The record-union., 1897-01-15
Situation Aggravated by the Preva-
lence of Famine.
Eight Hundred Thousand Fugitives
Camped Out at Anderhi, Where
There is a Scarcity of Water and
the Crudest Sanitary Arrange
ments-Cholera Threatens to Fol-
low the Bubonic Plague.

BOMBAY, Jan. 14.-Every day the
plague situation becomes worse, and it
is estimated that nearly half the popu-
lation of the city, about 100000. have
fled to escape death. The situation is
greatly aggravated by the prevalence
of the famine. thousands of natives
leaving the city with absolutely moth
ing on which to support themselves in
the country. The streets and bazars,
that a few weeks ago were teeming
with life, are now virtually deserted.
and many shops and offices are closed.
One result of the plague has been a
great diminution in all kinds of crime
except burglary and petty thefts, and
these in many instances are due TO pow
erty stricken WretcheS taking advan-
tage of the fact that large quantities
of property have been left without pro-
lection by refugees from the plague in
tested city. So great has been the fall
ing off in criminal and other cases that
the High Court of Justice does not now
find business to occupy more than half
its time, while the courts in some cases
have abandoned their sitting altogether
and the officials have taken a holiday
Eight hundred thousand fugitives are
camping out at Anderhi. There is a
scarcity of water in and about the town
and the sanitary arrangements are of
the crudest character. The refugees,
however, are more afraid of the bu-
honic plague than of cholera, which is
threatened, and they will undoubtedly
remain where they are rather than to
return to Bombay.
The Government is doing everything
possible to assist the people but its eff
forts thus far have been productive of
little real result in the direction of
cleanliness.
In Poona and Bandra the plague is
raging with great virulence. The efforts
Of the physicians to stay the disea Sc
have been fruitless. Hundreds of per-
sons that have been attacked by the
disease have died in two or three hours.
after suffering dreadful agony
The customs of the natives add to the
Nervousness of the plague. The Mo
hammedan mosques are over-crOwded,
and it is impossible to find men enough
to dig the graves and bury the dead
The sound of dirges is incessant in and
about the places where the Hindoos
burn their dead in accordance with
their time honored custom, and the fu-
neral music has a most depressing in
fuence on all who hear it, natives and
foreigners alike.
1t is stated that numbers of dead
bodies of Parsees, the religious sect
who expose their dead bodies to be
eaten by the vultures, are slowly de-
composing in the open air in the places
in which they are left. They have not
been eaten by the vultures, the birds
having been overgorged by the great
abundance of corpses furnished to
them.
Everywhere the greatest difficulty is
found in obtaining men to carry the
dead to cemeteries, burying places and
the dokahamas, or towers of silence"
of the Parsees. Even relatives shun the
task, fearing that they will contract
the disease by touching or approaching
the corpseS. In many cases bodies have
been found abandoned in the streets,
their bearers having been overcome by
fear while taking them to their last
resting place.
Up to to-day the number of cases of
the plague is placed officially at 1894,
and the number of deaths at 1856. The
Eurasians, those of half native and half
foreign parentage, enjoy comparative
from the disease. Very few
Europeans have contracted the dis
ease, they apparently not being sub
ject to it's attack.
A feature of the disease that was not
ed in Hongkong and Southern China
while it was prevalent there is also no.
ticed here. Swine, poultry and rodents
appear to be very susceptible to the
plague. and great numbers of them
have died.