19
3. As other cases began to come in, a letter was sent to the Executive
Engineer on October 22nd, asking for the erection of a special shed for six
patients in the hospital compound. A grass shed was accordingly put up in the
hospital compound, and was in use from 29th October to the beginning of
December.
4. The accommodation so provided proved to be insufficient and, therefore,
a Committee composed of the City Magistrate, the Sanitary Commissioner and
the Executive Engineer met on December 8th to select a new site for plague
sheds, as the hospital compound was being over-crowded. The Committee
selected a site on the north side of the hospital on land belonging to the G. I. P.
Railway Company. At the same time they recommended that sheds to hold 20
beds should be erected at once and a special extra establishment of one Assistant
Surgeon and one Hospital Assistant besides menials engaged. New sheds for
plague patients were accordingly erected on the site selected along with a shed
for the Hospital Assistant's quarters, a dead house and a privy, and the shed
which had been in use in the hospital compound was transferred to the new site.
5. In consequence of the objection of the Railway authorities to the
treatment of plague cases at this site, the Poona Cantonment and the City and
Suburban Municipalities finally agreed to build a plague hospital near the
Sangam between Valentine Lodge and the Silk and Cotton Mills. When this
hospital was opened on February 5th all the plague patients (18 in number)
were transferred to it. The total number of patients treated in the Sassoon
General Hospital and the plague sheds connected with it up to that date was
179, of whom 114 died, 10 absconded, 37 were discharged cured, and 18 were
transferred.
6. After the opening of the General Plague Hospital at the Sangam all
cases received at the Sassoon Hospital which showed definite symptoms of plague
were transferred there at once, but doubtful cases which were received from
the Railway Station and the Cantonment were kept for observation. On April
28th the Plague Committee ordered that all cases for observation should be sent
to the General Plague Hospital in the first instance. Since then a few cases of
plague have been found among patients brought to the Sassoon Hospital, and
they have been promptly transferred.
7. The total number of cases of plague admitted to the Sassoon Hospital
up to 20th May 1897 (including observation cases) was 238. Of these, 34 were
found not to be plague cases and were discharged, while 204 persons were found
to be suffering from plague ; of these 40 were discharged cured, 117 died, and 47
were otherwise disposed of.
8. The Sassoon General Hospital has been the appointed plague hospital
for Europeans throughout the epidemic. Two European patients have been
treated there, Surgeon-Major J. C. Donnet, A.M.S., and Mr, Kennedy, Sub-
Editor of the Deccan Herald. Both were discharged cured.
9. Appendix 16 is a daily statement showing the result of the treatment of
true and suspected cases of plague. Appendix 17 gives particulars of the men,
women and children treated at the hospital. The small proportion of female
patients admitted is noticeable.
10. The Civil Surgeon, Brigade-Surgeon Lieutenant-Colonel McConaghy,
has cordially co-operated with the Plague Committee, and I have much pleasure
in acknowledging the help that we have received from him.
General Plague Hospital.
11. This hospital, which is situated near the Sangam, was built at the joint
cost of the City and Suburban Municipalities and the Poona Cantonment. It was
opened on 5th February 1897, Mr. B. B. Dárábshett, a local medical practitioner,
being placed in charge of it. Surgeon-Major Barry was placed by me in super-
visional charge of the hospital on 27th February 1897.
12. Full information as to the arrangements at the hospital will be gathered
from the accompanying copy of his report No. 1—Y (Appendix 18). Further
information relating to the hospital will be obtained from the Appendices noted
b elow :—