NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
ii
S. In Colonel Wilkins, D, S.O., Special Medical Officer, the City
has had the benefit of the services of an officer of great ability and
experience. His management of Municipal Hospitals and Camps left
nothing to be desired, and his advice and guidance were much appreciated
by the managers of similar private institutions. Government have
already recognized Colonel Wilkins' services during the last epidemic in
Government Resolution No. 3267-P., dated I5th May 1899, and it is a
matter of congratulation that he has again been posted to Bombay in
the same capacity as before.
4. I would specially commend to the notice of Government the
excellent service done by the officers in charge of Districts. The
burden of carrying out the measures now in force rests on them, and
on their energy, tact, and sympathy depends the measure of success
to be achieved. Their duties during the continuance of the epidemic
have been most loyally performed, and while some officers have
shown greater aptitude than others all have endeavoured by patience
and an unsparing devotion to work which is always monotonous
and frequently difficult and irksome to attain the end in view. It
is impossible to over-estimate the value of their services, and the fact
that complaints have been of comparatively rare occurrence demonstrates
the thoroughness of their control over the large establishments subor-
dinate to them. Some of our most experienced officers have been
claimed for other duties and
Lt. Keogh—G. B. No. 87-P of 6th January 1899.
i,t. strong-»· R. »o. 1562-p of ist March 1899.
Government have already re-
ILt. Firth—G·. E. No. 3087-P of 6tH May 1899.
ΛΛ γ.Λ« 1 Λ Λ ;*
«j.·
e
Lt. Warneford—G. ß. NO. 4103-p of 26th June 1899. corded tueit appreciation of
Sir
A d pAr d Yakub - G · Ε · Ν°· *"* °f Uth their merits in the Government
Cap 8 t. & Lewis-G. E. No. 6695-P of 18th September Resolutions
quoted
in
the
margin: of the others who
have served for considerable portion of the year, I would particularly
mention Lieutenants French and Brackenbury as having well deserved
the confidence placed in them.
Dr. ShrofiE —Acting Divisional Health Officer.
Dr. Malegam walla, ι
Dr. Britto.
Dr. Dady Barjore.
Dr. Jayaker.
Dr. Fazal Ahmed.
Dr. Kapadia.
Deputy Health Officers.
Dr. A badán.
\ Sectional Medical Officers.
I>r. K. V. Patel.
Dr. Contractor.
Dr. Bardi.
Dr. Munshi.
J
Khan ¿Äayed l°f *' f
Bomba y Cuetoms
Sar Husein. \ ^P^ment.
5. I have had every reason
to be satisfied with the staff work-
ing under the District Officers.
Their work is of a trying nature
and for its proper performance
demands a high standard and
carefulness, self-restraint, and devo-
tion. The officers marginally noted
deserve especial mention.
6. The Health Department has been relieved of much of the duty
it formerly had to perform in connection with Plague, but Colonel Weir's
advice and assistance have always been freely and readily given—and he
and the Divisional Health Officers deserve the greatest credit for the
efficient state in which they maintained their establishments during the
severe and trying circumstances of the epidemic.
iii
7. I have received at all times the greatest aid from Mr. R. H.
Vincent, C.I.E., and Mr. Kennedy, Commissioners of Police, and from
Mr. H. G·. Gell, Deputy Commissioner of Police. It was fortunately un-
necessary to use coercion to any great extent, but the knowledge that
we could rely on the hearty co-operation of the Police authorities
enabled us to work with a confidence that would otherwise have been
absent.
8. The attitude of the Corporation placed, as it was, in a some-
what difficult position, has been of a friendly character, and the dis-
cussions that have taken place on various points connected with Plague
Administration have never been calculated to hamper or embarrass.
Many of the individual members have worked with the greatest energy
in their districts and many have assisted in other directions. I have
already had the pleasure of bringing their names to the notice of Govern-
ment.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
W. L. HARVEY,
Municipal Commissioner
for the City of Bombay.
CHAPTER I.
GENERAL.
Introduction,
SINCE plague first became establislied in Bombay, there have only
been 8 days on which the Official Returns showed no attacks or deaths.
Of these 7 occurred in the month of July 1897, and 1 in August of the
same year. It is not therefore necessary, in dealing with the past
epidemic, to search for its origin outside the limits of Bombay.
How the disease spreads from man to man, why at certain seasons,
in spite of all that can be done, it assumes epidemic proportions, and
why, again, at other seasons, with precisely the same measures in force
it relapses into comparative inactivity, are subjects about which we are
little wiser now than we were at the end of the first epidemic.
It might be urged that, with a numerous staff so long and persis-
tently engaged on plague duty, there should be a mass of material
available for the elucidation of such questions ; but the conditions of
plague administration offer few facilities for scientific observation, and it
is an experience common to most of those who have come in contact
with plague, that their knowledge seems to contract as their experience
widens. The scientific problems connected with the disease will, no
doubt, be fully dealt with in the report of the Indian Plague Com-
mission. This report will be confined to the facts of the last epidemic,
its progress, and the measures taken to deal with it,-with a few remarks
on the results of those measures, so far as can be gathered from the
limited and unreliable data available.
Administra-
tion,
Government, in their Resolution No. 3018—3397-P of 27th May
1898, transferred the responsibility of plague administration in Bombay
from the Plague Committee to the Municipal Commissioner, under the
direct control of the Plague Commissioner. They further provided for
the appointment of a Special Deputy Commissioner and a Special
Medical Officer.
2
The month of May was occupied in winding up the affairs of the
Plague Committee, and Mr. A. Cumine, I.C.S., who had relieved Sir J.
Campbell, K.C.I.E., I.C.S., as Chairman of the Committee, actually
handed over charge of plague operations to the Municipal Commis-
sioner, Mr. P. C. H. Snow, I.C.S., on the 7th June 1898 5 Mr. W. L.
Harvey, I.C.S., relieved Mr. Snow on the 20th August.
Government more fully defined the powers and duties of the
Municipal Commissioner and his assistants in regard to Plague in their
Notification No. 4516—4779-P of the 12th August 1898, and at the same
time appointed Mr. J. H. DuBoulay, I.C.S., to be Deputy Commissioner
for plague operations, and Lieufc.~Col. J, S. Wilkins, D.S.O., I.M.S., to
be Special Medical Officer for plague operations. Mr. DuBoulay took
charge of his duties on the same day, and remained in charge till the
end of the year ; Lieut. Col. Wilkins was placed at the disposal of the
Bombay Government for plague duty on the 7th October and remained
in charge till he went on privilege leave in the first week of May 1899,
when Dr. C. H. Cayley, Divisional Health Officer of Bombay, took over
his duties.
It was intended that the city should be split up into districts of a
manageable size, each under the control of a Stan 7 Corps Officer, assisted
by a European Medical Officer ; but the only doctors sent out by the
Secretary of State, who had any plague duty in Bombay during the
year, were Dr. Thomas, who was in charge of the Maratha Hospital till
he was transferred to the Madras Presidency at the beginning of
September ; Dr. C. T. Parsons, who was on special duty at the Arthur
Road Hospital from 16th June till he was transferred to Hubli at the
end of August ; Dr. Haydon, who was in charge of D Ward till relieved
by Captain Lock on 13th June 1898 ; Dr. R. D. Dalai who was in
charge of E Ward, West, till relieved by Lt. French on 15th June ; and
Dr. G. W. Lewis, who was connected with the Central District from
llth November 1898 till 26th May 1899.
In short, Dr. Lewis alone was in Bombay during the Epidemic of
1898-99. A large number of Military Officers were, however, on plague
duty at various times during the year. The following note shows
where they served :—
A Ward : Comprising Colaba (Upper, Middle and Lower), Fort
(North and South), and the Esplanade.—Lient. Strong, I.S.O., was in
charge until he went home on sick leave. He was assisted by Capt.
Lock from 9th February, and relieved by him on 6th March, that Officer
having a second time been placed on plague duty shortly after his
return from leave.
B Ward, South : Comprising Mandvi and ChaMa.—Lieut. Bracken-
bury, I.S.O., was in charge throughout the year.
B Ward, North : Comprising Umarkhari and Dongri.—This sub-
section of B Ward was placed in charge of Mr. H. M. Judge, Assistant
3
Collector, Salt Revenue, who was placed at the disposal of the Plague
Commissioner by G. R. 3500—3874-P. of 18th June 1898. He was
relieved on 1st September by Capt. Jenkin Jones, LS.C. .Lieut. Keogh,
R.A., was transferred from C Ward to assist Capt. Jones on 23rd Sep-
tember, and relieved that officer on his departure on 28th November.
This district wa3 formally constituted a separate charge on 2nd Octo-
ber 1898. Lieut. Nangle, I.S.C., relieved Lieut. Keogh on 13th De-
cember, the latter Officer being transferred to F and G Wards. Capt.
Pritchard, I.S.C., took the place of Lieut. Nangle on the 13th March, and
remained in charge till the end of the year.
C Ward : Comprising Market, Dhobitalao, Bhuleshwar, FanaswadiK
umbharwada and (till the constitution of the Central District) Khara-
talao.—The commencement of the year found Capt. Bingley, I.S.C.,
in charge of C Ward, with Lieut. Warneford, I.S.C. Capt. Bingley
reverted to Military employment by G. R. 4559—4801-P. of 15th
August 1898, and Lieut. Warneford took charge of the whole district.
He was assisted by Lieut. Keogh, who joined at the end of July, till
his transfer to B Ward on 23rd September 1898. He was assisted by
Lieut. Anderson, LS.C., from 6th September till that officer reverted
at the end of February. He was assisted by Lieut. Hopwood, I.S.C.,
from 27th December 1898 to 22nd April 1899. Mr. C. J. Clark, of the
Bombay Customs Department, was placed at Lieut. Warneford's dis-
posal at the end of January as Superintendent of Disinfection, and
continued there till the end of May, when he was transferred to the
Central District.
J) Ward : Comprising Rhetwadi, Girgaum, Choiopatti, Walheshwar
and Mahalaxmi.—Capt. Lock, I.S.C., previously engaged in the Pass
Department at the Town Hall, took charge of D Ward from Dr. Haydon
on 13th June 1898.
Capt. Lock reverted to the Government of India on 15th October
and went home on account of ill-health; the district remaining in charge
of Dr. Shroff till the end of December, when Lieut. Tristram was
placed at the disposal of the Municipal Commissioner and relieved him.
Capt. Wood, I.S.C., reported himself on llth January 1899, and took
charge of the district; Lieut. Tristram, I.S.O., being transferred to F
and G Wards. Capt. Wood reverted to military employ on 28th
February, and was replaced by Capt. Cuppage, I. S.C., who reported
himself on 6th March. Capt. Dunbar Stuart, I.S.C., reported himself
on 15th March, and was posted to the district as Joint District Officer.
He took sole charge of the district on 8th May 1899, when Capt.
Cuppage was transferred to C Ward, and remained in charge till the
end of the year.
E Ward, West: Comprising Kamatipura, Tardeo, 1st Nagpada, and
(till the constitution of the Central District), 2nd Nagpada.—The com-
mencement of the year found Dr. R. D. Dalai in charge. Lieut. French,
4
L S. C,, joined from Thana and relieved him on 15th June and remained
in charge throughout the year.
E Ward, East, Byculla : Comprising Byculla only.—Mr. Stewart,
I.C.S., was in charge of the whole district of E Ward, East, at the
beginning of the year. Lieut. Firth, I.S.C., came to Bombay and took
charge, on 8th June, though Mr. Stewart continued to exercise general
supervision till 12th August. Lieut. Firth remained in charge of
Byculla till 5th May 1899, when he was relieved by Capt. Wooldridge,
I.S.C.
E Ward, East, Wari Bandar : Comprising Mazagaum and Tarwari.
—Lieut. Light, I.S.O., reported himself on 24th December 1898, and was
posted to this district which was constituted a separate charge from
that time. He reverted to military employ on 19th May 1899, and was
replaced on 23rd May 1899 by Capt. Walling, LS.C., who remained in
charge till the end of the year. Lieut. Haworth, I.S.C., reported himself
on 23rd March 1899, and assisted in this district till the end of the year.
Mr. George Lund, who gave his services voluntarily, was in
practically independent charge of Tarwari throughout the year.
F and G Wards : Comprising Parel, Sevri, Sion, Mahim and Worli.
—Capt. Lewis was in charge throughout the year. He was assisted
by-
Lieut. Keogh, U.A., from lath December 1898 to 18th January 1899.
Lieut. Griffith, I.S.C., from 27th December 1898 to 16th May 1899.
Lieut. Tristram, I.S.C., from llth January 1899 to 22nd May 1899.
Capt. Wooldridge, I.S.C., from 28th March 1899 to 4th May 1899.
Lieut. Stewart, I.S.O., from 20th May 1899 to the end of the year.
Lieut. Palaeologus, I.S.C., from 19th May 1899 to the end of the year.
CENTRAL DISTRICT.—This District, comprising portions of Chalda 7
Umarkhari, BhulesJiioar, Byculla and the whole of Kharatalao and 2nd
Nagpada, was constituted on 1st November and was placed in charge
of Sirdar Mahommed Yakub, Deputy Commissioner, who reported himself
on 7th October 1898 and was on general duty till he took charge. He was
assisted by Khan Bahadur Fazlullah Latfullah of the Bombay Customs
Department from 25th October 1898 to 24th January 1899. Dr. Lewis
came from Karachi and joined him on llth November 1898, and took
sole charge on 15th April 1899 when the Sirdar went on leave. Lieut.
Warneford took temporary charge on 26th May on Dr. Lewis's transfer
to Karachi. Lieut. Warneford took Mr. C. J. Clark with him from C
Ward. Khan Saheb Syed Nissar Hussein of the Bombay Collector's
Office was placed on duty in this district from 1st February to the end
of the year.
The above shows the administrative sub-divisions of Bombay.
They corresponded generally with the Ward Divisions ; but F and G
Wards were treated as one, B Ward was divided into two,—B Ward,
5
North comprising Umarkhari and Dongri; and B Ward, South, compris-
ing Mandvi and Chukla. E. Ward was divided into three—E Ward,
West, comprising Kamatipura, 1st Nagpada and Tardeo; E Ward,
East, Byculla, consisting of that section only ; and E Ward East, Wari
Bandar, including Mazagaum and Tarwari.
The success attained by Sirdar Mahomed Yakub in dealing with
the Karachi Mussulmans during the plague led to his transfer to Bombay
and the constitution of the Central District. The sections included, and
their boundaries are given below :—
B Ward, Chukla—
The area bounded on the North by the Pydhoni Road; on
the South by Nakhuda Street, Naran Dharu Street, Musjid Bandar
Road ; on the Bast by Don Tar Street ; on the West by Abdur
3-ehman Street.
Umerkhady.—
The area bounded on the North by the Babula Tank Road ; on the
South by Pydhoni Road ; on the East by Don Tar
* Both sides. gtreet> Tandel g treet#j Foola Tandd ΕοB
engalpura Row*, Umerkhadi Row*, and Jail Road, West; on
the West by Parel Road.
C Ward.—The whole of Kliara Talao.—
Bhuleshwar.—
The area bounded on the North by Erskine Road ; on the South by
Pydhoni Road ; on the East by Parel Road ; on the West by
Bapu Khote Street (both sides).
jE Ward.—The whole of 2nd Nagpada.
"Byculla.—
The area bounded on the North by Kalapani Mosque; on the South
by Bellasis Road ; on the East by Ripon Road (both sides includ-
ing Kalapani, Agripada and Madanpura Street) ; on the West by
Morland Road.
The population was estimated at about 1¿ lakhs, including ¿ lakh
of Hindus, with a few Christians, Parsees, &c., and 100,000 Mussalmans,
or about 80 per cent, of the entire Mahomedan population of Bombay.
The Pass Office which had been opened in March 1898, in the
Town Hall, was closed on 13th June 1898, and thereafter passes were
issued by the various District Officers till they were entirely abolished
by Government Resolution No. 5772—5864-P of 16th October 1898.
The inspection of the areas in the occupation of the Military in
Colaba, the Fort, Marine Lines, and Bori Bandar Lines—all portions of
A Ward—and the detection and removal of plague cases there were, as
in the previous year, entrusted to the Military ; and most efficiently
carried out.
All measures in connection with the Health Department scavengers
and sweepers were left entirely in the control of that department.
9
The District Officer in charge of a camp will also be responsible for the
due distribution among indigent evicts of any charitable funds placed
at his disposal, and should always consult the officer who sent the
evict before making a grant, as otherwise people will fraudulently
obtain double doles.
(i) Over hospitals the District Officer, if not the Medical Officer, will merely
exercise a general supervision in matters not purely professional.
Being in almost all cases an officer of one of the Indian Services, he
will give his advice on questions of caste, &c., when the Medical
Officer in immediate charge is unacquainted with the customs of the
country, and he will see that the wants of the hospitals in the way of
furniture, establishment, &c., are supplied.
(k) To issue passes to people going up-country. In connection with this
subject it is to be noted that in view of the possibility of a recrudes-
cence of plague it is desirable that people doing business in Bombay
should be encouraged to take their families away now to their native
places and leave them there. The risk both to the families and to the
remaining population will thereby be greatly diminished, and the
difficulty hitherto experienced in dealing with women and children
will be removed.
(I) Lastly, the District Officer should see that all returns are punctually
submitted. He should keep a brief diary of his own inspection and
should enter in his weekly progress report an account of the work
4one by his Local Committees and his District staff.
10
CHAPTER II.
THE COURSE OF THE EPIDEMIC.
Population in
Bombay.
The following statement very roughly indicates the population in
Bombay at the beginning of each month from 1st July 1896.
The figures are taken from Mr. James's Chart No. 1, which are
based on the average receipts of the Tramway Company. They have
been checked by the figures of emigration and immigration supplied by
the Collector of Bombay, and though they have no pretensions to accurapy,
they are sufficiently good estimates.
1st
})
})
5>
»
J)
})
5J
»»
55
July ...
September
October
November
December
January
February
May ...
=
.
•
•
.
.
...
•••
...
•••
...
...
Total
...
•••
...
...
...
...
...
Average for the year in round numbers.
1896-97.
850,000
850,000
850,000
850,000
761,000
797,000
640,000
447,000
467,000
485,000
665,000
732,000
8,394,000
700,000
1897-98.
750,000
775,000
800,000
810,000
820,000
850,000
900,000
775,000
725,000
737,000
750,000
800,000
9,492,000
790,000
1898-99.
829,000
829,000
885,000
885,000
920,000
950,000
950,000
875,000
827,000
749,000
755,000
774,000
10,228,000
850,000
Plague at-
tacks
and
deaths.
The following shows the total recorded number of plague attacks
and deaths in eadh section during the year ending 31st May 1899.
Wards,
&c.
A
B
C
D
E
P
0
r
<
1
I
(
)
)
(
r
\
\
i
c
\
<(
i _
r
1
• {
J
i
c
<
i
•j
Seel
Upper Colaba
dona.
«»•
Middle & Lower Oolaba
Fort, Southern
Fort, Northern
Esplanade ...
Mandvi
Ckukla
Unaarkuadi ...
Dongri
Dhobi Talao...
Fanaswadi ...
Khara Talao...
Khnmbbarwada
Khetwadi
Girgaum
Walkeshwar...
Mahalakshmi
Mazagou
Tarwadi
2nd Nagpada
TCamathipura
Tardeo
Byculla
JsbNagpada
Parel
Sion ...
Mahim
Worli
Water Division
...
...
...
••«
...
...
...
...
*«.
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Non-resident and Unknown...
Total
••i
...
...
• *.
•••
...
...
•••
...
...
...
-•
Attacks.
31
630
75
554
173
985
373
768
1,017
914
637
515
681
494
995
667
570
292
226
448
1,150
331
363
864
688
1,751
371
567
246
315
678
497
4
408
19,278
Deaths.
45
464
2
463
129
932
282
648
710
713
489
406
519
336
906
569
748
163
121
225
711
490
246
836
586
1,312
273
76G
191
259
626
'
408
8
225
!
15,807
11
Total mor-
tality.
The following statement shows by sections the average yearly
mortality and the actual mortality for three years, from 1st June 1896 to
31st May 1899, together with the average population and the death-rate
per mille.
Wards, & c.
A
D
E
F
g
c
c
Sectio
Upper Colaba
us.
Middle & Lower Colaba
Fort, Southern
Fort, Northern
Esplanade
Ghukla ...
Umarkhadi
Market ...
Dhobi Talao
Fanaswadi
Bhuleshwar
Khara Talao
Khumbharwada
Khetwadi
Girgaum...
Chowpati...
Walkesbwar
Mahalakshmi
2nd Nagpada
Kamathipura
1st Nagpada
Parel
...
Sewri
Sion
Worli ...
Water Division
• ••
...
...
• ••
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
• • •
...
...
...
• ••
...
...
...
...
...
...
».»
...
•••
•••
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Non-resident and unknown
Average population
Mortality per mille
Total
...
...
]
• ••
...
• • »
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
•«•
•••
...
•••
...
•••
...
• •a
...
...
...
...
Average.
Mortality for
5 years irom
1891.
114
337
29
931
167
1,455
3,269
2,113
1,165
1,140
1,297
555
1,181
1,125
1,152
784
965
201
236
280
998
522
938
1,370
781
1,667
393
1,217
180
446
587
569
70
615
26,849
8,50,000
31-58
Actual Mortality.
1 RQfi-97
JLOft7U «/i .
164
670
37
1,316
143
2,422
1,910
3,458
1,820
1,503
2,171
870
1,846
1,773
1,599
1,349
1,577
335
437
578
2,071
937
1,725
2,753
1,394
3,415
608
1,932
430
1,197
1,666
1,543
55
2,492
48,496
7,00,000
69-28
1897-98.
131
804
25
2,025
254
2,364
2,255
3,524
2,142
2,168
2,590
1,127
2,286
2,048
2,369
1,780
1,999
423
253
500
2,336
1,105
2,132
3,272
1,636
4,804
738
2,727
295
872
1,234
1,143
83
2,283
|
55,727
7,90,000
70-54
1QQO QO
ioyo-yy.
135
873
12
1,507
446
2,794
1,921
3,766
2,461
1,898
1,874
1,000
2,029
2,010
2,729
1,954
1,782
395
307
631
2,386
1,516
1,853
2,668
1,723
4,686
798
2,705
464
935
2,086
2,030
61
892
55,327
8,50,000
65-09
Mortality of
the City as a
whole.
Diagrams showing the rise and fall of the general death-rate in
Bombay as a whole and for each section of the City are attached to this
report. Except a brief out-break of cholera at the beginning of the
monsoon of 1897, no other epidemic of serious importance has appeared
in the City during the past three years. The line of general mortality
may therefore be taken as a safe index to the rise and fall of plague.
Referring first to the diagram for the whole City, it will be seen that the