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" bedding of all occupants of the camps was also required to be spread in the sun
" daily from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Contacts and evicts were kept in opposite quarters of
" the camps, and every resident in the camp was inspected daily by the Visiting
" Medical officer, who also specially examined all people newly admitted or who were
" to be discharged. The three camps for the use of the ward were the Gokuldas
" Tejpal, Charni Road and Crawford Market, and they consisted of altogether
" 950 huts, accommodating about 3,500 people. They were completely full 011
" Several occasions and were of the greatest use in enabling us to empty infected
" rooms or houses. Between September and the middle of May over 300 complete
" houses were vacated by the direct action of the District Officer and the occupants
" removed to these camps, and probably more than double that number of houses in-
" habited by persons of the higher classes were vacated voluntarily by their occu-
" pants on the advice or persuasion of the District Officer, aided by the Volunteers.
" In these latter cases the occupants were allowed to go where they wished."
The above description applies with slight variations to all the other
Municipal camps. At two of them—the Narielwadi and Byculla camps,
the process of disinfection was greatly facilitated by the use of the Sterili-
zers set up in them. In some cases strong carbolic soap or phenyle was
given to the people to wash themselves with, and sometimes they were
again disinfected before leaving camp. Blankets also were served out to
those who felt the cold, being returned, except where the people were
extremely poor, when they left camp. In a few cases cots were supplied
where the ground was damp and the inmates had none of their own. A
careful register was invariably kept of all arrivals and departures, cases
of sickness and other particulars.
Jt has been mentioned that at the Julaha camp, Byculla, a shed for
prayer and accommodation for their handlooms was provided. Every
consideration was given to their habits and prejudices, and camp life
was made for them as comfortable as possible. The popularity of this
camp increased so much, that when rats were dying or plague
cases occurring in a chawl, the people themselves often asked to be re-
moved there. The Julahas signified their approval of this camp by chang-
ing its designation from " Karanteen" to " Karamteen." The word
" Karam" means "kindness". People constantly left the various camps
with the greatest reluctance. Applications from outsiders for permission
to reside in them throughout the fair weather at any reasonable rent had
over and over again to be refused, and one of the greatest difficulties met,
with in regard to the management of camps was that of getting rid of
tenants who had been permitted to reside in some of them through the
monsoon on payment of rent. All camps were supervised by camp masters,
provided with latrine and water arrangements, and drainage where
necessary. There was also a staff of sweepers and halalkhores to attend
to conservancy; and police ramosis to assist the camp master and look to
the security of property. It only remains to mention that between 1,000
and 2,000 people in E Ward erected huts in convenient open spaces for
themselves, and as in the case of the huts in F and G Wards, they were
left to themselves. A little assistance was occasionally given to them
in putting up their sheds.