96
no T Jessoo was the widow of Gopal, caught the plague and was admitted to the
Maratha Hospital ; when she recovered she was, on 9th February 1899, sent home
to her friend at Malvan. For fare by steamer Rs. 2, for food Rs. 2-8 and a blanket
were bestowed upon her.
Ahila, widow of Govind, lost a little girl, her only child, in the Maratha
Hospital. Her old blind mother was dependent on her. Both were disconsolate
and helpless, so they were sent home to Talegaon, where they had friends, and
were given Rs. 5 for the journey and for food, &c., on the way.
Luximan, son of Babaji, a barber, suffered from plague in the Maratha Hospital;
when he recovered he was too weak to work, so he and his old father, who had been
nursing him, were sent home to Kelemergaum in Ratnagiri and given Rs. 5 for
the journey and a blanket each, as they were very poor.
To quote one more case. Bhagi Dadu, a Maratha, aged 45, was admitted with
his wife and eldest daughter to the Maratha Hospital, all three were down with
plague. At the same time three other little children of his were taken to the contact
camp, next the hospital, and maintained there. Bhagi and his daughter recovered
but his wife died, and he and his four little children were given Rs. 10 to take them
home to Karad, as they were without means and the father too weak to work.
Again where a patient has lost his or her employment, especially if they be
domestic servants, endeavours are made to get them, when discharged, either back
into their old places or into new situations. Where they have suffered loss and so
been incapacitated for work, their loss has been made good.
Thus, the daughter of Luis Santan Fernandez, a poor tailor, was taken to the
Arthur Road with plague. He and his wife were turned out of their home and they
and all their goods taken to the camp next the hospital. In moving, a Singer's
sewing machine on which the family depended for their livelihood was damaged,
so as to become useless. The machine was overhauled and restored at the expense
of the Fund at a cost of Rs. 11-9-0, and when in time the daughter was discharged
cured, the family departed blessing the Government for their timely aid.
In all cases where the discharged patient is poor and needy, presents of clothes
and a blanket are given, a stock of these being kept under lock and key at each
hospital—replenished at times by the " recla " service as described above from the
Central Depot at the College. As regards the friends or relatives attending
on the sick, if they have to be fetched from a distance, the cost of their coming
and of their final return is defrayed, or, if possible, their losses made good. Thus,
one Daku Krishna came from Fonda, Ratnagiri, 24 miles by road to Devgur bunder
and thence by steamer to Bombay, to nurse his son (24) down with plague in the
Maratha Hospital. His son died, and as all his funds were spent, he was sent home
to his village at a cost of Rs. 5.
In another case a Mahomedan, Balamia, fell ill of plague, was taken to the
Mahomedan General Hospital and ultimately died. His wife Kandabai and his
sister Maiboo, with his two little children, came from Angepur, Satara District, to
nurse him. The man was a daily labourer, the women had spent their last anna in
coming to nurse him, so, when he died, they were given blankets and sent home
with half-a-month's provisions at a cost to the fund in cash of Rs. 11.
Again, a Madrassi butler, by name Ashebai Rameshawami, threw up a good
place at Igatpuri and came with his family, a wife and two children, to the Camp,
Arthur Road, to attend on his son down with plague in the hospital. His son died