NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
APP. VI. ] Measures in the Bombay Presidency and Sind.
325
were commanded by British officers as in the city. On May I3th
one search division was abolished, and the search was stopped alto-
gether on May 10th. The military search was conducted in the can-
tonment on substantially the same lines as in the city except , that in
addition to searching for plague cases the troops were employed on the
destruction of rubbish found in the houses searched. Only some 20
cases of plague were actually discovered by the search parties, but
search had the effect of causing prompt intimation of the occurrence
of cases to be 'given to the authorities. When two divisions were
working in the cantonment it was found possible to search daily all
the bazaars and a large proportion of the bungalow compounds.
5. The troops employed in the cantonment are reported by Colonel
Newnham-Smith to have performed their duties with tact, efficiency
and zeal. They were accompanied on their rounds by women search-
ers and native gentlemen, most of whom- were returned native
officers. Of the women searchers, Misses F. and G. Smith of the
Salvation Army are reported to have been " most useful and inde-
fatigable."" The following are the native gentlemen who did good
work :—
Risaldar Pirkhan.
,,
Budrudin Khan.
Subhedar Devising.
„
Cornelius Ramsay.
„
Syed Boodhan.
,,
Syed Ebrahim.
„
Hoobdar Khan.
„
Shaikh Hoosman.
,,
Shaikh Mahomed Husain.
,,
Shaikh Ahmed.
„
Ramdoo.
Subheclar-Major Bhador Shaikh Muccadum,
Subhedar Shaikh Hyatkhan.
Mr. Gangaram Bhau Mhaske.
Mr. Cursetji Byramji Kotwah.
Out of these, Risaldar Pirkhan and Subhedar Cornelius Ramsay,
who continued to work with the search parties after cases of plague
had occurred in their own families, and Mr. Gangaram Bhau Mhaske
have been specially commended by Colonel Newnham-Smith.
6. The disinfection and whitewashing of infected houses was
carried on by labourers who worked under the supervision of British
non-commissioned officers. It was carried out on the same lines as
in the city, except that the removal of a portion of the roof to admit -
326
Measures in the Bombay Presidency and Sind. l APP. VI.
air and sunlight formed part of the process of disinfection. The
removal to the segregation camp of the apparently healthy inmates of
infected houses was effected by civil agency.
7. At the suggestion of the Cantonment Magistrate the General
Officer Commanding appointed a committee consisting of the Execu-
tive Engineer, Military Works Department, Surgeon-Captain Thacker
and Mr. John Graham, to visit plague-infected houses, report on their
structural defects, such as want of ventilation, etc., and make recom-
mendations regarding them. It is hoped that the work of this com-
mittee will result in an improvement in the health of the cantonment.
8. Two old Mahomedan burial-grounds in Sachapir Street known
as Sachapir Wallee's and Kahsumali's were closed under the orders of
,the Plague Committee.
9. Particular attention was paid to the whitewashing of houses
throughout the cantonment. Mrs. Duncan was kind enough to raise
a subscription for the relief of sufferers from the plague. The money
raised was distributed through the cantonment authorities to poor
persons who had suffered through the destruction of their property or
otherwise.
10. Plague operations were carried on in the cantonment with a
success and with an absence of friction that reflect the highest credit
on Colonel Newnham-Smith. He was ably seconded by Surgeon-
Captain Thacker who, in addition to diagnosing suspected cases of
plague that occurred in the cantonment and performing the duties
already referred to, was employed on the medical examination of
corpses and the supervision of the cantonment segregation camp
and the Parsi hospital and segregation camp. Colonel Newnham-Smith
has also spoken very highly of the assistance he received from Mr.
M. H. Dastur, his executive officer, who is reported to have been
instrumental in detecting a large number of cases of plague. Sergeant
Gordon, Superintendent of Conservancy, and Mr. Cowasji Barjorji,
bullock contractor, have also been specially commended for their
services.
VII.—WORK IN POONA SUBURBAN DISTRICTS.
The first step taken to prevent the ingress of the plague into Poona
was the institution of a medical inspection of passengers at Poona rail-
way station, which is situated within the limits of the Suburban
Municipality. This matter is dealt with in another section of the
report,
2. Towards the commencement of December the Suburban Muni-
cipality undertook the cremation of the bodies of people dying of
APP. Vi. ] Measures in the Bombay Presidency and Sind.
3 2 7
plague, where caste customs permitted such disposal of the dead. An
establishment was engaged for the cremation work and a cart was pro-
vided for removing dead bodies. For the villages of Yerrowda, New
Kirkee and Sangamwadi, which are within suburban limits, a shed
was erected about half a mile to the east of Yerrowda for segregating
the inmates of houses where plague cases occurred.
3. On an increase occurring in the number of imported cases of
plague from Bombay, the Municipality engaged extra conservancy
establishments to enforce and maintain cleanliness within the munici-
pal district. All houseowners were required by notice to limewash
their bungalows and out-houses. The servants' rooms and out-houses
O
thus limewashed numbered 3,867. Printed notices were issued to house-
owners and lodging and eating house-keepers not to take in persons
arriving from Bombay and other infected areas. Printed notices of
precautions to be taken against the spread of the plague and
measures to be adopted on a case occurring were freely published and
circulated.
On March 21 st the services of a native medical man,
who had previously been employed on passenger inspection duty at the
station, were retained for general work in connection with enquiries
into causes of death and for taking part in house-to-house visitation.
4. As already stated in section II of this report the Plague Com-
mittee delegated certain of its powers to Mr. A. H. Plunkett, C I.E.,
Chairman of the Managing Committee of the Poona Suburban Munici-
pality, who, with the Committee's concurrence, practically had the
entire management of plague arrangements within suburban limits.
5. Owing to the smallness of the number of cases that occurred
within suburban limits, other than those found in the railway station
and on the roads, the amount of disinfection that had to be carried
out was not large. The roofs of 26 houses and rooms, in or near
which cases of plague had occurred, were opened and their floors dug
up. Forty-six houses and rooms were vacated and 31 were condemned
as unfit for human habitation pending certain alterations.
Thirty
windows were made in 11 houses to admit of more light and air. Only
24 persons were removed to segregation camps.
6. House-to-house inspection with the assistance of British troops
was commenced on the 22nd March and continued till the 19th May.
During that period the search was carried on for three days in each
week. One non-commissioned officer and nine privates were employed
on the search. They were divided into four parties, each of which was
accompanied by one or more Municipal Commissioners. The whole of
the Municipal area was searched weekly, the work being carried on
under the personal supervision of Mr. Plunkett. The instructions
328
Measures in the Bombay Presidency and Sind, [ APP. VI.
issued by Mr. Plunkett for the guidance of the search parties are given
in Appendix 15. One medical man, one lady doctor and two Muham-
madan women accompanied the search parties. No plague cases were
found in the search by the military, but it doubtless operated to pre-
' vent the concealment of plague cases. Mr. Plunkett has brought to
notice the excellent behaviour of the British troops employed in the
search. The work that devolved on them was performed with due
regard for the caste customs and religious usages of the people whose
dwellings were inspected, and gave him entire satisfaction.
7. The following gentlemen, who are members of the Suburban
Municipality, rendered useful assistance in the search:—
Rao Saheb Balkrishna Shayana.
Mr. Abdulla Abdool Wahed.
„ S. Webbe.
„ Dadabhoy Sorabji.
,, Pestonji Bomanji.
„ Balwantrao Hari Chiplunkar.
,, Bezonji Nasarvanji.
,, Dorabji Dadabhoy Butti.
Mr. Plunkett has also called attention to the good work done by
the Municipal Secretary, Mr. Nowroji Mancherji Patil.
8. I consider that the operations against the plague within suburban
limits have been conducted smoothly and satisfactorily and reflect the
highest credit on Mr. Plunkett.
VIII.—WORK IN VILLAGES ROUND POONA.
Owing to the fact that many sick persons were known to have been
removed from Poona to places outside during the prevalence of the
epidemic in Poona City it was thought advisable that before the work of
house-to-house inspection in the city was stopped the surrounding
villages should be searched in order to ascertain how far they were
affected. To enable this to be done Government were pleased to
empower the Plague Committee, by Government Resolution No.2190-1629-I.
of 24th April 1897, to exercise the powers conferred on them by Nos.
5, 6 and g of the rules prescribed in Government Resolution No. I272/765-P. _.
of 9th March 1897, throughout the Haveli Taluka of the Poona Dis-
trict.
2. Two search divisions, each consisting of ten parties composed
of one British and two native soldiers, were formed for this search.
The divisions were commanded by British Officers and were accom-
panied by Surgeon-Lieutenant Dove. The search commenced on
APP. VI. ] Measures in the Bombay Presidency and Sind.
329
April 28th and continued till May 4th, during which period 31 villages
and hamlets were visited. No cases of plague were discovered, and
the search was accordingly discontinued after the latter date. The
villages searched were found to be remarkably clean and the attitude
O
of the villagers was invariably friendly.
IX.—HOSPITALS.
The number of hospitals at which plague patients were treated
was five. The names of the hospitals with the date of admission of the
first plague case to each are given below :—
Name of hospital.
Sassoon General Hospital
General Plague Hospital
Muhammadan Plague Hospital
Hindu
„
„
Parsi
.
„
„
...
,,,
...
...
...
...
...
...
Date of ist admission.
Stli October 1896.
5th February 1897,
8th March 1897.
1 5th March 1897.
1 3th May 1897.
None of these hospitals had been finally closed up to the end of May
1897. Of the first, the first two are under official management, while
the remainder are privately managed, subject, however, to the super-
vision of the Plague Committee.
Sassoon General Hospital,
2. This is the General Hospital for the whole of Poona and is under
the management of the Civil Surgeon.
It was the only hospital to
which persons suffering from plague could be sent when the disease
first appeared in Poona. The first case was admitted on 8th October
1886 and was treated in the Contagious Ward.
3. As other cases began to come in, a letter was sent to the Exe-
cutive Engineer on October 22nd, asking for the erection of a special
shed for six patients in the hospital compound. A grass shed was
accordingly put up in the hospital compound, and was in use from
29th October to the beginning of December.
4. The accommodation so provided proved to be insufficient and
therefore a committee, composed of the City Magistrate, the Sanitary
Commissioner and the Executive Engineer, met on December 8th to
select a new site for plague sheds, as the hospital compound was being
overcrowded. The Committee selected a site on the north side of the
hospital on land belonging tot he Great Indian Peninsula Railway Com-
pany. At the same time they recommended that sheds to hold 20 beds
should be erected at once and a special extra establishment of one Assist-
ant Surgeon and one Hospital Assistant besides menials engaged. New
sheds for plague patients were accordingly erected on the site selected
b 42
330
Measures in the Bombay Presidency and Sind. [ APP. VÍ.
along with a shed for the Hospital Assistant's quarters, a dead-
house and a privy, and the shed which had been in use in the hospital
compound was transferred to the new site.
5. In consequence of the objection of the railway authorities to
the treatment of plague cases at this site, the Poona Cantonment and
the City and Suburban Municipalities finally agreed to build a plague
hospital near the Sangam between Valentine Lodge and the Silk and
Cotton Mills. When this hospital was opened on February 5th all
the plague patients (18 in number) were transferred to it. The total
number of patients treated in the Sassoon General Hospital and the
plague sheds connected with it up to that date was 179, of whom 114
died, I0 absconded, 37 were discharged cured, and 18 were transfer-
red.
6. After the opening of the General Plague Hospital at the San-
gam all cases received at the Sassoon Hospital which showed definite
symptoms of plague were transferred there at once, but doubtful cases
which were received from the railway station and the cantonment
were kept for observation. On April 28th the Plague Committee
ordered that all cases for observation should be sent to the General
Plague Hospital in the first instance. Since then a few cases of plague
have been found among patients brought to the Sassoon Hospital
and they have been promptly transferred.
7. The total number of cases of plague admitted to the Sassoon
Hospital up to 20th May 1897 (including observation cases) was 238.
Of these, 34 were found not to be plague cases and were discharged,
while 204 persons were found to be suffering from plague ; of these
40 were discharged cured, 117 died and 47 were otherwise disposed of.
8. The Sassoon General Hospital has been the appointed plague
hospital for Europeans throughout the epidemic. Two European
patients have been treated there, Surgeon-Major J. C. Donnet, A.M.S.,
and Mr. Kennedy, Sub-Editor of the Deccan Herald. Both were
discharged cured.
g. Appendix 16 is a daily statement showing the result of the treat-
ment of true and suspected cases of plague. Appendix 17 gives par-
ticulars of the men, women and children treated at the hospital. The
small proportion of female patients admitted is noticeable.
10. The Civil Surgeon, Brigade-Surgeon-Lieutcnant-Colonel Mc-
Conaghy, has cordially co-operated with the Plague Committee, and
I have much pleasure in acknowledging the help that we have received
from him.
General Plague Hospital.
11. This hospital, which is situated near the Sangam, was built at
the joint cost of the City and Suburban Municipalities and the Poona
APP. VI. ] Measures in the Bombay Presidency and Sind.
S3*
Cantonment. It was opened on 5th February 1897, Mr, B. B. Darab-
shett, a local medical practitioner, being placed in charge of it. Sur-
geon-Major Barry was placed by me in supervisional charge of the
hospital on 27th February 1897.
12. Full information as to the arrangements at the hospital will be
gathered from the accompanying copy of his report No. 1-Y (Appen-
dix 18). Further information relating to the hospital will be obtained
from the appendices noted below.
Appendix 19.—Drawing of the hospital and its surroundings.
Appendix 20.—Daily statement of cases.
Appendix 21.—Statement of men, women and children treated at the
hospital.
Appendix 22.—Statement of cases with groups of statistics.
Appendix 23.—Statement of superior establishment.
Appendix 24.—Statement of nurses.
Appendix 25.—Statement of establishment employed when the hospital was
fullest.
Appendix 26.—Copy of the Plague Committee's rules relating to the
hospital.
13. A plan of the hospital drawn to scale has already been submit-
ted to Government with my No. 1063 of the 8th May 1887. One of
the first duties of the Plague Committee was to arrange for the exten-
sion of the General Plague Hospital to accommodate the increased
numbers of patients that were expected to be brought there. Again,
during the month of May, a portion of the hospital had to be adapted
to monsoon requirements, and monsoon accommodation for 75 patients
was ordered to be provided. Works in connection with this hospi-
tal were carried out by the Public Works Department. It may be men-
tioned that the hospital with its burial-grounds at one time occupied
an area of 15 acres and 2 guntahs.
14. Surgeon-Major Barry's report on the hospital is clear, and
there is little in it that requires comment from me. I am not sure,
however, that he is correct in saying that the labours of the European
nurses were largely wasted. Of the value of their work from a medi-
cal man's point of view I am of course unable to express an opinion.
From what I have seen with my own eyes I consider, however, that
the attentions of the nurses were much appreciated by the patients.
15. The tabular statements relating to the hospital for the most
part do not appear to call for remarks from me. I must, however, draw
attention to Appendix 20 as showing the remarkable increase that
took place in the number of admissions from March 14th, i.e., from
the time the military search parties commenced work. There is a
332
Measures in the Bombay Presidency and Sind. [ App. VI.
striking contrast in the number of admissions before and after that date,
though there is every reason to think that there was more plague in
Poona at the beginning than at the end of March. Nothing could
show more clearly the value of the military search parties than this-
record of admissions to hospital. In explanation of the fact that the
marked increase in the number of admissions occurred on the I4th,
while the search by the military commenced on the I3th, I may men-
tion that the hospital returns were made up to 6 A.M. daily and the
returns for the 14th would include all persons admitted after 6 A.M. on
the previous day.
16. I have much pleasure in acknowledging the valuable work done
by Surgeon-Major Barry as Supervisional Medical Officer. The com-
fort of the patients was looked to in every way, a high standard of
sanitation was maintained, and the discipline enforced upon the large
staff of hospital subordinates was excellent. Surgeon-Major Barry
has been ably seconded by Mr. Plunkett, by Doctor Darabshett, the
medical officer in charge, and by Miss Mclntosh, who has been in
charge of the nursing arrangements since April i8th,
M ahome dan Plague Hospital.
17. This hospital was erected with my sanction by the Muhamma-
dans of Poona, the funds for constructing and maintaining it being
raised by voluntary subscription. It was managed by a committee,
of which the leading spirit was Mr. Jaffer Jussuff, the well-known Com-
mission Agent. The management was subject to the control of the
Plague Committee. The committee of management admitted all
Muhammadans to the hospital free of charge and provided them with
free board and lodging while they remained inmates.
18. The hospital is situated on the north side of the Shankarshett
road. It was composed during the hot weather of chapper huts divided
into compartments, which were intended to hold one patient each.
When the hospital, which was increased from time to time, reached its
greatest dimensions, there was accommodation for about 50 patients,
a number which was exceeded for the greater part of the month of
April. At this time two patients often occupied one compartment.
The compartments were covered matting and mattresses were sup-
plied for the use of the patients. Cots were purchased for the patients
who, however, did not take kindly to them._ There was a plentiful
water-supply.
19. Surgeon-Captain Beveridge was in supervisional medical charge
of the hospital up to March 30th, when he was succeeded by Surgeon-
Lieutenant Kiddle. The administrative medical charge of the hospital
was held by a hakim named Ainudin and S. A. Rayman, a pensioned
APP. VI. ] Measures in the Bombay Presidency and Sind*
333
hospital assistant. The treatment of the patients was entirely in the
hands of the hakim who used native remedies only. The patients had
the option of being treated by the hospital assistant, but none availed
themselves of it. The hospital assistant was responsible to the Plague
Committee for keeping the hospital in a sanitary condition. The
supervisional medical officer did not interfere with the treatment of
patients, but no case was allowed to be discharged till he was satisfied
that a cure had been effected. A sufficient staff of subordinates was
maintained.
20. Plague patients were allowed to have one relative with them in
hospital, but there was no regular nursing. A guard of native infantry
was kept over the hospital to prevent the entry of unauthorised per-
sons.
21. At the beginning of April, when the Muhammadan Hospital was
full, it was found necessary to direct that cases among Muhammadans
found in the search by the military should be sent to the General
Plague Hospital. This order was withdrawn at the end of the month
when the numbers in the Muhammadan Hospital had fallen.
22. Appendix 27 gives particulars of the number of patients in hos-
pital on each day, while Appendix 28 shows the general results of the
treatment up to May 20th. From the latter statement it appears that
out of 309 patients found to be suffering from plague 122 were dis-
charged cured, 179 died and 8 remained under treatment. Of the
persons shown as cured 48 were discharged within ten days of admis-
sion, and Surgeon-Lieutenant Kiddle considers that for that reason
they could not have been true cases of plague. If he is correct in his
surmise, the treatment was less successful than the figures in Appendix
28 indicate.
23. In the points of cleanliness and smartness the Muhammadan Hos-
pital has compared unfavourably both with the General Plague Hospital
and the Hindu Hospital. It has, however, been of immense value owing
to the confidence it has enjoyed with practically the whole of the
Muhammadan community. The majority of the patients admitted
belonged to the poorer classes of Muhammadans. No one would
have been surprised if this class of people had obstinately opposed the
removal of their sick to hospital. So far, however, was this from
being the case that a large proportion of the patients were brought in
by their relations of their own accord. When the hospital was in danger
of being closed for want of funds, the Plague Committee felt them-
selves justified in making a grant-in-aid towards its maintenance. The
success of the hospital has been chiefly due to the efforts of Mr. Jaffar
Jussuff who, besides collecting the funds necessary to finance it, has