The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1897-09-09
THE RECENT Il IA uE IN INDIA


ss mere was q Blue sB0Okg ISSUED the
other day containing the official story
of the bubonic plague in India down to-
May. This, of course, does not include
the period Of the outrage Poona and.
the riots in Calcutta; but there is much
in the dispatches that helps us to under
stand the native panic. u = = = AS to.
the sanitary precaut ions enforced, the
Bombay government resisted for some
time the attempt Of the ndian govern
ment, urged BY the home government,
to impose too drastic regulations upon
the people. This was the opinion Of the
Bombay administration.
From the beginning ofthe outbreak
of this disease it has been found that
the native Inhabitants of the city are
very reluctant to leave their houses or to-
allow any member Of their family af-
f;cted with the disease to be taken
away. Indeed, their dread of the dis
ease itself appears to be hardly so pow
erfu as their horror of being removed
from their houses. Ignorance and; SUI
perstition prevent them from discern-5
ing either that removal to hospital is
good for the sick OF. removal to infected
dwellings good for the healthy, and
they are far more easily moved by fear
Of the municipal and police authorities
than by any realization of the benefits:
that will accrue from sensible course
Of action. It is estimated that not less
than 3O0, 900 persons have already fled
from Bombay, moved so to do, not only
by fear Of the plaugue, but quite as
much, if not more, by an unfounded
and unreasonable fear of what might
happen to them at the hands of the po-
lice and municipal authorities were
| they to remain.
The exodus has already necessitated
precautionary measures against arri-
walls from Bombay in every part of the
presidency; it has led tofthe plague be-
coming epidemic in Poona and in parts
of the Thana district; it has resulted in
overcrowding by refugees from Bombay
of many cities and towns, and it has
made demands on the number, of quail
flied medical practitioners available to
the government, that can with difficulty
be met. Every addition to the number
of refugees adds to the possibility of
spreading the disease, and to the diff
Guilty of dealing with it should it break
out.
The measures taken may not have
been so stringent as those that would,
in European city, have gained general
support, but they are the most string
ent that it was possible to undertake
without almost certainly producing a
calamity more serious andmore wide
spread than the very terrible one that
has now to be dealt with.
The Indian government, however,
were impressed by the necessity of de-
cisive action, and replied:
''The government of India having
carefully considered your telegram 1922
P; dated 18th, and letter 1882, dated
18th, regarding the evacuation of
plague-infected houses, regret that,
while giving full weight to the opinions
of the local government in regard to
the disposition Of the people, they are
unable to accept the view that the con-
siderations adduoed in your letter show
that it is impracticable to induce peo-
pie to move from infected houses to a
healthy locality. This course has been
strongly recommended by the medical
adviser of the government of India. It
is only the measure attacking thereof
of evil which appears practicable. and
experience in Karachi seems to show
that it can foe so introduced as not to
offend the prejudices Of the people and
| is effectual in holding the disease in
check."-LondOn News.