288
[CHAP. IX.
A few imported cases excepted, Hubli Town has been free from plague since December
1898. The total numbers of cases and deaths from the beginning of the epidemic to the
2nd June 1899 are as follows :-
From 17th October 1897 to
2nd June 1899.
IMPORTED.
INDIGENOUS.
Total

Cases.
Deaths.
Cases.
Deaths.
Cases.
Deaths.
Hubli Town (Population- 52,595)
84
68
3,495
2,963
3,579
3,031
On the 1 5th of July 1898, His Excellency the Governor, accompanied by the Plague
Commissioner, visited Hubli, inspected all the arrangements, and received an address from
the Municipality.

Dhárwár Town.
Population-32,841.

Dhárwár Town had long been menaced before it was attacked.    Imported cases occurred
as early as November 1897 in the Observation Camp
which was in the charge of Mr. L. C. Crump, I. C. S. These
came from Belgaum Cantonment. As cases were occurring at
Hubli, and it was feared that Dhárwár might be attacked, Mr. E. L. Cappel, I.C.S., the
Collector, introduced a general scheme organizing the health, operations for the town ;
appointed ordinary and special plague authorities; divided the town into wards, each in
charge of a Supervisor ; and ordered the keeping of a Census Register. Doubtless, it was
partly due to these precautions and this vigilance that Dhárwár escaped so long ; but
whatever the cause, for the next seven months Dhárwár remained undisturbed by plague of
any kind. One solitary imported case (from Belgaum) was indeed reported in April 1898.
But the sudden onset of plague in Hubli left little hope of Dhárwár's ultimate escape :
for, from June 1898, imported cases occurred with increasing frequency : and at length, in
August 1898, Dhárwár fell. With the fall of Dhárwár, anxiety for the rest of the District
was doubled : for, with Hubli and Dhárwár both badly infected, the District was seriously
threatened ; and subsequent events proved this anxiety to be only too well grounded.
In Dhárwár, plague broke out first as in Belgaum, in a quarter inhabited by low and
dirty classes, such as the 'Kakars,' 'Kasais' and 'Waddars.' The evacuation of this quarter
undoubtedly checked the progress of the disease, but there were signs that it had also
invaded other parts of the town ; and a serious epidemic had at last to be faced. As in
Hubli, so in Dhárwár, inoculation was energetically pushed : and, although the entire
population were not inoculated, more than half the inhabitants availed themselves of its
protection. On the 6th January 1899, the progress and results of inoculation were as
follows :-

Numbers.
Total cases.
Total deaths.
Once inoculated
1,907
141     
55
Twice inoculated
9,978
41
21
Uninoculated*
Varying
1,190
929
*    Of these 1,256 were specially exempted on account of age, sickness, etc.
Note.-Over 17,000 inoculations had been performed at this date in Dhárwár Town : but  only the above
proportion of the inoculated remained in the town.