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XI] appears to have been introduced from Rangpur. Rogers believes that it was possibly a continuation of a similar epidemic, known as " Burdwan fever," which had been raging in Lower Bengal. This importation theory is supported by the names of " Sirkari disease " and " Sahib's disease " given by the Garos, who state that it was unknown among them until after the English took over their country, The epidemic began almost simultaneously at Bengal Kutta and Karaibari, two places fifty miles apart but in direct communication with the Rangpur district. It advanced very slowly along the valley of the Brahmaputra, taking seven years to spread less than a hundred miles. Following the lines of intercourse, it attacked first the larger stations, and then spread to the smaller villages around. The introduction of the disease into a village was almost invariably traced to someone coming with the disease on him from an infected locality. Some isolated villages escaped in a remarkable manner. Whilst the disease spread up the valley, the invasion of new places was counterbalanced by its dying down in villages and districts which had previously suffered. Generally, it clung to a place for about six years, and then disappeared without any apparent change in the local conditions. A house appeared to retain the infection for many months; the natives considered that it could not be reoccupied with safety under one year. During the course of the epidemic kala-azar never extended far above the level of the Brahmaputra valley. The disease did not arise in the first instance in the interior of the Garo Hills district, as some authors affirmed, but appeared first at the foot of the hills, and then spread between them along the patches of low, flat, terai country.

On account of its deadliness, especially in the smaller villages, kala-azar as it swept onwards became a terror to the natives. Those suffering from the disease were turned out of the villages; sometimes they were made unconscious with drink, taken into the jungle, and burnt to death. Some villages cut off all communication with neighbouring