15
cases and deaths. The disease only took root in Tátta, with which its Railway
Station Jungshahi must be included, and in Kotri. Tátta is a town of about
10,000 inhabitants, about 13 miles from Jungshahi. It is a favourite resort of
the upper classes of Karachi, and is on the main route to Cutch. From the
middle of December to the week ending the 19th February, 31 cases and 21
deaths, all imported, had occurred in Tátta. The influx then appears to have
ceased, and no more deaths were reported till plague broke out locally in the
week ending the 26th March. Thereafter the outbreak was local, and practi-
cally ceased early in May. That the epidemic was kept out of the town so long
was due to the unsparing and well-directed efforts of the Assistant Collector,
Mr. M. D. Mackenzie. To that officer is also due the credit of starting the
first observation camp. Persons were medically inspected at Jungshahi, and not
allowed to hire conveyances for Tátta unless certified as healthy. On arrival at
Tátta, they were taken to the Camp and not allowed into the town. Cases were
consequently hidden away in Jungshahi, and about the third week in February
a sharp little local outbreak was the result. There is only a population of
some 200. Mr. Mackenzie at once appeared on the scene, adopted energetic
measures of evacuation and thorough disinfection, and there were no more cases.
The local cases in Tátta began, as stated, towards the end of March and, though
never exceeding 4 or 5 a week, caused grave anxiety for five weeks. Mr. J. P.
Vaughan, I. C. S., succeeded Mr. Mackenzie on the 23rd April, when the disease
bid fair to seize the town in earnest.
TA'TTA LOCAL CASES.
Week ending 26th March
" 9th April
" 16th "
" 23rd "
" 30th "
" 7th May
" 14th "
Cases.
2
1
4
5
4
2
1
Deaths.
2
1
3
3
δ
3
1
Mr. Vaughan, having had no plague experience, was first taught by the
Collector in Karachi and then sent to Tátta with Surgeon-Major Baker, a
trained gang of disinfectors under a selected Supervisor, and a nurse. The
above figures depict the rapidity and thoroughness of their work, as in the
week ending the 30th April the number of cases went clown instead of going up.
Kotri is on the Indus and is the Railway station for Hyderabad, from
which place it is separated by the river and a couple of miles of road. It is
a small town of about 8,000 inhabitants, and on Mr. Brayson, the Deputy
Collector in charge, devolved the difficult duty of protecting the place. As in
Tátta, up to the third week in February, dropping cases came in from Kara-
chi, deterred probably by the medical examination on the steam ferry from
going to Hyderabad. Then there was a lull, and not till the week ending the
26th March did the first local case show itself at the same time with cases
imported from Hyderabad, where the disease had just broken out virulently.
Mr. Brayson made Kotri his head-quarters, and, well assisted by Assistant
Surgeon McMullen of the North-Western Railway, defended his charge from
the simultaneous incursion from Karachi and Hyderabad, and, by enforcing
segregation in huts, got rid of the local cases for 17.
"With the passing of the Epidemic Diseases Act had come increased powers.
Sanction to the following measures, which were all already in operation under
Municipal Rules, was solicited by telegram on the 9th and granted by Govern-
ment on the 11th February :—
The Commissioner and District and Sub-Divisional Magistrates were
empowered to act or to empower any person by name to act as
follows :
(a) Enter or break open any house or room, day or night, disinfect,
limewash, collect and burn rags, rubbish, pull clown, burn, open
walls or roofs, burn suspected bedding, clothing and other articles,
and disinfect persons or their property.
(b) Order persons or classes of person to leave certain place for
another, or prohibit leaving given area, prohibit communication