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The relief of distress in the principal public hospitals was primarily
undertaken by Professor O. V. Muller; he was subsequently assisted by
Mr. V. N. Mandlik and on their departure, Mr. G. Lund undertook the
work at the Maratha and Arthur Road Hospitals, the Rev. R. M. Gray
and subsequently the District Officer. A Ward, that at the Modikhana
Hospital, and the District Officers concerned that at the other hospitals.
The nature of the work done is described in Professor O. V. Muller's
interesting report which is given in full below :—
Report on my work as Official Plague Hospital Visitor in Bombay City
From November 1st, 1898, to April 1st, 1899.
Professor
Muller's Report.
In October 1898 I was asked by Mr. (now Sir Andrew) Wingate, Chief
Secretary to Government and Plague Commissioner, if I were willing to undertake
the distribution of a Relief Fund offered by the Government of India for the
popularising of the plague hospitals in Bombay. I, thereupon, offered my services
as far as my college work would allow.
Work easy i n
November ; cases
few.
I at once began visiting the plague hospitals and enquiring into the circum-
stances and wants of each patient. I thus visited every morning the Arthur Road,
Modikhana and Mahomedan General Hospitals und later on the Julai Hospital of
Ripon Road. The patients were few in November—7 or 8 only in the Arthur Road
Hospital—and the type was mild, so most cases lingered long or recovered, and thus
gave me time to help. I made the persona] acquaintance of, learnt the family history,
&c., &c., of all the 30 or 40 plague cases in these hospitals and aided them by means
of the Relief Fund in various ways.
Methods of relief.
Fetching friends.
Sending convales-
cents to their
homes in the
country, &c.
Thus, if any patient had no friends visiting him, I fetched to the hospital any
relative living in Bombay, or, if from up-country, I wrote to his friends, with
the result that these latter often came to Bombay to nurse their sick relations.
The Fund paid for their passage down, provided them with means of support
and often sent them back again when the patient either recovered or died. The
patient when convalescent was also sent to his home in the country if he desired
to go. Most Bombay labourers come from the inland villages, and it is very
noticeable how large a percentage of cases in the hospitals are new coiners, chiefly
from Ahmednagar, Satara and Ratnagiri Collectorates, who have been in this city
from six months to a few days only.
Examples.
To quote a few examples—
Hassan Mohidin, aged 3 5, was admitted to Arthur Road on 25th September
1898 and recovered. He was very thin and miserable, and so when the doctor
allowed he was supplied, at the cost of the Fund, with extra rations. He was u
domestic servant, on Rs. 3 per mensem, to a small grain dealer in Dongri. His
father was dead, but I discovered that his mother, a firewood seller, lived at
Kalyan. I wrote to her, and finally, when her son was discharged strong and
well on 10th December 1898, he was sent home with Rs. 2-8-0 in his pocket,
I seeing him off in person.
Sonu Rama, P. malee, aged 30, was admitted to the Arthur Road on 26th
November 1898. He had no friends in Bombay, at his request I wrote to his
brothers in Ratnagiri and told them of Sonu's sickness. One brother immediately
borrowed means and came to Bombay and nursed his sick brother. When his
means were exhausted, he was helped from the Fund, and when Sonu died, 15th
December 1898, the brother was sent home with a few rupees to start with again.