Report upon the outbreak of plague on the Witwatersrand : March 18th to July 31st, 1904 / Rand Plague Committee.

  • South Africa. Rand Plague Committee.
Date:
1905
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Report upon the outbreak of plague on the Witwatersrand : March 18th to July 31st, 1904 / Rand Plague Committee. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    The Registrar’s returns being made up from the deaths recorded during the preceding week, do not necessarily contain all the deaths occurring in that week. Chart VII. shews the deaths from pneumonia among the Indians. ‘he numbers before the 20th February are taken from the Registrar’s returns, but after that date the figures are compiled from the actual dates of death. This shews the true curve, and the sharp ascent from the 12th March to the 19th March, would undoubtedly have been observed by the Health Authorities when the returns had been received even if no outbreak of Plague had been diagnosed. The red line indicating the probable plague cases shews what is in all probability the actual beginning of the epidemic among the Indians ; (this red line was obtained as a result of what follows). As there was very little information to be obtained from these curves, nothing remained but to obtain as full histories as possible of all the deaths from pneumonia occurring among the Indians. The following account, as well as a great deal of the information concerning the sub- sequent early plague cases, is taken in the main from the notes of Messrs. Pinching and Firth, who, throughout the investigation, shewed an amount of intelligence and zeal which cannot be too highly praised. _ Although the account which follows appears almost in chronological order from the earliest to the latest cases, the actual investigation had to be conducted in the reverse order, The difficulties encountered can be imagined when it is remembered that-— 1.—There was a comparatively large number of almost unknown Indians suddenly dying. 2.—Many relatives and friends died almost synchronously, leaving very few people who knew anything of their history. 3.—Immediately it was known that plague had broken out, every house from which a case had come was immediately disinfected, evacuated, and closed, and, in consequence, the inhabitants were scattered throughout the location. 4—By April lst the whole of the inhabitants had been transferred to Klipspruit, where they were still further scattered. 5.—When they returned to Johannesburg it was often extremely difficult to find anyone who could give any information concerning some of the cases. Had there not been all these difficulties, it is probable that a much more perfect chain could have been presented. There is no evidence of any plague cases before the outbreak of plague except among the Indians, with the exception of one case in the Location. Further, except at two or three spots outside the Coolie Location, all these cases appear to have occurred among the inhabitants of the Coolie Location. | As far as can be ascertained, the first possible cases occurred early in January, 1904. Oase I.— Govinda Amma, a girl of 8, residing with her father, Marrimatin, at 71, Brick- fields, was taken ill on January 3rd. On January 5th she died and was certified as having lied of pneumonia and heart failure. On January 12th, the father, Marrimatin, became ill and died on January 16th, also »f pneumonia. No further case occurred at this address, nor can any connection be traced between these cases and any subsequent cases of pneumonia, Case II.—Chinnamah, a gir) of 7, living at Stand 65, Coolie Location, died on January 3th. She was known to have coughed a great deal and to have spat up blood. On 27th January her father, Moonasammy, also died, apparently of pneumonia. Nothing further can be traced from these cases. Case III.—Sumnariah, a child of 6, died at Stand 17, Coolie Location, on 19th J anuary. ter father, Seeballuck, died on the same Stand on 2lst January. There appeared to be no xtension from these cases, the wife and three other children all being alive on June 17th, 1904. 1)
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