NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
172
(7) Locksmith's services, or bunches of keys, were necessary for effecting
entrance into locked houses ; more especially as cases were frequently found concealed
in them. The houses were always opened and closed in the presence of policemen,
whose duty it was, if there were articles of value, to take an inventory of them.
Where locks had to be broken open, fresh locks were substituted.
(8) An adequate stock of pails, tubs, etc., was kept in the stores of
the Central Office, and a certain number distributed therefrom to the staff of
each sub-division, who could always obtain more by indenting on the Central
Office.
(9) Disinfentants were kept in stock at the Central Office, and given
out to the sub-divisional staffs, on indents. The disinfectants chiefly used were
corrosive sublimate, carbolic acid, permanganate of potassium, sulphur, and tar.
(10) The equipment necessary for a one-section hospital is appended to
this repart.
(11) Arrangements for supplying the hospitals with daily provisions and for
the messing of the nursing staff were made with a contractor.
Drugs were obtained from various chemists. Aerated waters were obtained
from a local firm at a reduced rate. Arrangements were made for stimulants and
ice as were most convenient for each hospital.
(12) Unclaimed Mabomedan bodies were buried, and those of Hindus
burned. Biers were supplied to each hospital for conveying such bodies to the
cemeteries or burning-ghâts.
(13) In order to reduce to a minimum any chance of infection, patients,
when discharged from hospitals, were given a disinfectant bath and provided
with a new suit of clothes either from among gifts to the hospitals, or purchased
with money from charitable relief funds.
(14) In removing relatives of patients to segregation quarters in hospitals
from infected quarters, where distances were great or other circumstances required
it, arrangements existed for providing bullock carriages for their transit.
(15) Leather shoes were provided for all hospital servants, so that they
would not have to walk bare-footed about the plague wards.
A general and explanatory description having thus been given of the
organisation which was established for each sub-division, it would be well to state
here that all the sub-divisions were controlled by the District Medical Officer, whose
Head-quarters and Central Office were at Government House, Parel.
A brief sketch of the general work of the district with details of the staff of
the Central Office, and a short report of each sub-division will now be given. First,
however, a few precautions which were strictly observed in house-to-house Visitation
may be here enumerated.
Mahomedan houses were not visited on Fridays. Their purdah system was
strictly respected, and only nurses or other ladies were allowed to examine their
women. In burning rubbish, care was taken not to burn leaves of the Koran.
Stimulants were taken for administering to weak persons before removal. Where it
was appreciated, that rags which were burned meant warmth to the poor owners,
they were compensated. Locked houses were opened in the presence of the police.
173
Brief Sketch of the General Work done in the District
between 1st March and 30th June 1897.
Central Of ce Staff.
1 Head Clerk.
1 Storekeeper.
1 Accountant.
1 Assistant Clerk.
1 Police Sowar.
1 Peon.
2 Bamosees.
Over 230 cases were found and sent into the three sub-divisional hospitals,
while about the same number were found and sent to other hospitals.
Number of Houses
Reported unfit for human habitation
Recommended for alterations ...
In which water was cut off ...
Recommended for repairs to taps
Flushed and disinfected ... ...
Lime-washed ... ...
In which tiles were removed ....
In which floors were dug up ...
To which disinfectants were given
Vacated (including groups of huts)
Destroyed
...
...
...
... 338
... 377
... 65
... 99
... 1,421
... 1,285
... 2.C57
... 1,159
... 1,575
... 1,243
... 183
For the period, including the last five weeks of the above- named period, the
district has been free from plague.
A brief sketch of the work in each of the four sub-divisions will now
follow :—
/. Parel Sub-Division.—This included Parel, Sewri, Bhoiwada, and Dadar.
Parel Staff.
I Sub-Divisional Medical Officer.
1 Sub-Divisional Clerk.
2 Ramosees.
Disinfecting, etc., Staff.
Plague Committee Staff —
1 Sub-Inspector.
1 Muccadum.
25 Men.
Municipal Sanitary Staff—
The Standing Staff of the District,
augmented according to require-
ments·.
Search Party Staff.
7 Conductors (voluntary workers).
4 Sub-Inspectors.
14 Military Sepoys.
6 Police Sepoys.
There was no sub-divisional hospital in this sub-division, as all cases were
sent to Parel Government House Hospital. Dr. D. E. Wacha was the SuL-
Divisional Medical Officer. The search party conductors were Sir George Cotton,
Dr. Dias, Messrs. Vasanji Khimji, Batliwala, Marshal, Shaik Ahmed Esufbhoy,
and Shroff. The wife of Mr. Shroff also frequently attended the visitation work
for the purpose of examining women.
II. Sion Sub-Division.—This included Vadalla, Gonari, Matunga,- Sion, and
Eastern Dharavi.
Sion Staff.
1 Sub-Divisional Medical Officer.
1 Sub-Divisional Clerk.
1 Peon.
2 Ramosees.
44
174
Hospital Staff.
1 Hospital Assistant.
2 Nurses.
4 Ward orderlies.
2 Cooks.
1 Ayah.
1 Phobie.
1 Bhistie.
6 Sweepers.
Disinfecting, etc.) Staff.
Plague Committee Staff —
1 Sub-Inspector.
1 Muccadum.
25 Men. ·
Municipal Sanitary Staff —
The Standing Staff of the District,
augmented according to require-
ments.
Search Party Staff.
2 Conductors (voluntary workers).
4 Sub-Inspectors.
12 Military Sepoys.
3 Police Sepoys.
The Sub-Divisional Medical Officer was Assistant Surgeon Ross, who also had
charge of the hospital.
The search-party conductors were Professor Muller and Mr. Beale. Nurse
Gray sometimes accompanied the search-parties to examine females.
The two nurses were Nurse Gray and Nurse McGill from the Jamsetji
Jijibhoy Hospital.
There were 67 admissions into the hospital—23 deaths and 44 recoveries.
III. Maliim Sub-Ddimsion—This included Mahim, Parbadevi, and Western
Dharavi,
Table of Staff.
1 Sub-Divisional Medical Officer.
1 Sub-Divisional Clerk.
2 Ramosees.
Hospital Staff.
1 Medical Officer (voluntary worker).
2 Hospital Assistants.
1 Compounder.
3 Sisters.
4 Assistant Nurses.
8 Ward Orderlies,
3 Cooks.
1 Hospital Boy.
1 Dhobie.
7 Sweepers.
Disinfecting, etc., Staff.
Plague Committee Staff —
1 Sub-Inspector.
1 Muccadum.
25 Men.
Municipal Sanitary Staff —
The Standing Staff of the. District,
augmented according to require-
ments.
Search Party Staff.
5 Condtictors (voluntary workers).
4 Sub-Inspectors.
16 Military Sepoys.
4 Police Sepoys.
The Sub-Divisional Medical Officer was Dr. Dadiburjor. The Medical
Officer in charge of the hospital was Dr. B. A. Oliveira, J.P., a voluntary worker.
The Conductors of Search Parties were—Veterinary-Major Mills', Veterinary-
Lieutenant Baldrey, Dr. D'Monte, the late Mr. J. H. Mody, and Mr. P. J. Modi.
The Sisters belonged to the Bandora Convent; three generally remaining at
the hospital. They were Sisters Juliana, Edith, Hilda, and the late Sister Elizabeth.
There were 90 admissions into the hospital—42 deaths and 48 recoveries.
175
IV. Worli Sub-Division.—This included Worli Pakadi and Worli Koliwada.
Worli Staff.
1 Sub-Divisional Medical Officer.
1 Sub-Divisional Clerk.
1 Peon.
2 Ramoseea.
Hospital Staff.
1 Hospital Assistant.
2 Nurses.
4 Ward Orderlies.
2 Cooks.
1 Dhobie.
3 Sweepers.
Disinfecting, etc., Staff.
Plague Committee Staff —
1 Sub-Inspector.
1 Muccadum.
25 Men.
Municipal Sanitary Staff —
The Standing Staff of the District,
augmented according to require-
ments.
Search Party Staff.
3 Conductors (voluntary workers).
4 Sub-Inspectors.
1 10 Military Sepoys.
3 Police Sepoys.
Dr. Dareli was the Sub-Divisional Medical Officer, and also had charge of
the Hospital.
There were no volunteers among the Justices of the Peace, but three leading
men of the village who gave valuable assistance in finding cases were made Special
Constables.
The nurses were Nurse Wheatley from England and Nurse Allnutt from the
Cama Hospital.
There were 44 admissions into the hospital—21 deaths, 11 recoveries, and 12
transferred in a convalescent state,
Specimen List of Equipment for Α-I Section
Hospital.
The following list constitutes a convenient stock equipment to open A-I
Section Hospital with. Many of the items are in excess of the equipment at first
laid down, but experience has shown that at least the following stock is necessary:—
I. Furniture, &c., required for Wards.—30 cots, 30 date mats, 30 spitoons,
30 blankets, 30 sheets, 30 pillow-cases, 30 towels, 30 dhoties, 30 saris, 20 loose
coats, 20 loose pairs of drawers, 30 wraps, 30 pairs of socks, 30 pairs of slippers,
12 shigrees, 1 large boiler for water, 20 small bowls, 20 enamel plates, 10 feeding
cups, 6 milk jugs (medium size), 10 knives, 10 forks, 24 pewter spoons, 4
earthen water-pots, 10 koojahs, 6 iron cooking pots, 1 frying pan, 4 zinc buckets,
1 firewood chopper, 1 kitchen knife, 2 tin kettles, 2 enamel kettles, 1 cup board,
1 meatsafe, 2 hanging lamps, 2 hurricane lanterns, 2 gindystands (complete with
enamel basis, &c.), 2 tables, 2 chairs, 1 time-piece, 1 folding screen, 30 bed head
ticket frames, 30 temperature chart frames, 1 set dressing trays (zinc), 2 large
disinfectant jars, 4 lotion bowls, 12 bed pans, 1 ice-box, and 6 pewter urinals.
II. Furniture, &c., for Nursing Staff.—1 dining table, 1 side table, 2
chairs, 2 easy chairs, 1 meatsafe, 1 box with lock and key for stores, 1 table
lamp, 1 filter, 1 eartbern water-pot, 2 koojahs, 2 dinner table cloths, 6 table
napkins, 2 vegetable dishes, 1 pudding dish, 2 soup plates, 4 meat plates, 4 tum-
176
blers, 4 spoons, 2 knives, 2 forks, 1 tca-pot, 1 coffee-pot, 2 cups- and saucers-,
1 milk jug, I sugar basin, 1 butter pot, 1 kettle, 1 tray, 1 kitchen knife, 1
curry stone, 3 cooking pots, 2 beds teads (complete with beds, pillows, and curtains),
4 sheets, 2 counterpanes, 2 blankets, 1 dressing table with mirror, 1 cupboard or
chest of drawers, 2 gindystands- (complete with enamel basins, &c.), 2 towal racks,
12 towels, 1 zinc bath, 2 commodes, 2 chamber pots, 1 candlestick, 1 wall
lamp, and 1 hurricane lantern.
III. Furniture, &c., for Medical Subordinate.—1 cot (bed and pillow), 1
gindy-stand (complete with enamel basin, &c.), 1 towel rack, 1 table, and 1 chair.
IV. Dispensary Furniture.—1 shelf or cupboard for drugs and appliances-,
1 box with lock and key for poisons, 1 dispensing table, I writing table, 1 chair,
1 gindystand (complete with e-namel basin, &c.), 1 towel rack, 3 towels, 1 tin
kettle for disinfectants, and books and stationery as required.
F. Medical and Surgical Appliances—(a) Appliances.—1 small pocket
dressing-case, 2 gum elastic catheters, 1 hypodermic syringe, 2 enema syringes,
2 2-ounce syringes, 3 sponges, 12 ice bladders, 2 ice bags, 2 waterproof sheets,
1 pestle and mortar, 1 glass rod, 1 roll of sticking plaster, 6 yards bandage cloth,
2 yards flannel, 12 cakes carbolic soap, 2 Ibs. lint, 2 Ibs. cotton wool, 10 Ibs
tow, 10 Ibs. linseed, 1 spirit lamp, 6 test tubes, 1 urinometer, nitric acid
1 oz., liquor potassae 2 oz., Febling's solution 2 oz., 2 yards drainage tubing,
1 set scales and weights with spare set of grain weights, 30 dispensing bottles,
gross corks, 20 draught glasses, 1 large pewter measure, 1 ounce and 1
minim glasa measure, 1 slab, 2 spatulas, 6 large mixture bottles, 4 clinical
thermometers, and 6 jars for disinfectants,
(b) Drugs.—
1 Ib. Acid Boraic.
3 Ibs. „ Carbolic.
4 oz. ,, Gallic.
1 „ „ Hydroceauic;-
12 „ „ Sulphuric.
6 „ Ammonia Bromid.
2 „
„
Carbonas.
2 Ibs. Aqua Distillata,
1 drm. Argent Nitras.
4 oz. Bismuth Subintras.
½ ,, Caféine Citras.
2 „ Camphor.
½ drm. Cocaine Hydrochloras.
½ oz. Extract Belladona.
2 „
„
Ergota Liquid.
2 „ Tinot. Ferri Perchloridunr.
½ Ib. Glycerine.
½· „ Gum Accacia.
¼ „ Hydrarg Perchlor.
½ „ Hyd. Subchlor.
2 oz. lodoform.
½ Ib. Linament Camphor.
4 oz.
,,
lodi.
2 ,, Liq. Arsenicalis..
1 Ib. „ Ammonia.
½ oz. „ Episjatiens.
½ „ Oleum Anethi.
1 „
„ Menthapip.
2 „ Potass. Citras.
2
„
„
Iodid.
1 „ Pulv. Ipecac.
2 „ Tinct. Digitalis.
1
2
½
1
½
2
2
2
2
4
4
¼
1
½
½
½
½
4
4
1
1
4
1
2
1
6
1
8
2
2
1
oz. Pulv. Ipecac co.
„
,, Jalop co.
„ Santonine.
„ Soda Bicarbouas;
„ Tinct, Aconite.
„
„ Cardamom co.
„
„ Cinchona co .
„ Hammamalis.
„ Tinct, Hyociam;
„
„ Iodi.
„
„ Opii.
Ib. Ungt. Hydrarg.
„
„ Suceplex,
„ Vaseline.
„ . Spt. Wine Methylated.
„ Zinc Oxide.
„ Soda Salicylas.
oz. Tiuct. Nucis Vomica.
., Liq. Strychnia.
Ib. „ Hydrarg Perchlorid.
„ Spt. Ammonia Aromat.
Ibs. Magnesia Sulphatis.
Ib. Spt. Aetheris Nitros.
oz. Quinine sulphatus.
Ib. Acid Nitric Hydrochlor Dih
oz. Ammonia Chloride.
Ib. Potass. Bicarbonas.
oz. Spt. Chloroform.
„ Cerri Oxalat.
Ibs. Linament Terebinthine.
oz. Phenacetin.
177
Chapter VIL
House-to-House Visitation and Disinfection.
On February 24th, His Excellency Lord Sandhurst called a
public meeting of the Justices of the Peace, and invited them to meet
him in the Town Hall ; this meeting was largely attended.
His Excellency in the course of his speech said, " I am most
anxious for voluntary action, but, if action is not voluntary, the powers
under the new Act will be used. I am now going to ask you to volunteer
for active work in the City and really do active work. List of streets
in the City have been made out, and I will indicate in what way those of
you who volunteer can give effective service. Any medical men among
you might volunteer your services for, at any rate, a part of the 24 hours
for work in a hospital. Three medical men might work a hospital,
arranging hours for relieving one another, but the line in which you,
who are not medical men, might be most useful is, in going from house-to-
house, searching for the sick, and getting them to hospital, and, if you
are unable to get them to hospital, let the authorities know where they
are ; thereby vastly increasing the usefulness of our house-to-house
visitation."
The result of His Excellency's speech was, that a large number
of Justices came forward at the end of the meeting and entered their
names and addresses as volunteers ; and the principle underlying the
detection of plague cases has been based on the utilisation of the
voluntary services of these citizens, in visiting the houses of those
belonging to their own sect or caste.
Previous to starting the work in each of the 10 districts, into which
the City had been divided, the Committee invariably met the Justices
in that district at some convenient place with the Medical Staff; this
enabled the Committee as well as the Medical Staff to become acquainted
with, and gave an opportunity to the Justices to ask for information on
points regarding which any explanation might be required.
At these meetings each Justice was given a sheet of instructions,
which ran as follows :—
" The following suggestions in reference to house-to-house visitation
and disinfection are drawn up for the information and guidance of District
Medical Officers ; no hard-and-fast rules can in most instances be laid down
for this work, and the Committee therefore depend in a great measure on
the judgment, discretion, and tact of their District Medical Officers :—
1. It is proposed to employ, as far as possible, the Justices of the
Peace who have volunteered their services ; each district will
be divided into sub-divisions, and" sub-divisions into sections
for this duty.
45
178
2. The Justices will be asked to attend at the office of their sub-
divisions at 7 a.m. on each day.
3. After the muster of the staff under each Justice, they will proceed
to their sub-divisions with their staff for house-to-house
visitation.
4. It is not expected that the Justices can personally visit every
house daily, though it is hoped they will visit as many as
possible, and it is presumed that they know their sub-divisions
so well that information in regard to sick persons will be
quickly obtained by them.
5. The staff allowed to each Justice will be organised according
to the number of houses in the sub-division, but the minimum
staff will be one sub-inspector or muccadum (native), one
police sepoy, and four Military sepoys. Each Justice, on
receiving intimation of, or on finding, a sick person, will make
a note of the name of the place and the number or description
of the premises, leaving a sepoy on guard to prevent the
patient being removed until an ambulance can be obtained.
6. Each Justice, on having inspected the whole of his sub-division,
will return to the office of the sub-division to fill in and hand
over a report of his morning's work in a printed form
provided for the purpose.
7. This procedure will be followed from day to day, and any Justice
prevented from attending on any particular day is requested
to send an early intimation to the Sub-divisional Medical
Officer, who will delegate the work to some one else.
8. Sub-divisional Medical Officers, on receiving reports from
Justices, will immediately arrange to send ambulances to the
houses in which cases have been reported.
9. Before removal, cases should be visited by the Sub-Divisional
Medical Officers or one of their qualified assistants, or, in the
case of females, by a Lady Doctor, who will arrange for their
removal;
10. The bullock carriage at each sub-division, should be utilized
to convey the family of each patient to the segregation
quarters at the hospital in which the patient has been placed.
31. In the removal of sick persons, the Sub-Divisional Medical
Officer should, in the absence of the District Medical Officer
of Health, personally supervise the procedure and submit a
detailed report to the District Medical Officer of Health.
12. All commissariat and other arrangements for those people
removed will be made by the District Medical Officer of
Health, or such official, as he may appoint in each sub-division.
To each Justice of the Peace was given the powers of a Special
Constable. This enabled him to legally enter houses for inspection work."
179
Meeting at 7 a.m. each morning at the nearest Sub-Divisional
Office, each Justice was supplied with the following staff :—
1 Sub-Inspector belonging to the disinfecting staff.
3 Military Sepoys.
2 Police Sepoys.
1 Locksmith.
1 Ambulance and Ambulance Sepoys.
The Justice after signing the book to notify his presence, pro
ceeded to the locality selected for the morning's visitation.
If possible, he was accompanied by the Sub-Divisional Medical
Officer of the District and, when the quarter was Mahomedan, by a Lady
Doctor.
The houses in each street were systematically searched down one
side and up the other ; no exceptions were made, all alike being subjected
to the same rigid inspection.
On arriving at a house, sepoys were stationed at all the entrances
to prevent persons leaving before the inspection was completed ; the
search party then entered the building.
Each room, landing, passage, loft, every nook and corner was
thoroughly investigated ; owing to the exodus that had taken place from
the City, a large number of rooms, dwelling-houses, shops and ware-
houses were found locked up, the owners having fled and left their
property behind them. None of these places were overlooked. All
were opened and examined in the presence of a Police Sepoy, who saw
that no unnecessary damage was done to property and that the premises
were securely fastened after the search had been completed.
A considerable amount of ingenuity was exercised in the conceal-
ment of cases. Patients have been found hidden under bedding and
under bundles of clothing, and friends have even gone so far as to lock
their sick up in large wooden chests when the search-parties were
expected, in the hope that they might thus elude their vigilance. A
favourite device was for the patient to assume an air of great activity ;
he would be found so busily engaged in his work that he had not time
even to answer questions put to him. In the case of women, the sick
were frequently come upon grinding corn and singing energetically, but
the tell-tale, anxious, haggard face, and the suffused eyes would arouse
suspicion, and upon examination the diagnosis was often confirmed by
high temperature and enlarged glands.
On one occasion a Justice entering the house of a dhobi was
told there were no sick on the premises ; this apparently was the case,
the only people present being busily engaged in ironing clothes, and the
180
remaining available space being taken up with piles of clothes. "Happen
ing to notice what was apparently a movement among the clothes, the
Justice farther investigated the matter and found, to his surprise, that an
old man (a dhobi) was concealed under the pile. On being removed and
examined, he was found to be in an advanced state of plague.
On another occasion a search-party visited a room occupied by a
whole family and found apparently nothing wrong ; on the usual enquiries
being made, all protested there had been no sickness in the place. The
Justice when leaving observed a chair in the corner of the room covered
with a cloth which had been thrown over it. On pulling the cloth aside,
an old woman was disclosed huddled up between the legs of the chair,
also in an advanced state of plague.
Other cases of concealment, such as persons being shut in boxes,
in lofts, and in privies, were constantly being brought to light, and even
corpses have been made to simulate life, to avoid the inevitable disinfec-
tion of the premises.
Whilst making these visitations every care was taken to respect
the customs and caste prejudices of the diiferent communities ; before
examining the house of a Mahomedan, the rule was to request the
owner of the house to assemble the ladies of his family in a room apart,
where the Lady Doctor could examine them while the other members of
the party were carrying, out their inspection of the premises. A like
consideration was shown in regard to the religious prejudices and observ-
ances of all other castes and communities. This fact was soon generally
recognised and appreciated by the people and, as a result, a cheerful
and ready willingness to second the efforts of the searchers took the
place of the passive resistance met with during the earlier days.
On finding a sick person—a suspicious case—the Medical Officer
was called on to certify as to whether it was a case of plague or not ; if
diagnosed as plague, the ambulance was brought to the door of the
house and the stretcher to the room of the sick person if the width of the
doorway or the incline of the staircase permitted of this being done.
The friends and relatives of the patient were then consulted as to
the patient's wishes in regard to a hospital, and, if the person was a
Caste Hindoo or Mahomedan, he or she was invariably sent to the
hospital of the caste or. sect.
The patient having been carefully placed on the ambulance
stretcher, it was lifted on to the ambulance and the vehicle sent off to
the hospital in charge of a military sepoy accompanied on some
occasions by two police sowars when the removal took place from a
crowded Mahomedan quarter.
This kind of inspection proceeded throughout the week.
181
At 10-30 or 11 a.m., the Justice and his party returned to the
Sub-divisional Officer, and filled in the following certificate of the work
done :—
Counterfoil.
DISTRICT No.
DISTRICT No..
HOUSE-TO-HOUSE-VISITATION CERTIFICATE.
Total Plague cases reported to
on the
day of
189
by
J. P.
I certify that I this day visited (or caused to be
visited)
houses in my District
and discovered :—
(No. of deaths)
deaths from Plague.
(No. of suffer
ing cases)...
cases suffering from Plague.
Total cases...
and that the same have been duly reported
to
District Medical Officer of Health.
KOTE.—To be returned to the J. P.
from the Dist. Med. Officer's Office after
the accompanying certificate has been
detached.
Signature of J. P.
The inspection again proceeded in the afternoon from 2 p.m. to
o p.m.
Besides the large number of Justices who daily worked in house-
to-house visitation, a number of gentlemen gave their services for the
same work and were provided with Special Constable Certificates.
The work done by the above gentlemen was of the greatest
value, and it is not too much to say that the house-to-house visitation
could not have been successfully carried on without the important help
they gave the Committee.
48