Report on the general aspects of epidemic cholera in 1872. / By J. L. Bryden.

  • Bryden, James L. (James Lumsdaine), 1833-1880.
Date:
1874
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report on the general aspects of epidemic cholera in 1872. / By J. L. Bryden. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

    11/72 (page 5)
    (/).—I have said that the Central Provinces, the favorite seat of cholera, have been practically free from cholera in 1873. Excluding Sumbulpore, which falls in naturally with Orissa and not with the Central Provinces, the registration of the entire tract, from January to June 1873, gives the following :— Cholera Deaths of the Central Provinces, January to June 1873.— (excluding Sumbulpore). Jan. Feb. March. April. May. June. 1 1 20* 2 None. None. [g) ,—In the Berars not a single death from cholera was registered from January to May, the latest date up to which the returns have been received. (h) .—From Rajpootana Dr. Moore reports 27 cases of cholera in the Bhurtpore State, between 4th and 14th June, evidently coincident with the cholera of the same week which showed itself in many districts of the North-Western Provinces lying to the east of Bhurtpore. In the west of India, a few cases were reported in May. Dr. Moore reports eight cases from Oodeypore and Pertahghur in April and May. And very recently an outbreak has occurred at Sirdarpore, in Western Malwa, among the men of the Bheel Corps, causing eight deaths. Memorandum on the Cholera of the The note which follows, Written in answer to ail Bengal Presidency of 1873 up to enquiry from the Government of India, summarises the 41nS'/of oSeT*°^*^^°^^'^'''***'^^ information received regarding cholera among the troops eginnmg o c o er. Bengal Presidency in 1873 up to 26th August:— The experience of 1868 and 1870 suggested that cholera would not prevail epidemically in Northern India in 1873. The grounds for this anticipation were these. In each of the two preceding epidemics cholera broke out beyond the frontier of Hindostan, in Caubul and the Caspian Provinces, simultaneously with its epidemic appearance in Northern India. The practical inference we drew from the fact at the time was, that the main body of the cholera had passed over India in its onward course, and that, therefore, localisation and re- vitalisation in force (or epidemic vigour) was not to be looked for in the year succeeding, a contingency which is almost certain to occur should the epidemic advance be arrested any- where in the continent of India. The result justified the anticipation. On the southern route of advance, viz., that through the Central Provinces towards the western coast, a similar phenomenon is observed. The diversion of the advancing epidemic in 1872 implied the probability of absolute exemption in the Central Provinces and Central India in 1873 ; and up to date, no cholera has shown itself anywhere within the unaffected tract of 1872. We might make an exception of Jhansi and Morar, which have had individual cases of cholera. But the probability of the occurrence of such cases we foresaw, when in the spring of 1873, Banda and the adjoining districts to the east, unaffected in 1872, became slightly affected with cholera. This was an invading cholera, and it occurred along with the revitalisation of cholera in the Valley of the Ganges. At the beginning of this year, I gave it as my opinion that, while the western division of the epidemic area would escape, all the stations of the Gangetic Valley, and the east generally, might be expected to show cases of cholera among the troops. And this is exactly what has turned out. Seetapore, Lucknow, Cawnpore, Allahabad, Benares and Dinapore have had individual cases, which indicate the vitality of cholera over the eastern area generally ; but, at the same time, the want of epidemic vigour is evident. Until further evidence of renewed invasion from within the endemic area is manifested, we shall probably be exempt from severe outbreaks, and after 20th September this exemp- tion may be considered almost certain. But to foretell when a new epidemic shall issue forth is beyond calculation. Writing in the first week of October, six weeks subsequent to the date of this memoran- dum, I am compelled to state that the evidence of the presence of cholera over a very extensive area has been furnished within the last den days. Manifestation in strength we do not expect at this season. But the fact of the appearance in Central India of even isolated cases of cholera subsequent to 20th September, implies, in my opinion, not the revitalisation of a cholera which has already made its invasion, but the movement from the east of a fresh body of cholera, such as we have found in so many epidemics, moving westward after the 20th October. I look, therefore, with apprehen- sion on the cases which have occurred in Delhi, Agra, and its neighbourhood, and in Jubbulpore within the past few days, as possibly indices of the advance from the east of the material of a new epidemic. The cases earlier in the year in the Gangetic stations were no doubt associated with the epidemic movement of cholera in the eastern division of the epidemic area.f But the aspect of the late local outbreaks seems to point to new invasion. Cholera appearing earlier in the year should die naturally between 13th and 20th September ; while the cholera of a new movement or of a new epidemic, shows itself in isolated outbreaks * The Civil Surgeon of Belaspore, from which all these deaths were reported, states that there was no true cholera in his district. f See note to page 49. B