The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-22
PLAGUE SPREADS IN INDIA
DIFFICULT TO ENFORCE SANITARY
MEASURES AMONG NATIVES.
1t Affects Commercial Prosperity and
Is Becoming n Political Question
One Way of Escape.

measures taken to check it have hitherto
been but very partially successful, with the
exception of M. Haffkine's system of inocu-
lation.
According to yesterdays news the pro-
tective value of incubation has been estab-
lished at Dharwar. In Karachi very similar
results have been obtained, and it seems
possible that by means of the injection of
the modified form of the virus, as prepared
by M. Haffxine, the Russian scientist, India
will be finally freed from the pestilence.
And the sooner the better, for the people
still fret under the measures taken to sup
press or check the disease. 3es
The bubonic plague made its first appear
ance in India of recent years at Bombay in
the autumn of 1896. Its greatest intensity
has been confined to western India; it has
now spread south to the Madras Presidency,
and to the north it has reached the borders
of Persia. Sporadic cases have occurred in
every province of India; it has been officially
declared to be epidemic at one time or other
in Calcutta, in the Punjab, in Mysore, and
in the Northwest Provinces.
This pestilence is no new thing in India
There are several northumberland records
of visitations in the past. It's ravages were
appalling; cities were decimated, large tracts
of country laid desolate. The progress of
infection was slow and erratic. 1t would
break out unaccountably in distant places
passing over districts that lay, so to speak,
in the direct march of the disease. It's SUBJ
sidence was rapid and unexpected. On a
moment it would abate and disappear The
three days pestilence among the children
Of Israel, that was stayed at the threshing
floor of Araunah the Jebusite, resembled
in its sudden appearance and disappearance
and in it's extreme malignancy an outbreak
of bubonic plague. Only its duration was
too short. 4sas
In former times in India plague was all
lowed to work out its own course, or else
the most drastic measures were taken to
suppress it. Infected areas were cut off
from all communication with the outer
world by large bodies of soldiery and no
person allowed to escape until death had
ceased its CHASTITY harvesting. Nowadays
such measures are out of the question; the
government of India must fight the pesti-
lence With the weapons sanctioned by
civilization which sets higher value on the
liberty of the individual than on the safety
of the general public.
To understand the difficulties that encom-
pass the suppression of plague it is neces-
sary to understand the sentiment of the peo-
pie towards it.
Sudden death has no terrors for the ORR
entail. He is accustomed to it. In the East
day passes into night of an instant, there is
no twilight; so life enters the darkness of
the grave quickly and with unheSitating
step. When an epidemic RACES the people
go down before it INTERESTINGLY, only pray
ing TO the Giver of Life-or to the deities
that they believe mediate between them and
Him-that they may, be spared in His mercy
accompanying their supplications with the
Sacrlnces and rites ordained for times of
sickness
ORIENTAL FATALISM.
A vivid illustration of this occurs in a let
ter written by the Ameer of Afghanstan
to the government of India on April Z 1871,
on the subject of plague. His highness con-
sents to take all reasonable precautions to
prevent it's entering his dominions and if it
occurs he promises to endeavor to stamp
it out. He then observes:
by the grace of God up to the present. no
sign of the disease. has appeared in this
hereafter the best thing would be to seek
the grace and kindness of the Supreme Doc
tor. It has not been heard as yet that I'M
der the treatment of existing doctors even
per cent of the persons afflicted by such a
disease have recovered. On the contrary,
burning the clothes and houses of the af-
fiicted persons they have not been able to
administer any other remedy. Consequently.
under these circumstances it is better to in,
woke the aid of God by praying for His
grace and kindness"
The frame of mind exemplified in these
"
no new thing. Doctors have had to over
come it before. 1t is now recognized that
the people of India are no more adverse to
sanitation than the rest of mankind once
they understand that disease is the logical
outcome. of insanitation. Though they fear
not DEATH they prefer life. Instill into them
that life may be prolonged by the adoption
of certain means or methods. and these will
be adopted 1t is not easily done; but it has
been achieved, and is being achieved
Astounding tact and a thorough knowledge
Of native thought and life are the two essen
tials of success.
More terrifying than plague to the ORR
entail idea are the measures taken to sup
press 1T. This dread is in part inherited
for, as already pointed out the measures
in old times were mercless. 1t is beyond
human possibility to stamp out an epidemic
of the nature of the buborlic plague without
constant interference with the people, and
frequent intrusion into their homes. Even
when they of their free will assist they have
to subject themselves to restrictions numer-
Gus and irritating.
The privacy of the home is even more
cherished in India than it is here. Seclusion
of the women is one reason Another. among
to earn their bread, and, therefore there is
no ''purdah," is that in the floor of the hut
lies buried scanty hoard of tupees, the
Government declares the privacy of no
mans dwelling can be respected if plague
is P present The first thing to happen is the
to acquire brides by threatening to report
suspected cases. The surprising readiness
Will WHICH people SuDmlL TO THIS form or
eXtortion makes it most difficult to prevent.
They pay and make no complaint, but dis
affection spreads apace.
THE NATIVES OBJECT
In addition to house-to-house inspection,
the government has at times felt bound to
insist on inspection of travellers at railway
stations. 1t endeavored to arrange that i'm
every case the women should be inspected
by women, and privately; but this was not
invariably possible, and women have had to
be inspected by male doctors. and in order
to prevent false accusations other persons
had to be present during inspection. This
the native regarded intolerable.
Furthermore, it became necessary to stop
Hindu religious fairs, or to prevent people
from certain provinces and districts attend
ing them. The great annual Mahommedan
pilgrimage to the Hedjaz had also TO be in
terdicted.
1t will be clear from what has been said
that almost every measure the government |
has had to take in order to check or eradi-
cate plague has brought it into direct con-
f1ict with the people. and not with any one
section of it, but with all alike, rich and
poor, educated and uneducated Hindu and
The vceroy and his advisers |
litcal danger that can threaten British do
minion in the East, the estrangement of
all classes.
If plague were merely a question of the
health of India little notice need be paid to
1t. At its worst it has never been more
fatal than cholera, and the aggregate of !
deaths falls far short of the mortality due |
to malaria. But the terror 1t inspires in |
Europe causes 1t to become political ques-
ton, vitality affecting the commercial pros