December 1,
CHOLERA IN
1879.J
VADAKENCOULAM.?BY
ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. "NOTES SUR DE
CHOLERA. DU VILLAGE
LE
YADAKENCOULAM EN DECEMBRE
1877." By
Rev. V. Delpech, S.
the
Trans-
J., TinneveUy:
lated into English by Surgeon W. J. Hastings, M.D., Civil Surgeon Cannanore.* Last
April, when leaving Tinnevelly, 1 a railway-carriage, to the Revd.
was
intro-
in
duced,
V. Delpech, S. J., one of the Roman Catholic Missionaries of that district. In the course of conversation he mentioned the outbreak of the cholera, which forms the subject of the following " Notes." I was very much struck by the able description he gave of this terrible epidemic, and requested him to favour me with a narrative in
writing. The result is this mo-t valuable Report under the humble title of "Notes." These furnish, in my opinion, most valuable evidence in support of the theory that cholera is propagated by drinking water. W. J. Hastings, M. D. ) Cannanork 3rd October, 1879. j Position ?Vadakencoulam is situated about 35 miles south of Palamcottah, and 5 miles east of Panacondy.
Approximate plan:?
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7P PP
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7
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LpPPQPPP J-,
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ijj
B
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D3
m
l-P
CP
E "
Jr
^
STREET
tr* ly Lr1 Lr1 LH ?
f p b i
p p p
r
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Tf
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t
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r
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i
i
?
castes, Hiprh High castes.
Low castes.
conditions.?The last
months o? the year remarkable for torrents of rain which caused great floods around the village, and which by percolation filled to their mouths the five or six wells which are situated in the very heart of the viliage.
Atmospheric
1877
were
towards the second half of the month of December, there broke forth at Vadakencoulam an appalling epidemic the ravages of which, in 15 days, carried off more than one hundred souls of the It
was
at this
high-caste
particular time,
population.
Course of the course of the
a
15 or 16 hours death. In some cases from 4 to 5 hours. Inquiry as to the cause ?It is evident that a cause should be sought, confined in its action to the only caste struck
by the disease. Now, there are two wells, A and B, in the the village of the high castes preserved for clusive
use
proach them,
middle of
their exThe low-caste people dare not even apwhilst all the high-caste families drink of
their water. It. must be noted, that at th? time of the cholera most of the inhabitants used the well A. The low-caste people, on tlieir side, have several wells in the interior of their village ; all these wells were, as I have said, full flush with the suiface of the ground from the soaking of the rains. Connected with the well A in particular there were several aggravating circumstances, For many many years it is around this reservoir that men and women made their ablutions or health baths ; it is there they washed to preserve in irreproachable whiteness the cloths they have worn for one or two days ; it is there they purified their linen and their bodies when have assisted at funeral ceremonies.
approaches of the well are always wet, and less contaminated vvi;h animal matter and fetid
Also the
mud. Further, it
[r1
IT
in
in death occurred in
more or
fr1 LHLHIHiH i
Symptoms of the disease.?Vomiting, accompanied by worms, purging, thirst, cold sweats or skin like parchment, belly pain, cramps, collapse, and some cases
they
I? CP
"PP
319
individual of low caste was attacked. Nevertheless, as is seen from the plan, only a street separates the two castes: there are even certain parts of the street, to the east and south for instance, in which the houses of different castes are contiguous. Well! even in theso very places death could select his victims.
r~ ^
PPPq
Br-#
Rev. V. DELPECH.
epidemic.?One thing remarkable in the epidemic was this, that not one single
* This interesting paper has been placed at our disposal by the Surgeon-General Indian Medical Department, Madras.?Ed., I, M.Q.
was noticed at this time that the rice cooked in the water of this well had a uad smell, and spoiled
rapidly.
I A curious enough fact again attracted attention. have said that not one of the low-caste people had died. I am mistaken, one and one only died of this cholera^ and this was the washerman of the liigh-caste people. Now this individual who, on account of his caste, could not approach the well A, drank nevertheless of this a special privilege the washerman's wife for
by water, woman. got her pitcher filled by a high-caste the well in question, and fell therefore upon Suspicion
consent it was resolved no longer to draw water from it until further orders. From this time forwards, whether it was that the true
by
common
of the epidemic had been discovered, or whether it was that the unknown causes had ceased to act, the disease sensibly diminished, and soou disappeared alcause
together.
are in the village of the low wells, around which the people wash themselves and their linen, and the water stagnates about them as around the well A. It does not appear then why
ls?
Objection.?There
castes two or three
one
should be
more
infected than the others.
THE INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE.
320
Answer.?The
objection
is
serious,
nevertheless the
following remarks may lessen its force. ls? Remark. ?There
Sonars and cloth for six months of the year n"t only without giving it to the washerman, but even without dipping it once in water. The high-caste women, on the contrary, first give the dirty cloth to the washerman several times a year, and even every month, and then in order to preserve its brightness they often dip it in the water of the well A(
Pariahs, (low castes)
are
many
who
wear
women,
the
same
at the same time
pouring water over themselves. As to the men of all castes, they bathe often it is true, but whilst the men of low caste prefer doing it in their cholam-gard-ns. the high-caste men bathe habitually at their well A, around which they do not fail to cleanse their cloths. 2nd Remark.?The wells of the low castes at Vadakencoulam are surrounded by a parapet like that of the high castes, but the water, which falls on the outside of these wells, can flow ofE freely on all sides, not being
reasonable to search after these secondary causes. In the case which now occupies us, and its remarkable course, it seems reasonable to fix the cause on the unwholesome infiltrations of rain water into the well
A, and perhaps also ordinarily heavy rains quite opposite effects,
other amongst the low castes : whilst these rains by the outside filth into the high-caste wells infected these wells ; on the contrary, in the case of the low-caste wells, these same rains must have swept far away all the infected matter, or at least allowed them to
only little by produce the disease. loth September, 1879.
infiltrate
contrary,
a
to
Finally, the base of the parapet-wall is so worn away that there is a big hole in it, through which the outside water can flow into the interior. 2nd
objection.?Several high-caste families affirm they used exclusively the water of the well B for everything connected with food and drink, and that they used the water of the well A only for necessities outside the house, which had no connexion whatever with that
food
or
Now,
drink. among these
families there have been,
as
else-
where, attacks and deaths. Nevertheless the well B is nearly in the same condition as the wells of the low castes ; people rarely bathe at it, its waters do not stagnate around it, and hence it becomes necessary to seek a for the cholera othe
cause
r
than the infection of the
waters of the wells A and B.
Answer.?It is possible indeed that there may be other causes; nevertheless the following remarks are sufficient I think to justify the suspicion thrown upon the unwholesome infiltrations at the points A and B; but
particularly
at the well A.
is, it is true, nearly in the condition as the wells of the low castes, nevertheless there is a difference, it is, that the parapet wall is pierced at its base by a big hole, by which the rain lsf Remark.?The well B
same
water of the street enters the interior.
2nd Remark.?The families who use the well B, state that they took some of the water A for external use. Now this is what may possibly have occurred : the two vessels containing, one the water B for cooking, and drinking, the other the water A for purposes of cleanliness
being *
set down at the house* in the usual way no
doubt,
without taking proper precautions to distinguish the vessel containing the water A Irom that containing the water B, or so arrangthat children or others could not possibly use the water A matters ing for drinking or cooking. The vessels containing the different Waters were probably alike.?W. J. H. i.
e..
into the well B ; for the extramight have produced two one amongst the high castes, the of 1877
carrying
by
masonry wall, which prevents the water from spreading out, and consequently from evaporating as quickly as elsewhere, not to mention that it (the water) is partly shaded by some cocoanut trees.
1875.
children, persons in a hurry and not thinking of what they were doing, may very possibly have drunk a certain quantity of the water A with so much the less scruple, seeing that a great number of other families used only that particular water. Conclusion.?Whilst bowing humbly before the mysteries of Divine Providence, who makes use of secondary causes for the purpose of purifying and trying us, it is
retained
any obstacle. With the high castes, on the space around the well A, is enclosed by a
[December 1,
littie in
quantities
insufficient
%
/
CHOLERA IN
1879.J
VADAKENCOULAM.?BY
ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. "NOTES SUR DE
CHOLERA. DU VILLAGE
LE
YADAKENCOULAM EN DECEMBRE
1877." By
Rev. V. Delpech, S.
the
Trans-
J., TinneveUy:
lated into English by Surgeon W. J. Hastings, M.D., Civil Surgeon Cannanore.* Last
April, when leaving Tinnevelly, 1 a railway-carriage, to the Revd.
was
intro-
in
duced,
V. Delpech, S. J., one of the Roman Catholic Missionaries of that district. In the course of conversation he mentioned the outbreak of the cholera, which forms the subject of the following " Notes." I was very much struck by the able description he gave of this terrible epidemic, and requested him to favour me with a narrative in
writing. The result is this mo-t valuable Report under the humble title of "Notes." These furnish, in my opinion, most valuable evidence in support of the theory that cholera is propagated by drinking water. W. J. Hastings, M. D. ) Cannanork 3rd October, 1879. j Position ?Vadakencoulam is situated about 35 miles south of Palamcottah, and 5 miles east of Panacondy.
Approximate plan:?
IP"P"IPTPTP
7 J1 Li-1 b~J tr-1
p
7P PP
LrJLrJ LfH 1IT
7
PPa
LpPPQPPP J-,
?
ijj
B
?1
D3
m
l-P
CP
E "
Jr
^
STREET
tr* ly Lr1 Lr1 LH ?
f p b i
p p p
r
nttt
Tf
t t it i. -t it -t
t: *
tt tt
f? Pr?P?PPn
t
P
t
t t. t
-fc. "fc * \t ^ x t
|t
r
-;?
i
i
?
castes, Hiprh High castes.
Low castes.
conditions.?The last
months o? the year remarkable for torrents of rain which caused great floods around the village, and which by percolation filled to their mouths the five or six wells which are situated in the very heart of the viliage.
Atmospheric
1877
were
towards the second half of the month of December, there broke forth at Vadakencoulam an appalling epidemic the ravages of which, in 15 days, carried off more than one hundred souls of the It
was
at this
high-caste
particular time,
population.
Course of the course of the
a
15 or 16 hours death. In some cases from 4 to 5 hours. Inquiry as to the cause ?It is evident that a cause should be sought, confined in its action to the only caste struck
by the disease. Now, there are two wells, A and B, in the the village of the high castes preserved for clusive
use
proach them,
middle of
their exThe low-caste people dare not even apwhilst all the high-caste families drink of
their water. It. must be noted, that at th? time of the cholera most of the inhabitants used the well A. The low-caste people, on tlieir side, have several wells in the interior of their village ; all these wells were, as I have said, full flush with the suiface of the ground from the soaking of the rains. Connected with the well A in particular there were several aggravating circumstances, For many many years it is around this reservoir that men and women made their ablutions or health baths ; it is there they washed to preserve in irreproachable whiteness the cloths they have worn for one or two days ; it is there they purified their linen and their bodies when have assisted at funeral ceremonies.
approaches of the well are always wet, and less contaminated vvi;h animal matter and fetid
Also the
mud. Further, it
[r1
IT
in
in death occurred in
more or
fr1 LHLHIHiH i
Symptoms of the disease.?Vomiting, accompanied by worms, purging, thirst, cold sweats or skin like parchment, belly pain, cramps, collapse, and some cases
they
I? CP
"PP
319
individual of low caste was attacked. Nevertheless, as is seen from the plan, only a street separates the two castes: there are even certain parts of the street, to the east and south for instance, in which the houses of different castes are contiguous. Well! even in theso very places death could select his victims.
r~ ^
PPPq
Br-#
Rev. V. DELPECH.
epidemic.?One thing remarkable in the epidemic was this, that not one single
* This interesting paper has been placed at our disposal by the Surgeon-General Indian Medical Department, Madras.?Ed., I, M.Q.
was noticed at this time that the rice cooked in the water of this well had a uad smell, and spoiled
rapidly.
I A curious enough fact again attracted attention. have said that not one of the low-caste people had died. I am mistaken, one and one only died of this cholera^ and this was the washerman of the liigh-caste people. Now this individual who, on account of his caste, could not approach the well A, drank nevertheless of this a special privilege the washerman's wife for
by water, woman. got her pitcher filled by a high-caste the well in question, and fell therefore upon Suspicion
consent it was resolved no longer to draw water from it until further orders. From this time forwards, whether it was that the true
by
common
of the epidemic had been discovered, or whether it was that the unknown causes had ceased to act, the disease sensibly diminished, and soou disappeared alcause
together.
are in the village of the low wells, around which the people wash themselves and their linen, and the water stagnates about them as around the well A. It does not appear then why
ls?
Objection.?There
castes two or three
one
should be
more
infected than the others.
THE INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE.
320
Answer.?The
objection
is
serious,
nevertheless the
following remarks may lessen its force. ls? Remark. ?There
Sonars and cloth for six months of the year n"t only without giving it to the washerman, but even without dipping it once in water. The high-caste women, on the contrary, first give the dirty cloth to the washerman several times a year, and even every month, and then in order to preserve its brightness they often dip it in the water of the well A(
Pariahs, (low castes)
are
many
who
wear
women,
the
same
at the same time
pouring water over themselves. As to the men of all castes, they bathe often it is true, but whilst the men of low caste prefer doing it in their cholam-gard-ns. the high-caste men bathe habitually at their well A, around which they do not fail to cleanse their cloths. 2nd Remark.?The wells of the low castes at Vadakencoulam are surrounded by a parapet like that of the high castes, but the water, which falls on the outside of these wells, can flow ofE freely on all sides, not being
reasonable to search after these secondary causes. In the case which now occupies us, and its remarkable course, it seems reasonable to fix the cause on the unwholesome infiltrations of rain water into the well
A, and perhaps also ordinarily heavy rains quite opposite effects,
other amongst the low castes : whilst these rains by the outside filth into the high-caste wells infected these wells ; on the contrary, in the case of the low-caste wells, these same rains must have swept far away all the infected matter, or at least allowed them to
only little by produce the disease. loth September, 1879.
infiltrate
contrary,
a
to
Finally, the base of the parapet-wall is so worn away that there is a big hole in it, through which the outside water can flow into the interior. 2nd
objection.?Several high-caste families affirm they used exclusively the water of the well B for everything connected with food and drink, and that they used the water of the well A only for necessities outside the house, which had no connexion whatever with that
food
or
Now,
drink. among these
families there have been,
as
else-
where, attacks and deaths. Nevertheless the well B is nearly in the same condition as the wells of the low castes ; people rarely bathe at it, its waters do not stagnate around it, and hence it becomes necessary to seek a for the cholera othe
cause
r
than the infection of the
waters of the wells A and B.
Answer.?It is possible indeed that there may be other causes; nevertheless the following remarks are sufficient I think to justify the suspicion thrown upon the unwholesome infiltrations at the points A and B; but
particularly
at the well A.
is, it is true, nearly in the condition as the wells of the low castes, nevertheless there is a difference, it is, that the parapet wall is pierced at its base by a big hole, by which the rain lsf Remark.?The well B
same
water of the street enters the interior.
2nd Remark.?The families who use the well B, state that they took some of the water A for external use. Now this is what may possibly have occurred : the two vessels containing, one the water B for cooking, and drinking, the other the water A for purposes of cleanliness
being *
set down at the house* in the usual way no
doubt,
without taking proper precautions to distinguish the vessel containing the water A Irom that containing the water B, or so arrangthat children or others could not possibly use the water A matters ing for drinking or cooking. The vessels containing the different Waters were probably alike.?W. J. H. i.
e..
into the well B ; for the extramight have produced two one amongst the high castes, the of 1877
carrying
by
masonry wall, which prevents the water from spreading out, and consequently from evaporating as quickly as elsewhere, not to mention that it (the water) is partly shaded by some cocoanut trees.
1875.
children, persons in a hurry and not thinking of what they were doing, may very possibly have drunk a certain quantity of the water A with so much the less scruple, seeing that a great number of other families used only that particular water. Conclusion.?Whilst bowing humbly before the mysteries of Divine Providence, who makes use of secondary causes for the purpose of purifying and trying us, it is
retained
any obstacle. With the high castes, on the space around the well A, is enclosed by a
[December 1,
littie in
quantities
insufficient
%
/
