32
From in January 16th a cart was specially engaged for the conveyance of sick
persons from the station to the hospital, and stretchers were provided to
carry patients from the platform to the cart.
4. On March 15th a European Assistant Surgeon was deputed by Govern-
ment for passenger inspection duty at Poona Station. On March 21st the two
Municipal Medical men were withdrawn and their duties taken up by four
Hospital Assistants appointed by Government. On April 5th a second European
Assistant Surgeon and three additional Hospital Assistants were detailed for duty.
Thus the present strength of the inspecting staff at the Poona Station is two
Assistant Surgeons and seven Hospital Assistants appointed by Government
and four peons supplied by the Poona Suburban Municipality.
5. At first the inspection chiefly consisted in watching third class passen-
gers as they passed the ticket collectors at the exits. Later on it was arranged
with the Railway authorities to require all third class passengers to pass into a
compartment specially allotted in the third class waiting room where they
were inspected by medical officers, while one medical man watched the exit for
first and second class passengers.
6. Subsequently the work was carried out as follows :—
Half an hour before the departure of a train outgoing third class pas
sengers were collected in the third class waiting room, and made to pass
through in single file after being examined. All persons suspected to be
suffering from fever were detained, their temperatures were taken, and they
were finally examined for plague in a small partitioned room. First and
second class passengers were examined after they had taken their seats in
their carriages. For the examination of arriving passengers two Hospital
Assistants were placed at the exit door for third class passengers, and an
Assistant Surgeon at the exit for first and second class passengers. Each
passenger was examined as he passed through. Those found to be suffering
from plague were sent to the General Plague Hospital. Observation cases
were sent to the Sassoon Hospital up to April 22nd and subsequently to
the General Plague Hospital.
7. The Southern Marátha Railway Company posted one Medical man at
Poona Station on 29th October 1896, and another on 22nd March 1897, to
examine outgoing passengers by their line. These two Medical men made their
inspection on the overbridge leading to the Southern Marátha Railway platform.
8. The number of real and suspected plague cases reported to have been
discovered by the inspecting staffs is given below :—
By Municipal Medical men
By Government Medical staff ...
By Southern Marátha Railway Medical men
...
...
...
Total
...
...
...
...
481
155
163
799
9. Details as to the number detected on each clay are given in Appendices
48, 49, 50.
It may be noted that many of the cases reported to have been found are
not traceable on any hospital register, and appear not to have been admitted to
hospital. This applies particularly to the cases found by the Southern Marátha
Railway Medical men.
10. I may mention here that the officers of the various Railway Depart-
ments and the Railway Police have done all they can to facilitate the inspection
of passengers. The inspection work has been controlled by Surgeon-Major Street,
while Mr. Plunkett has taken a leading part in making the arrangements it
entailed.
11. Under instructions from the Collector of Poona a Medical man with
two peons was posted at Kirkee Railway Station from 28th January 1897 to
prevent persons affected with plague from alighting there and proceeding to
Poona by road. On February 20th orders were given to watch outgoing as well