1897, the totals being 487 cases
and 362 deaths. With the exception of an imported case on the 28th March, Mundra
remained free daring the year 1898.
The preventive measures adopted in Cutch at this time may be mentioned hero. They
were chiefly the closing of all ports in Cutch, except Mándvi and Khari Rohar, the latter
being also the point of entry by land route from Bombay, Gujarat, and Káthiáwár ; and the
placing under observation for 10 days of all arrivals at these ports, except those from
Karachi, who underwent observation before leaving that port, and were therefore admitted
into the town after being medically examined and disinfected. Four camps were built for
this purpose at Mándvi Bandar, and a fifth was added for the removal of those who might
develop suspicious symptoms. An additionl camp for Mahomedans was erected at a
distance of a mile from the Bandar. The camps were opened on the 7th October 1897 and
closed on 22nd July 1898, and during this period 15,958 people were detained, the number
of plague cases found among them being 22—of which 19 proved fatal—all amongst the
Hindus from Bombay. The system of observation and disinfection was thorough, and a
roll was called daily and the inmates of the camps medically examined twice a day. The
arrangements at Khari Rohar were similar though on a smaller scale. There was also an
observation camp at Mundra.
As regards the spread of plague in Catch generally, Major G. E. Hyde-Cates, the
Political Agent, is of opinion that the infection was chiefly due to Mándvi, and to
Mándvi also he attributes the infection of Mundra:—
" The spread of plague was undoubtedly in the first instance carried by persons leaving
Mándvi. Maska and Gundiali were the first infected, the first village being only a mile
from the city, and the second six miles, but the intercourse between this village and Mándvi
is considerable. Godhra, 8 miles, and Bada, 14 miles, were also probably infected from
Mándvi ; while the disease is known to have been carried to Mahápur by personal infection
from Mándvi.
" At the time the first villages were attacked, the plague in Mándvi was at its height,
and sufficient attention could not be paid to them, so that they, in their turn, infected other
villages. Fortunately, in the case of some, the disease stopped after a few cases.
" In the Mundra District there is no doubt that Mundra itself was infected from Mándvi,
although Kapaya, a village 3 miles from Mundra, was infected a month earlier by persons
from Mándvi. Owing to the severe epidemic in Mándvi, numbers of people were flying all
over the place, and one could only trust to the Wahiwatdár of Mundra and the Dhrus in
charge of the villages to carry out the orders for placing persons from Mándvi or any infected
place in ten days' quarantine outside the villages. These orders were not stringently carried
out in the case of Mundra, and and any well-to-do person found no difficulty in getting into
the town. The plague being an altogether new experience, the headmen of the towns and
villages could not be brought to see the importance of forcibly keeping out in infected people
nor was their disobedience of orders properly dealt with by the Darbár at that time. It is
quite possible and probable that Mundra had several indigenous cases before it was reported
as an infected town."
Room was found in some pakka buildings in an enclosure for five good caste hospitals,
and another building was set apart as a segregation hospital. Dr. Damania superintended
these and all other plague measures in Mundra, assisted by Captain W. S. P. Ricketts,
I. M. S., 17th Bombay Infantry, who performed plague duties in addition to his own ;
Captain H. D. Mason, R. A. M. C., came to Mundra when the latter fell ill; and later, when
Captain Mason left Mundra, Dr. Karanja was left in charge of the hospitals. In December
1897, Mándvi being practically free from plague, Dr. Mason again took up his quarters at
Mundra.