An Epidemic of Jaundice in the Alipuram Jail, Bellary (South India)

In April 1931, we were informed by the authorities of the Alipuram Jail, Bellary, of the prevalence at the time of an epidemic of jaundice in the jail population there. An Investigation Unit of the Institute under the charge of one of us (R. S. R.) was therefore sent there to study the nature of the infection and to ascertain particularly if it was of leptospiral origin, as amongst the jail population there were some who had been resident in the Andamans for some time, where leptospiral jaundice was known to occur. The epidemic occurred .in the months of February, March and April. While a few cases were noted during the same months in the preceding two years, the epidemic assumed serious proportions this year, as far as the total number of admissions were concerned. Similar epidemics have been reported in the past in other parts of India. Some of these