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them in whom plague was in a state of incubation from developing the disease
in private houses and becoming fresh plague centres; secondly, to insure the
non-occupation of plague-infected buildings till the buildings had been thoroughly
disinfected. Ten days was fixed as the maximum period of detention, as that
was believed to be the longest term for which the malady commonly remained
in a state of incubation in a human being.
3. The following segregation camps have been in use under the orders of
the Plague Committee :—
The General Segregation Camp.
The Mahomedan Segregation Camp.
The Cantonment Segregation Camp.
The Pársi Segregation Camp.
The first two camps were situated near the Shankarshet Road. The two
last were situated by the side of the Old Sátára Road beyond the Rifle Range.
The General Segregation Camp.
4. The construction of this camp was commenced by the Poona City
Municipality on February 1st. In the first instance 8 blocks of huts containing
32 rooms were erected. On my arrival here I issued instructions for largely
increasing the size of the camp. It was constantly growing till finally in the
month of April it contained 122 rooms. The camp consisted of substantial
chappar huts with made floors. At the commencement blocks containing four
or rooms were constructed. Later on, however, blocks were built with only two
rooms each, the object of the change being to diminish both the loss that would
be caused in the event of an outbreak of fire in any block, and the house space
to be disinfected in the event of the occurrence of a case of plague. The size of
the majority of the rooms was 12 by 10 feet. A plan of the General Segrega-
tion Camp accompanies (Appendix 32).
5. Fifteen cook-rooms of corrugated iron were provided for the use of the
inhabitants of the camp. There were 20 latrines, 12 for men and 8 for women.
6. The camp was abundantly supplied with, water from a neighbouring
draw well. A pump was fixed up at the well and an adjoining cistern was kept
full of water for the use of the inmates. Bathing and washing platforms to
which water was brought from the well by pipes were constructed within the
limits of the camp. Rows of kerosine oil tins filled with water were placed
alongside all the huts for use in case of fire, and a Municipal fire engine was
kept 011 the premises.
7. The camp was lighted by standard lamps which stood in rows between
the lines of huts.
8. When I arrived at Poona so much of the camp as was then in existence
was open to any of the inmates of infected houses that chose to come there.
There was then 110 agency to compel people to come to the camp, and hardly
any came there of their own accord. After my arrival and before the employ-
ment of the military on plague duty, I endeavoured to attract the inhabitants of
plague houses to the camp by offering one free meal a day to every one in
camp, and at the same time allowing the inmates to return to the city in the
clay time to follow their ordinary avocations. Even this inducement failed to
bring any considerable number of people to the camp, and I was forced to
realize that a non-compulsory system of segregation was impracticable in
Poona.
9. From March 13th, when the plague work of the military commenced, the
segregation of the apparently healthy inmates of infected houses was systema-
tically enforced. Appendix 33 is a daily statement showing how the inmates
of the camp were disposed of from March 13th to May 20th. The following
is a summary of that statement :—