NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
GENERAL PLAGUE REPORT.
No. 5017 OF 1897.
FROM
A. C. LOGAN, ESQUIRE, I. C. S.,
Collector of Thána;
To
F. S. P. LELY, ESQUIRE, I. C. S.,
Commissioner, N. D.
Thána, 12th July 1897.
SIR,
I have the honour to make the report called for by Government Resolu-
tion No. 3045 / 2269 P.' dated the 2nd ultimo, and by your memorandum No. 1185, dated
the 11th idem.
2. I divide my report into the following heads :—
A.—Measures taken to exclude the plague.
B.—The arrival, progress and decline of the plague.
C.—Measures adopted to suppress the plague.
D.—Measures taken to prevent the transport of the plague about the
district.
E.—Cost of the plague,
F.—The plague authorities.
A.—Measures taken to exclude the Plague.
3. The necessity of taking measures to keep the plague out of this district
was recognised by the executive at the earliest moment. On September 30th,
1896, very soon after the existence of plague in Bombay had been disclosed,
the Collector, Mr. Candy, wrote to Surgeon-Major Kirtikar, the Civil Surgeon,
requesting his advice as to the measures to be taken, and after a brief correspond-
ence between those two officers and the District Superintendent of Police it
was resolved on October 2nd that the Superintendent should place constables
to watch passengers alighting from Bombay at Thána, Bándra, Kurla and
Kalyán, the four chief Municipalities on the Railways. It was directed that at
Thána all sick passengers should be taken to the Civil Hospital, and on the
same day letters were written to the Presidents of the other three Municipali-
ties requesting them to prepare schemes for dealing with the plague. The
arrangements for watching the stations were made just in time and soon bore
fruit, for on the 8th October an imported case of plague was detected at the
Thána Station and another in Kalyán Town. On the 10th October the Collector
warned the President of the Bassein Municipality of the danger to that town
from its insanitary state, and suggested that Rs. 500 should at once be Toted for
precautionary measures.
4. On October 1st the Secretary to Government, General Department, had
written to the Collector enclosing an extract from a report of the Surgeon-
General to the effect that Municipalities like Thána and Bándra should take
steps to recognise the disease, should it break out, by appointing local practition-
ers as health officers and by insisting at the various cemeteries and burning
grounds on an accurate description of the disease from which the patient had
died. Copies of this letter were immediately forwarded to the Presidents of the
two Municipalities for the necessary action,
5. On the 13th October, in a letter No. 1518 of 1806, the Commissioner,
N. D., drew the Collector's attention to the plague (or bubonic fever as it was
B 833—1
3
(2). Arrangements had been made to watch the station and grave-
yards.
(3). A plague hospital had been erected.
Kalyán.—(1). The Municipality had voted Rs. 1,000 for expenses.
(2). Four Inspectors had been appointed at the station.
(3). A plague hospital had been erected.
Bassein.—(1). The Municipality had voted Us. 150 for expenses.
(2). A Compounder had been engaged to watch passengers at the
station.
9. During November and December the plague began to make its appear-
ance here and there, as will be shown in detail below, and accordingly on the
15th December I instructed the Bhiwndi and Máhim Municipalities to take
the measures described in paragraph 5 above, and inquired of the other Munici-
palities whether the arrangements previously adopted by them were being main-
tained. All Municipalities were called on to make immediate reports of cases
as they occurred. The replies were generally to the effect that the necessary
measures were being taken ; but in fact, as afterwards appeared except at Thána
and Kalyán, the inspections of passengers were practically a farce and the rules
about segregation were a dead letter. Inquiries of the Superintendents of the
Railway Police showed that the Police on both lines had ordered-to look for
and detain cases, but that the Companies' servants did nothing.
10. To guard against infection from fugitives by road from Bombay a
chauki for inspection was set up at the Sion Causeway on February 1st and a
similar chauki at the Máhim Causeway about March 15th. The cost of the first
was borne by the Local Board ; that of the latter by the Bίndra Municipality.
B.—The Arrival, Progress and Decline of the Plague.
11. I think it convenient to begin this part with a table showing all the
places in Thána which have had a case of plague in them (imported or local)
with the dates of the first and last discovered cases, and the total number of
cases and deaths in each place. In this table the places are arranged in the
order of the first ascertained cases :—
Village.
1. Kalyán
2. Thána
3. Bándra
4. Kurla
5. Bhayndar
6. Chinchni
7. Bhiwndi
8. Bassein
9. Agáshi
10. Mulgaon
11. Sopara
12. Sháhápur
13. Khochivre
14. Wágholi
15. Bolinj
16. Trombay
17. Chembur
18.
Málád
19. Pahadi
20. Watar
21. Máhim
22. Vesáwe
23. Dáhánu
24. Kelva
Date of first known
cases.
1896.
October
6
,, 8
,, 26
December 4
Early Decem-
ber.
December 10
,, 11
,, 24
,, 24
1897.
January
1
,, 2
,, 2
,, 7
,, 8
,, 12
,, 26
,, 27
,, 27
,, 29
,, 29
,, 29
,, 30
,, 30
February
2
Date of last case
of plague.
1897.
June
30
May
28
June
2
May
23
April
23
May
20
July
3
June
9
" 5
April
27
May
11
March
14
IMPORTED.
Cases.
49
41
62
69
1
1
5
30
12
2
5
2
Deaths.
33
28
59
59
1
1
3
19
12
2
5
2
LOCAL.
Cases.
29
149
875
426
93
328
483
467
142
102
131
included in Mulga on.
January
8
,, 12
May
16
June
19
May
30
April
23
February 19
,, 7
May
11
March
17
May
2
1
1
6
21
5
2
2
2
4
2
2
1
1
δ
14
2
2
1
1
2
1
20
35
35
1
1
212
49
Deaths.
22
90
738
371
72
265
428
358
126
72
97
14
20
29
1
203
41
TOTAL·.
Cases.
78
190
937
495
94
329
488
497
154
104
136
2
1
1
26
56
40
3
3
2
216
2
51
Deaths.
55
118
797
430
73
266
431
377
138
74
102
2
1
1
19
34
31
3
1
1
205
1
41
4
Village.
25. Nargol
26. Kaular Budruk
27. Pálghar
28. Wáda
29. Poisar
30. Gholvad
31. Borivli
32. Old Kurla
33. Sauta Cruz (Dánda)
34. Umbargaon
35. Andheri
36. Manori
37. Kiravli
38. Dátivre
39. Vadavli (Salsette)
40. Shelar
41. Tarápur
42. Vadawli (Bassein)
43, Nirmal
44. Umbrale
...
45. Juchandra
46.
Marole
...
,
47. Gondavli
...
...
48, Wássind
49. Yedvan
51. Chaine
52, Kalgaum
...
...
53. Mudd
54. Máhul
56. Asangaon
...
...
...
57· Sandor
58. Nágapn
59, Shahad
60A. Bándra slaughter-house
60B. Kirol
61. Ghâtkopor
62. Kolhe Kalyán
63. Kalwa
65. Patntembhi
66. Rίi-Murdhe
67. Uttan
68. Malvani
69. Tulitij
70. Nila-More
71. Ghiwli
72. Dongari
73- Kaular Khurd
74. Koprad
75. Kudan
76. Virar
77. Goregaon
78. Murbád
79.
Nanale
..,
80. Ju
81. Kolhivli
82.
Anjur
...
83. Mardeo
84. Akshe
85. Gas
86. Vile-Padle
87. Giring
88. Gandhari
Date of first known
casos.
1896.
February
4
,,
5
,, 5
,, 5
,, 6
,, 7
,, 13
,, 14
,, 15
,, 15
,, 16
,, 16
,, 16
,, 17
,, 18
,, 18
,, 26
,, 27
,, 27
,, 27
,, 27
March
2
,, 3
,, 4
,, 6
,, 6
,, 12
,, 14
,, 18
,, 19
,, 20
,, 22
,, 23
,, 25
,, 27
,, 27
,, 28
,, 29
,, 29
,, 29
,, 29
April
5
,, 7
,, 8
,, 9
,, 9
,, 9
,, 9
,, 11
,, 13
,, 13
,, 15
,, 17
,, 18
,, 19
,, 20
,, 24
,, 28
,, 29
May
7
,, 8
,, 9
,, 10
,, 14
,, 25
Date of late case
of plague.
1897.
February
4
,, 5
,, 5
,, 5
February
7
,, 13
included
April
22
February 15
April
27
June
20
May
9
February 17
March
18
February 26
May
19
,, 6
February 27
May
4
February 27
May
27
March
21
,, 5
,, 6
,, 6
,, 12
,, 14
May
11
June
2
March
20
,, 22
April
5
June
9
March
27
May
14
March
28
,, 29
June
2
March
29
,, 31
May
22
,, 22
,, 9
,, 10
April
11
,, 25
May
5
April
11
,, 13
,, 3
,, 15
May
2
April
22
,, 19
May
8
,, 16
April
28
May
1
,, 7
,, 8
,, 12
June
25
May
18
,, 25
Total
IMPORTeD.
Oases.
1
1
1
1
1
1
in
3
4
3
3
1
2
1
1
2
6
2
1
2
1
2
1
1
2
2
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
384
Deaths.
1
1
1
1
1
1
Kurla.
1
4
3
3
1
2
1
1
1
6
2
1
2
1
2
1
1
2
2
1
2
1
1
1
1
304
LOCAL.
Cases.
1
1
18
33
57
4
2
7
121
35
1
11
1
33
1
61
11
2
101
41
15
l2
13
1
7
4
?
29
1
3
2
1
2
2
7
17
3
2
1
2
3
2
4, 256
Deaths .
1
9
28
42
3
2
7
115
34
1
11
28
1
57
9
2
69
32
5
6
7
1
5
3
3
25
1
3
2
1
1
1
3
6
1
1
2
1
1
3,477
TOTAL·.
Cases.
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
21
4
36
60
4
1
4
7
122
35
1
12
1
35
6
2
1
2
1
1
61
13
1
1
2
101
2
41
2
1
15
1
2
13
14
2
7
4
7
29
1
3
2
1
2
2
1
7
18
1
3
2
1
2
3
2
1
4,640
Deaths.
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
10
4
31
45
3
1
4
7
116
34
1
12
29
6
2
1
2
1
1
57
11
1
1
2
69
2
32
2
1
5
2
6
7
2
5
3
3
25
1
3
2
1
1
1
1
3
6
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
3,781
12. I understand that it has been asserted by some persons claiming
certain authority that the plague has or may have a local origin in certain
conditions of the food or dwelling of the people. The history of the epidemic
in the Thána District gives the most flat contradiction to any such theory.
There is not an atom of evidence that the plague was a spontaneous develop-
ment in any place in this district, while there is clear evidence as regards prac-
tically every affected place that it was brought from other affected places.
Whether it is communicated by the process called infection or contagion, if
16
(Bassein) case "was infected in A'gáshi, and the second (if it was really plague)
was in the family of the first. The Gandhari (Kalyán) case was imported from
Kalyán.
67. It will thus be seen that there has not been a single instance in this
district where there is even a remote suspicion that the plague had a spontaneous
origin. In practically every case infection can be traced either to a stranger
from an infected place or to a local resident who visited an infected place.
68. A glance at the accompanying map will show not merely that the plague
adhered to the Railway, but that it almost confined itself to the area traversed
by the local trains, the limits of which are respectively Virar and Kalyán. The
following list of the number of places in each táluka which had a case of plague
bears this out :—
Sálsette
Bassein
Máhim
Kalyán
Dáhánu
Bhiwndi
Sháhápur
Yáda
Murbád
..
..
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..
.
.
.
.
.
.
32 places.
24
"
8 "
7 "
6 "
3 "
3 "
1 "
1 "
It is still more strikingly shown if places with local cases only are taken:—
Sálsette
Bassein
Máhim
Bhiwndi
Kalyán
Dáhánu
Sháhápur
Váda
Murbád
...
...
...
...
. ..
...
...
...
...
.
.
.
.
.
.
. 27 places
... 22
"
... 5 "
... 3 "
... 1 "
. 1 "
. 0
. 0
. 0
The fact already observed that this plague was essentially a Bania or trad-
ing class plague sufficiently explains why it went further along the B. B. & C.I,
than the G. L P., the former being the line by which Gujarátis naturally fly.
The only places north of the local trains which were seriously affected—Kelwa,
Chinchni; Tárápur and Bhiwndi—have large Pándherpesha population and were
resorted to by fugitives from Bombay of the trading classes. The sea-faring
population were an additional danger to Kelwa and Chinchni owing to their
intercourse with Bombay and the infected ports in South Thána, but the cases
of plague brought by boats appear to have been few.
69. As regards the intensity of the plague in different places the following
list is made of the principal places, showing the percentage of local cases on the
normal population :—
1. Nágaon
(Bassein)
2. Sopara
( " )
3. Chinchni (Dáhánu)
4. Bándra
(Sálsette)
5. Vesáve
( " )
6. Mudd
( " )
7. Bassein
(Bassein)
S. Santa Cruz (Sálsette)
9. Tárápur
(Máhim)
10. Kurla
(Sálsette)
11. Bháyndar ( " )
12. Bhiwndi (Bhiwndi)
13. Ghivle
(Máhim)
14. Andheri
(Sálsette)
15. Ägashi
(Bassein)
16. Málád
(Sálsette)
17. Manori
( " )
18. Chemhur ( " )
19. Marole
( " )
20. Ju
( " )
21, Trombay ( " )
Per cent.
8.3
8.1
6.8
4.7
4.4
4.4
4.1
4.0
3.9
3.7
3.4
3.3
32
3.1
1.9
1.9
1.9
1.7
1.6
1.3
1.1
19
Week ending 12th February
Do.
19th
do.
Do.
26th
do.
Do.
5th. March
Do.
12t,h do.
Do.
19th
do.
Do.
26th do.
Do.
2nd April
Do.
9th do.
Do.
16th do.
Do.
23rd do.
Do.
30th do.
Do.
7th May
Do.
14th do.
Do.
21st do.
Do.
28th do.
Do.
4th June
Do.
11th
do.
Do.
18th do.
Do.
25th do.
Do.
2nd July
Do.
9th do.
Total ...
IMPORTED.
Cases.
15
72
25
8
32
24
28
27
10
l4
13
5
6
2
3
2
1
2
...
. · ·
. . .
3
384
Deaths.
18
48
24
7
28
18
20
17
9
7
7
3
3
1
3
2
1
...
...
. . ·
...
1
304
INDIGENOUS.
Cases.
191
233
282
257
277
277
345
410
359
287
268
190
148
82
82
38
20
15
8
4
2
...
4,256
Deaths.
132
213
229
227
235
251
285
356
305
224
214
132
139
60
66
24
13
12
6
1
1
...
3,477
ΤΟΤAΙ.
Cases.
206
305
307
265
309
301
373
437
369
301
281
195
154
84
85
40
21
17
8
4
2
3
4,640
Deaths.
150
261
253
234
263
269
305
373
314
231
221
135
142
61
69
26
14
12
6
1
1
1
3,781
Owing to imperfect reports it is not possible to give weekly figures before
the middle of January, and it is to be feared that the total number of deaths at
first was not fully reported. From the beginning of February, however, the
figures may be considered accurate. The epidemic reached its climax in the
last week of March, after which there was a steady but slow decline till April
23rd and then a rapid decline of about 50 per cent, each week till the end.
The apparent arrest in the week ending 21st May was not real ; but merely
due to the inclusion of él cases from the Bândra slaughter-house which be-
longed to a month previous but had not been punctually reported by the officer
in charge, who was under the Bomby Plague Committee, The difference in the
total for the week ending April 2nd as compared with the total (382 local cases)
shown in my weekly plague reports is due to the inclusion of certain Vesáve
figures which had not previously been reported by the Taláti.
C.—Measures adopted for the suppression of the Plague.
75. The measures taken or professed to be taken by the various Municipa-
lities for the exclusion of the plague have already been described, and their total
failure in every instance except those of Kalyán and to some extent Thána has
clearly appeared from the foregoing paragraphs. By the end of January it was
becoming clear that in spite of their powers the Municipalities were unable to
do anything effective, and that the rural areas, where no powers existed, were
certain to be widely attacked. The Epidemic Diseases Act III of 1897 had there-
fore become necessary, and the rules under it, of which the first draft prepared
by the Commissioner, N. D., reached this office on 13th February, first gave the
District officers the powers necessary to combat the epidemic. The Commis-
sioner himself visited Thána at this juncture and under his directions and with
the advice given by the Sanitary Commissioner and Deputy Sanitary Commis-
sioner, both of whom with Surgeon-Captain Hudson, the Civil Surgeon, were
called into Council, a plan of campaign was at once set on foot.
76. It was resolved that the segregation of the sick and of their families
in hospitals and quarantine camps should be rigorously enforced as essential to
the suppression of the epidemic, and orders for the erection of the necessary
23
85. The following table shows the number of houses disinfected, excluding
Bándra, for which Mr. Gilbert kept no count, and some small villages :—
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
Place.
Sálsette Táluka.
Kurla
Thána
Bháyndar
Mudd
Chembur
Vesave
Andheri
...
Wadhavli
...
.
Marole
Kirol
Uttan
Malawni
Ráí Murdhe
Dongari
Ju . .
Málád
Akshe
Manori
Trombay
Vilepadle
Kolhe Kalyán ...
Kandiwli
Mahul
Ghátkopar
Kalyán Táluka,
Kalyán
Number
of houses
disinfected.
1S8
245
187
191
36
154
165
6
19
3
14
147
72
7
203
254
12
154
17
2
6
7
66
1
88
No.
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
Place.
Bhiwandi Táluka.
Bhiwandi
Shelar
Anjur
Bassein Táluka.
Bassein
Sopara
...
Agáshi
Khochivre
...
Nagaon
Kiravli
Girinj
...
. .
Kaviar Budruk ...
Do. Khurd ...
Sandor
Máhim Taluka.
Kelve
Tárápur
Ghivli
Pamtembhi
Dáhánu Táluka,
Chinchni
...
Total ...
Number
of houses
disinfected.
391
5
3
914
174
192
164
97
13
2
1
3
4
73
511
14
64
933
,. "-.
5,802
Including Bándra and the small villages, the number of houses disinfected can·
not have been much tinder 7,000.
86. Inoculation was performed by Doctor Haffkine at my request at Bándra
and Andheri on the March 20th. About 125 people, including Mr. Hudson, the
Assistant Collector, and myself, were inoculated that day. On April 25th
Surgeon-Major Lyons inoculated 235 people, including Mr. Leggatt at Tárápur ;
and on May 10th, at a second visit to the same place, he inoculated 358 more.
Two fatal cases of plague occurring after inoculation have already been reported
to Government and no others are known to me. If in another visitation inocu-
lation is to be squarely tested an officer who knows the process must be placed
under the orders of the Collector.
87. There were few cases of plague among the persons employed to
examine, carry or attend ou plague-stricken people. I do not think that the
total number of such cases exceeded six in the whole district. This immunity
was no doubt principally due to the constant use of disinfectants in the plague
sheds. Unless the doctors have facts to the contrary, I should be inclined to
theorise that most natives got plague through abrasions in their feet, owing to
their habit of walking about their houses bare-foot and that the immunity of us,
Europeans, who all walked recklessly into infected houses, was chiefly due to
our boots. Mere proximity to infected things does not seem to be dangerous,
at least to Europeans ; for Mr. Hudson, Mr. Leggatt, Mr. Mead and myself
have repeatedly collected with our sticks or riding whips heaps of rags, clothes
and even biers from infected houses or burial-grounds and have stooped over
them to set them alight, without the use of any disinfectants. All experience,
in fact, seems to show that the bacillus does nob travel through the air at all ;
and that even if he touches the skin he requires an abrasion of some sort before
he can get in. I dare say this is all well established among scientific men ; but
27
99. I ought not to omit mention of the co-operation of the Customs
officers under the orders of Messrs. Cotgrave and Thom, not only in the
examination of boats, but on some occasions in other plague work. The
Sir Kárkun of Trombay desserves special mention for his usefulness as a plague
authority in that port.
100. Among non-officials who gave voluntary assistance it gives me
pleasure to name Mr. Mervanji Jehangir who made an able plague authority at
Santa Cruz. Mr. D. J. DeMonte and Mr, Antone F. Gonsalves who gave valu-
able aid at Vesáve and Mr. Ramzanbhai Rahimbhai who gave Doctor Anderson.
similar assistance at Kurla. Some other Mahomedan non-officials at Bhiwndi
and Tárápur and a few Police Pátils who did good service have received small
presents from the Commissioner, N. D's. grant for that purpose. The Bráhmin
Vice-Présidents of the Máhim Municipality and Local Board took some trouble
to keep the plague out of their town ; but the Brahmins of the District as a rule
stood aloof and offered no assistance to the plague authorities. A Committee
of Bráhmins was formed at Thána ostensibly to assist the Civil Surgeon, but
after I rejected a ridiculous proposal that a Magistrate should be the Judge of
plague little more was heard of them.
101. I regret that this report should be so long ; but Government ordered
that it should be comprehensive.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
A. C, LOGAN,
Collector.
BOMBAY : PRINTED AT THE GOVERNMENT CENTRAL
8
69. The end of February in Bándra was the worst period of the attack :
in Bombay the commencement of February was the worst period.
70. Several persons who recovered from the disease were badly blistered
with some native medicine on the buboes. I leave it to Doctors to say whether
this remedy is of any use. At any rate I know many who applied it were cured.
71. Assistant Surgeon Gonsalves kept the register of attacks and deaths
from plague. Every doubtful case was returned as plague. These total as
follows, viz. :—·
Attacks.
935
Deaths.
797
The Khar Hospital returns were as follows : —
Month.
March ...
April ...
...
May
Total ...
Remained
on 1st.
11
5
...
Admitted.
104
27
14
145
Discharged
cured or
otherwise.
16
23
12
51
Deaths.
77
10
7
94
Remaining.
11
5
...
Four patients were inoculated four times each with Dr. Haffkine's curative
serum. All died.
72. Latterly the plague being less virulent there were more recoveries. It
is possible those who recovered may have spoken of their good treatment in the
hospital to their neighbours, and the prejudice may not be so great in future
against hospitals should plague break out again. It is impossible however to
find out native opinion on the point. Nearly all appear to be alive to the fact
now that plague is contagious, but Government may rest assured that few will do
anything to assist in suppressing another attack. Assistance will not come from
themselves, but I hope resistance at any rate will not be shown.
73. I am under great obligation to and must thank those who assisted me
in plague work,—to Surgeon-Captain Prall for the great work he did in the
hospital and as a plague authority ; to Mr. F. A. Little, a very busy man, for the
hard work he did in seeing houses were put in a sanitary state, and as one of my
advisers ; to Assistant Surgeon Gonsalves and Doctor DeMonte for their work
as plague authorities and as medical officers to the hospital. I also have to thank
Mr. E. Howse, Mr. N. Futtehally, and Mr. Kharás, who lately lent me their
assistance as plague authorities, and to Mr. E. R. Smeetham, who was President
of the Panch for valuing. Mr. Dubois, the Superintendent of Police, was kind
enough to do a lot of house-to-house visitation during his stay in Bándra
Mr. B. M. Malabari also assisted me in February in plague work whilst he was
in Bándra.
74. The Hospital Assistant, Mr. Bhowniprasad Bhagwanal, did excellent
work and showed no fear. He is a Government servant, and I should wish his
good services brought to the notice of his superior officers. Chief Constable
"Francis rendered me assistance in plague work also.
75. Our Nurses consisted of Sister Magdalene and Sister Katherine. Sister
Magdalene got ill in April and had to go away, the late Sister Elizabeth took
her place. When she left, Miss MacDonald Ritchie, a volunteer, a trained Nurse
who came out from England for plague work, took her work. She remained at the
hospital till its close. Their work was the noblest of all. We are under the
deepest obligation to them, and nothing I can write will adequately describe the
praise which is rightly theirs.
BOMBAY : PRINTED AT THE GOVERNMENT CENTRAL· PRESS.
3
lu Kelwa also the first local cases occurred in the person of two Shimpis
to whose house some Shimpis from Bombay had come five days before. These
Bombay people were in good health, and after staying three days they returned
to Bombay.
In both the above instances rats died in the houses after the arrival of the
people from Bombay and before the persons living in the house were attacked.
It would appear that rats are extremely susceptible to the disease, have a
short incubation period, and propagate the disease locally. It is improbable that
they intensify the poison, as in Máhim rats died in at least three different houses
and no local cases occurred in the town.
At Vesáwa a striking instance of the disease being carried by an apparently
healthy person occurred.
The first imported case at Vesáwa occurred on 30th January in the person
of a Brahman who came sick from Bombay. The Brahman schoolmaster of
Vesáwa visited this man while he was sick and attended his funeral on 31st
January. The schoolmaster lived in the village Taláti's house. On the 2nd
February the Taláti's nephew, who lived in this house, was attacked by plague,
while the schoolmaster himself was not attacked till the 5th of February.
In Marol also the first case occurred in a house to which a number of
people had come from Bombay to attend a wedding. These people were in
good health, and after staying some days they returned to Bombay in good
health. Here also rats died in the house after the arrival of the Bombay people
and before the first human occupant was attacked.
Again in the village of Madhan, an isolated case occurred prior to the out-
break there, in the person of a man to whose house a man from Bombay had
come to live.
Four or five clays after this man's arrival rats died in the house and the
people moved out into sheds.
A day or two afterwards the local occupant of the house was attacked and
died, while the Bombay man escaped.