153
It will be noted that the Maratha Hospital has more than double
the number of admissions from plague than any other Hospital, though
the number of relapsing fever cases are far larger in the Arthur Road.
The Public Hospitals have, as usual, had the heaviest admissions, though
some of the Private Hospitals, such as the Sarvajannic (which opened
rather late in the epidemic), the Parsee Hospital, the two Jain Hospitals,
the Telugu, Hindu, and Strong's, all did good work. I had to issue very
strict instructions to some of the hospitals who were inclined to admit
other diseases, than plague or relapsing fever, into their wards. The
tendency in some of these was to use these hospitals as ones for treat-
ment of general diseases as well, but this was put a stop to as well as I
could, These hospitals were generally divided into wards for observa-
tion cases—other diseases, such as relapsing fever, &c.—convalescent
wards and plague wards, and some had separate accommodation for pneu-
monic cases. Of course, the men and women were kept separate.
Every effort was made to carry out the above principles.
I regret to have to note the small number of admissions in the
Mahomedan Hospitals situated in. one of the densest parts of Bombay,
viz., the district between the Crawford Market, Parel Road, Frere Road }
and Baboolla Tank Road. These hospitals, viz., the Cutchi Mehmons,
Hallai Mehmons and Katri Mehmons, ought to have shown a large
number of admissions instead of the comparative small numbers quoted.
I think the work done in these hospitals, more especially the large
public ones, is a matter of congratulation to the Staff and Committee.
With reference to the Private Hospitals which were opened in the
very crowded part of the City, I may here state that I think it is now
time, when our ideas of this disease are more advanced and the panic
caused by the high mortality has to a very great extent subsided, that
these were gradually abolished. It is well known amongst the medical
profession that there is danger in placing infectious or contagious
diseases in crowded parts of any city, and for this reason these hospitals
are removed outside the crowded area and placed in open spaces away
from the city. The Private Hospitals in Bombay were mostly in the
densest part of the City. The control over these was not sufficiently
careful, and I have no doubt the intercourse between the sick
and their friends was much too free. Another point is that in
a number of these Private Hospitals the buildings used as such
were generally the places where caste meetings and other public cere-
monials were carried out, and I think it will be admitted that once these
places were used as Infectious Hospitals, it would not be wise to have them
used again as public meeting places, where large number of men, women
and children might meet and possibly get infected. I have been in-
formed that it is very convenient to have these hospitals near where
cases occur and that otherwise they would not go to hospital at all.
I can instance the Maratha Hospital and the Arthur Road Hospital,
also the Parsee and Jain Hospitals in the Parel Road where Hindus,
Parsees and Brahmins, and other castes also, were brought from long dis-