A Rat's Progress: Plague and the "Migratory Rat" in British India, 1896-1899

Area of Science:

• History of Science
• Epidemiology
• Zoonotic Diseases

Background:

• The Third Plague Pandemic (1894-1959) was the first recognized zoonotic disease pandemic.
• Scientific understanding of disease transmission evolved significantly during this period.
• Colonial-era epidemiology often intertwined with political and social agendas.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the emergence and scientific framing of the "migratory rat" concept in India during the early Third Plague Pandemic (1896-1899).
• To analyze how this animal figure influenced epidemiological reasoning and challenged existing paradigms.
• To explore the complex and ambivalent roles of the migratory rat in colonial and Indigenous scientific discourse.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of scientific publications from the period.
• Examination of archival sources related to plague control in India.
• Comparative study of the "migratory rat" and the earlier "staggering rat" concepts.

Main Results:

• The "migratory rat" was imbued with attributes of invasiveness, impacting ontological understandings in epidemiology.
• This concept introduced novel approaches to spatial and temporal dimensions within epidemiological frameworks.
• Indigenous scientists utilized the migratory rat concept to contest colonial plague management strategies.

Conclusions:

• The framing of the migratory rat significantly altered epidemiological thought during the Third Plague Pandemic.
• This figure highlights the complex interplay between scientific concepts, colonial power, and Indigenous resistance.
• The study reveals the dynamic and contested nature of scientific knowledge in historical public health crises.