SHOLAPUR DISTRICT.] 267 All the cases were indigenous, and if any imported cases occurred, they were not discovered. But the case of Katewádi village is noteworthy ; and the Collector's remarks are most interesting :- "On the 19th of July rumours reached Sholápur of suspicious sickness and deaths in the village of Katewádi in the Mádha Táluka. This village was not one of the villages which were known to be infected with plague during the previous epidemic ; but it lies in close proximity to three villages, Kurul, Sayadwarwad, and Gotewádi, which suffered severely during the last epidemic. I reached the village on the 20th July, and found that 7 deaths from plague had taken place in the village before my arrival, and that 8 persons were lying sick with plague in different houses in the village. The village was a small one, of not more than 250 inhabitants, and I induced the people to evacuate the village and sleep outside in temporary huts on the same day on which I arrived. The patients were allowed at first to remain in their houses, but were afterwards gradually taken out into the fields, when the people had had time to settle down outside. A census was taken of all the inhabitants, and steps were taken to trace out and keep under observation such persons as had recently migrated to other villages. "The history of the plague in this village was interesting and suggestive. Examination of the Death Register and enquiries made on the spot among the villagers made it clear that 3 deaths from plague had occurred in the village towards the end of the month of May, but they had not been recognised and reported as plague deaths. Two of them occurred in one house, and the description of the symptoms and the circumstances of the deaths left no doubt that they were due to plague, but as the fact remained unknown to the authorities nothing was done to destroy the infection in the houses or in the village, and the villagers remained in occupation of the village. The disease remained quiescent in the village for two months and then broke out again. Among the first persons attacked were some who were closely connected with the persons who had died in May, and who died in adjacent houses. "There seemed to be every reason to suppose that after the 3 deaths in May the disease germs remained dormant owing to the unfavourable conditions of hot weather and conse- quent desiccation of the soil, but that with the advent of the rains and the accompanying coolness and dampness they sprang into renewed activity." Suspicious deaths occurred on the 24th July in Pokhrápur, and some 15 deaths had occurred when the Collector went in person to examine matters" He says :- "Plague has been in this village from about the beginning of July. I could get no clue to its origin." Equally obscure was its origin in Kondi and Akole. The infection again spread from village to village, and the district has suffered continuously since. Evacuation no sooner frees one village than another is attacked. This- will be seen from the following table :- Date of infection. Village. Táluka. Source. 19th July 1898 Katewádi ... Mádha Probably Kurul. 24th ,, ,, Pokhrápur ... ,, Unknown. ,, ,, ,, Kondi ... ... Sholápur ,, Between 24th July and12th Akole ... ,, ,, August 1898. Shamsápur ... ,, Akole. 26th August 1898 Mohol Ry. Station Mádha ... Unknown. ... ... ... ... ... 16th September Mohol ... ... ,, 21st October Kardeshalli ... Sholápur ,, ,, Vairag ... ... Bársi ... ,, ,, Chikli ... ... ,, ... 4th November ,, Ghatne ... ... Mádha 18th " Yáwali ... ... ,, ,, ,, ,, Dahitne ... Bársi ... 9th December Hingni ... ... Mádha... ,, ,, ,, Kolegaou ... ,, ,, ,, ,, Tambole ,, 16th " ,, Malik Peth ... ,,