(160)
with any year since 1875, taking the latter year as the turning point in the
better registration of deaths. In Bengal Proper and Orissa, as has always
been the case, cholera was least prevalent in those months in which the
least amount of rain fell. In Behar and Chota Nagpur, on the other hand,
the contrary was the case, in these more elevated portions of the province
the prevalence of cholera was greatest in those months in which the rain-
fall was heaviest, and least in those months in which the rainfall was lightest.
In other words, in the low lands of the province the season of cholera preval-
ence is the dry, rainless weather, and in the high lands the season is the
wet, rainy weather, and vice versā.
It is noteworthy that at the greatest majority of fairs no outbreaks of
disease occurred. The exceptions are the following:-At the two fairs held
at Tarkesar in Hugli, there were 19 cases of cholera with nine deaths;
in the March fair, lasting two days, the gathering of people was about 15,000,
and in the April fair, lasting 5 days, about 40,000 people. At the Gunga
Sagar fair, in the 24-Pergunnahs, held in January, and lasting a week, only
5 cases of cholera occurred among an assemblage of about 84,000 people. At
the Kuri fair, held in April on the east bank of the Ganges, in Malda, which
lasted 8 days, and where about 70,000 people were assembled, two or three
persons were attacked with cholera, but they recovered. At the Baron fair
in Dacca, held on the 16th November, which lasted six weeks; and where about
40,769 people and 31,770 boats were collected, only three cases of cholera
occurred, which ended fatally. At the Adapur fair, held in April at
Champarun, which lasted 12 days, and where about 5,000 people were assem-
bled, there occurred an outbreak of cholera, of which no particulars
were furnished. On the other hand, at the Baklipur fair in Birbhum, which
lasted 8 days, and was attended by 30,000 people, no cholera occurred, although
it was very prevalent at the time in villages close by.
Regarding the prevalence of cholera in the Puri district, it is stated that
the disease existed in the Puri town and district in the beginning of the
year and prevailed in one part or another of Puri throughout the year with
increased intensity as compared with 1879, and that it exhibited increased
vigour at three different times, which corresponded with the influx of pilgrims
into the district, as has been the case for years, viz. in February and March,
when pilgrims come for the Doljatra festival, which took place on the 26th
March; again in July for the Rathjatra, which took place on the 9th of that
month; and a third, from September to November, in the latter month
the great car festival being held for a fortnight. It is mentioned also that
at other large fairs in this district, held during the period above mentioned,
there was no cholera, viz. at the Chandra Bhoja fair, held at Gop in April,
where 40,000 people were assembled; at the Ultia Amabosya fair, held in
Puri itself in July, when 15,000 people were assembled; and at the Panchak
fair, held also in Puri from the 13th to 17th November, and at which 10,000
people had assembled.
Regarding the cholera of 1880 in the Hazaribagh district, it is stated that
the only serious outbreaks were those that occurred in the Garwan circle, which
is situated in the north-east corner of the district. Projecting between Monghyr
and Gya, it lies low, is fertile, and well cultivated, and traversed by the
river Sakri, along the left bank of which the pilgrim route from Gya runs. The
first outbreak occurred in March, and lasted till June; the second occurred in
October; and both outbreaks were strictly limited to this circle. The first
case occurred on the 2nd March in the person of a pilgrim coming from Gya,
on the road between the villages of Basodi and Simaldi in the Garwan circle.
After this two persons belonging to these villages were attacked. By the
14th March a good number of cases occurred in both villages. By the 16th
the disease spread to the large but filthy village of Garwan, situated on the
pilgrim road to the south of the villages in which it first appeared. The first
case in Garwan occurred in a woman who had not left the village for some
time previously. * * * From the 30th March the disease spread further, subsid-
ing in some villages and attacking others. Towards the end of May it
declined to a great extent, and disappeared finally by the 17th June, having
lasted a little over three months. In all 387 persons were reported to have
been attacked and 264 to have died during this outbreak, the following