15
14 The details of the origin of the disease in each of the villages, as far
as they can be ascertained, are as follows :—
Khalgam.—First case was that of a woman by name Bhima Vittoe
Sinde, who arrived from Bombay, at her father's house on the 30th Decem-
ber 1896, was attacked with fever on the 1st January 1897, and died on the
4th January 1897.
2nd.—Her brother's wife by name Bhagirthi kom Bhawoo Shinde,
who attended on her, contracted the disease on the 7th January 1897.
She was taken to her father's house at Dakol, a neighbouring village,
where she died on the 11th January 1897.
3rd.—A girl belonging to the same family was attacked with fever on
the 3rd February, but there are reasons for thinking that this was not a
case of plague.
The 4th case was of a man by name Sona Rama Dudya who landed at
Jaigad from Shepherd's steamer with fever, arrived here on 26th January
1897 and died on the 28th January 1897. His house was about half a
mile from the first house and had no connection with it. After his
death, the remaining members of the house left it and resided in a separate
vacant house at some distance for nearly two weeks, bat after having
repaired the walls and grounds re-occupied it. These were all the cases
in the village itself, but a more serious outbreak occurred in a hamlet
called "Madhli Gotad Wadi, " which is on a hill about two miles
from the village. It consists of nearly 20 houses belonging to one family.
Here a man by name Sona Ganu Gotad arrived from Bombay on the 6th
January 1897, was attacked with fever on the 8th January 1897, and died
on the 11th January 1897. He is responsible for all the other 10 indi-
genous cases, of which 8 proved fatal.
Ladhgar—A man, Bhandári by caste, arrived here from Bombay on the
23rd of January. Probably he brought plague infection in the clothes and
other things belonging to his wife, who died of plague in Bombay two or three
days before his arrival here. A day or two after his arrival from Bombay, some
8 or 10 rats were found dead in his as well as in a neighbour's house. A few
days later his aunt was attacked with fever and died on the 2nd February 1897 ;
next his nephew contracted the disease on the 5th February 1897 and died on
the 6th February 1897 ; next, a week after the death of the nephew, his son got
plague and died on the 14th February 1897, and next he himself got attacked
on the 23rd and died on the 25th February 1897. These four deaths occurred in
one house. Similarly three deaths occurred in the next house. Up to this time
nobody suspected the disease to be plague. But on the occurrence of the 8th
case the matter was reported to the Chief Constable who then sent police to
inquire. The police having had instructions for diagnosing plague, came to
the conclusion that it was plague. Up to 9th March there were in all 34 cases with
31 deaths. All the remaining residents left their houses on the 9th and
arranged to erect chappers in their fields and to put up in them, but some of
the patients were allowed to remain in out-houses near the unaffected chappers
and their attendants used to mingle with unaffected men, so cases of plague
continued to occur for nearly a week.
Karden, commencement and cause.—1st case. Hussen valad Abdul Rahim.
Makadurn having been attacked in Bombay arrived here on the 4th of February
and died on the 12th February 1897.
Second case. His neighbour arrived from Bombay on the 7th March 1897.
He was attacked on the 11th March 3897 and died on 12th March 1897.
Third and fourth cases, both indigenous, one the sister and the other the brother
of the deceased No. 1, were attacked on 22nd March 1897. The sister died
on 23rd March 1897 and the brother on 25th March 1897. These had all been
living in the house of No. 1 whose clothes had not been destroyed.
5th.—An old woman was reported to be suffering with plague, but the case
was doubtful.
6th.—A female by name Sherrifa, wife of Abdul Ajid, was attacked on
27th March 1897.
1396—54-