SHOLAPUR DISTRICT.]
267
All the cases were indigenous, and if any imported cases occurred, they were not discovered.
But the case of Katewádi village is noteworthy ; and the Collector's remarks are most
interesting :—
"On the 19th of July rumours reached Sholápur of suspicious sickness and deaths in
the village of Katewádi in the Mádha Táluka. This village was not one of the villages
which were known to be infected with plague during the previous epidemic ; but it lies
in close proximity to three villages, Kurul, Sayadwarwad, and Gotewádi, which suffered
severely during the last epidemic. I reached the village on the 20th July, and found that
7 deaths from plague had taken place in the village before my arrival, and that 8 persons
were lying sick with plague in different houses in the village. The village was a small one,
of not more than 250 inhabitants, and I induced the people to evacuate the village and sleep
outside in temporary huts on the same day on which I arrived. The patients were allowed
at first to remain in their houses, but were afterwards gradually taken out into the fields,
when the people had had time to settle down outside. A census was taken of all the
inhabitants, and steps were taken to trace out and keep under observation such persons as
had recently migrated to other villages.
"The history of the plague in this village was interesting and suggestive. Examination
of the Death Register and enquiries made on the spot among the villagers made it clear
that 3 deaths from plague had occurred in the village towards the end of the month of May,
but they had not been recognised and reported as plague deaths. Two of them occurred
in one house, and the description of the symptoms and the circumstances of the deaths left
no doubt that they were due to plague, but as the fact remained unknown to the authorities
nothing was done to destroy the infection in the houses or in the village, and the villagers
remained in occupation of the village. The disease remained quiescent in the village for
two months and then broke out again. Among the first persons attacked were some who
were closely connected with the persons who had died in May, and who died in adjacent
houses.
"There seemed to be every reason to suppose that after the 3 deaths in May the disease
germs remained dormant owing to the unfavourable conditions of hot weather and conse-
quent desiccation of the soil, but that with the advent of the rains and the accompanying
coolness and dampness they sprang into renewed activity."
Suspicious deaths occurred on the 24th July in Pokhrápur, and some 15 deaths had
occurred when the Collector went in person to examine matters» He says :—
"Plague has been in this village from about the beginning of July. I could get no
clue to its origin."
Equally obscure was its origin in Kondi and Akole.
The infection again spread from village to village, and the district has suffered
continuously since. Evacuation no sooner frees one village than another is attacked. This-
will be seen from the following table :—
Date of infection.
19th July 1898
24th „ ,,
,,
,,
,,
Between 24th July and
August 1898.
26th August
1898
16th September
21st October
,, ,, ,,
,, ,, ,,
4th November ,,
18th
„
,,
,,
9th December
,,
,,
,,
,,
16th
„
...
...
12th
...
...
...
..
...
...
...
..
...
...
...
...
Village.
Katewádi
...
Pokhrápur ...
Kondi ... ...
Akole ...
Shamsápur ...
Mohol Ry. Station
Mohol
...
...
Kardeshalli ...
Vairag ... ...
Chikli ... ...
Ghatne ... ...
Yáwali ... ...
Dahitne ...
Hingni ... ...
Kolegaou ...
Tambóle
Malik Peth
...
...
...
..
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Táluka.
Mádha
»
Sholápur
,,
,,
Mádha
,,
Sholápur
Bársi ...
,, ...
Mádha
Bársi ...
Mádha...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
..
..
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
..
Source.
Probably Kurul.
Unknown.
,,
,,
Akole.
Unknown.