33
as incoming passengers. Seven suspected cases were discovered at Kirkee
Station. The staff was withdrawn on May 23rd.
12. It may be mentioned that by Government Resolution No.1/B of 4th
March 1897, Government suspended the booking of third class passengers from
Poona and neighbouring stations except in the case of persons who had obtained
written permits from the District Magistrate of Poona or myself. The restric-
tion was, however, withdrawn a few days later.
Inspection on Rads.
13. On 28th January a Medical man was posted by the Collector at the
Harris Bridge near Dápuri to inspect persons arriving by road and prevent any
found to be suffering from plague from entering Poona. He was transferred to
Poona City for other duty on March 13th. Three suspected cases of plague
were discovered at this post.
14. After the work of the troops in the city commenced it was found that
sufferers from the plague were removed from Poona by night in considerable
numbers. Accordingly on the night of the 29th March, Cavalry pickets were
placed on all the principal roads leading from the city to prevent the surrepti-
tious removal of sick persons. On the 7th April, Native Infantry pickets were
stationed at Sowar's Gate and Lákdi Pul for the same purpose. These Cavalry
and Infantry pickets were kept on till search operations by the military ceased.
The pickets had orders to detain all sick persons found by them and to send
them to the General Plague Hospital for examination. In the event of a corpse
of a person being removed without a certificate of the registry of his death, they
were required to detain one of the bearers in order that the necessary inquiries
might be made.
15. The number of plague cases and corpses found by the pickets in the
course of the operations amounted to 103 and 23 respectively. Particulars of
the numbers found on each day are given in Appendix 51. The work of the
pickets was of value both as checking the removal of the sick from Poona and
as leading to the detection of plague cases.
XIII.—INOCULATION.
At an early stage of the operations it was thought desirable that the
efficacy of inoculations against plague with Professor Haffkine's prophylactic
lymph should be tested at Poona. A supply of lymph was accordingly obtained
from Bombay, but it was found that none of the Medical officers employed on
plague duty had leisure to attend to the inoculations. The assistance of
Surgeon-Colonel Edge, Principal Medical Officer, Poona District, was solicited
in the matter, with the result that Surgeon-Lieutenant Dove, A.M.S., was sent
to be trained in Professor Haftkine's laboratory and was subsequently sent
down to Poona to carry on inoculation.
2. The work was commenced on March 25th under the personal direc-
tion of Professor Haffkine. From March 27th it was continued by Surgeon-
Lieutenant Dove. Inoculations were carried on within Poona Suburban limits
at His Highness Aga Khan's Bungalow, which was kindly lent for the purpose,
and at the Dinsha Maneckji Petit Dispensary in Poona Cantonment. It was
not thought necessary to arrange for inoculations in the city as my inquiries led
me to believe that few of the inhabitants would volunteer to be inoculated.
Surgeon-Lieutenant Dove continued the inoculation work till May 13th, when
as few people were coming forward to be inoculated his services were replaced
at the disposal of the Army Medical Department and the work was made over
to the Civil Surgeon.
3. Appendix 52 shows the numbers and nationalities of the persons who
were inoculated each week. In all, up to May 20th, 1,3.61 inoculations were
carried out.
4. The officers in charge of the various plague hospitals were instructed
to note whether any cases of plague occurred among persons who had been
inoculated. No such cases have been reported, which is evidence in favour of
B 1121-9