NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
254
Measures to prevent the
[ APP. IX,
and either desiring not to land passengers or to land them in quaran-
tine : and also for the case of ships, whether using Aden merely as a
port of call or not, which desire to tranship passengers to other ships
in quarantine.
6. I am to invite attention to the recommendation of the Advo-
cate General that the earliest opportunity should be taken of redraft-
ing the rules.
Report by the Remembrancer of Legal Affairs, dated 5th February
1897.
I have found it a difficult task to say how the proposed modifica-
tions in these rules should be worded.
The object in itself is simple, viz., as stated in the Gazette Extra-
ordinary of the 3rd instant, to impose quarantine "on persons land'
ing at Aden up to 10 days from date of leaving Bombay or Karachi."
Cf. telegram of Government of India, dated 2nd instant.
2. The first point is with regard to Rule III. As first altered (in
ink) the rule would impose quarantine on all vessels from Bombay (or
Karachi) coming to Aden, whether they landed persons at Aden or
not. This would obviously go beyond the original intention of the
amendment and would cause inconvenience.
3. There seem to be two ways of meeting the difficulty, either (a)
to make rule of detention apply to all vessels (from Bombay or
Karachi) adding a proviso in favour of vessels using Aden only as a
port of call, or (b) to leave the 1st part of Rule III unaltered (allowing
vessels showing a clean bill of health to go on their way) adding a
proviso regarding the detention of all persons landing at Aden.
* It is doubtful, however, whether
this rule is meant to apply (or is
practically worked as applying) to
vessels which do not wish to remain
at Aden.
4. Both modes have been suggested. The latter would seem better
to meet the original intention and to be the less cumbrous in form.
Both modes, however, would leave Rule IV untouched, and this rule
seems to require the detention of all vessels with plague on board,
whether they wish to land passengers
at Aden or not.* Moreover as soon
as we begin to modify the wording of
the rules, various practical difficulties
seem to arise regarding the way in which vessels only calling at Aden
(to land or tranship passengers) are to be distinguished from vessels
staying there for a longer period.
5. After much consideration and after looking to the actual sand
tion contained in the telegram of the Government of India I would
venture to suggest the following course.
255
APP. IX. ]
spread of infection by sea.
The rules may be left as they originally were with the following
addition :—
"X.—Notwithstanding anything contained in the above-mentioned
rules, no persons wishing to be landed at Aden, Perim or the Somali
Coast from vessels coming from Bombay (or Karachi) shall be per-
mitted to be so landed except from the quarantine anchorage and at
such particular spots as may be selected by the Resident as places of
quarantine under Rule VI above. Such persons (if landed from vessel
coming under Rule III above) shall remain at such places until a period
often days shall have elapsed from the time of their departure from
Bombay (or Karachi). If landed from a vessel coming under Rule IV
above, such persons shall remain at such places for a period of 15 days
from the day of arrival in the harbour. If a case of plague occurs
amongst any such persons during such periods, they shall remain in a
place of quarantine for a period of 15 days from the date of the
occurrence of the last case of such illness."
No. 10 of 1897
Opinion of the Advocate General, Bombay.
I think the course suggested by the Legal Remembrancer will
carry out the directions of the Government of India, and if the rules
are not redrafted almost entirely, it is the best course to adopt. I
would suggest that the rule proposed by the Legal Remembrancer be
adopted for the present, but that the earliest opportunity be taken of
redrafting the rules.
As regards the wording of the proposed new rule, I would suggest
that it should run "notwithstanding any thing contained in the above-
mentioned rules, no persons from vessels coming from Bombay or
Karachi shall land at Aden, Perim or the Somali Coast except from
the quarantine anchorage et seq.," as in the Legal Remembrancer's
draft.
No. 66.
Telegram No. 683, dated Calcutta, the 22nd February 1897.
From—The Secretary to the Government of India, Home Department,
To—The Secretary to the Government of Bombay, General Department.
Your letter 777, dated 12th. Quarantine at Aden. Government
of India do not clearly understand why proposal of Legal Remem-
brancer to leave rules as they originally were with addition of rule 10
given at end of his report does not meet wishes of Bombay Govern-
ment. Please telegraph reply.
250
Measures to prevent the
[ APP. IX.
No. 67.
Telegram, dated Bombay, the 25th February 1897.
From—The Secretary to the Government of Bombay, General Depart-
ment,
To—Thé Secretary to the Government bf India, Home Department.
Your telegram 683 of 22nd. Aden Quarantine Rules. If Govern-
ment, India, are satisfied, this Government is satisfied. But desire to
draw attention to Private Secretary to Governor's telegram of l7th
and to fact that it is not clear under present rules whether a vessel
even with plague on board may escape quarantine if desiring to
continue her voyage ; for example the pilgrim ship Pekin, which had
had plague cases, escaped quarantine.
No. 68.
Telegram No. 889, dated Calcutta, the 9th March 1897.
From—The Secretary to the Government of India, Home Department,
To—The Secretary to the Government of Bombay, General Department.
Your telegram dated 25th February. Aden Quarantine Rules.
My telegram 824, dated 5th March, states that Government of India
do not consider that there should be compulsory inspection or deten-
tion at Aden. There would therefore seem now to be no objection to
modify Aden Quarantine Rules in manner suggested by Legal
Remembrancer to give effect to orders issued in Bombay Government
Notification 583, : dated 3rd February.
No. 69.
Telegram, dated the 13th March 1897.
From—The Secretary to the Government of Bombay, General Depart-
ment,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India, Home Department.
Please see Aden Quarantine Notifications 987, of 23rd ultimo, and
583, dated 3rd idem. Resident, Aden, wires : Begins. Your tele-
gram of yesterday. Can Port Surgeon go on board a ship in quaran-
tine without being compromised? Modified rule three would seem to
conflict with Notification 583, which enjoins ten days' quarantine
against infected ports to which both notifications alone refer. Inspec-
tion of ships seems quite unnecessary so long as quarantine exists.—
Ends. Port Health Officers MacCartie and Crimmin here agree that
if Port Surgeon boards a ship in quarantine, he is compromised ; we
have therefore wired Aden pending further orders not to allow Port
Surgeon to board any ships till ten days of quarantine counting from
date of leaving Bombay and Karachi have expired. Orders solicited.
The rules will require redrafting, and it is proposed to act on present
rules as modified and partly superseded by Notification 583 till new
rules can be drafted and submitted by Resident.
257
APP. IX. ]
spread of infection by sea.
No. 70.
Telegram No. 1007, dated Calcutta, the iSlh March 1897.
From—The Secretary to the Government of India, Home Department,
To—The Secretary to the Government of Bombay, General Department.
Your telegram dated 13th. Aden Quarantine Rules. Govern-
ment of India confirm orders of Bombay Government that Port Sur-
geon should not be allowed to board any ships till ten days of quaran-
tine counting from date of leaving Bombay and Karachi have expired.
Government of India also accept proposal to act on present rules as
modified and partly superseded by Notification 583 till new rules can
be drafted and submitted by Resident. Please expedite submission
of these.
No. 71.
Telegram No. 1249, dated Calcutta, the 10th April 1897.
From—The Secretary to the Government of India, Home Department,
To—The Secretary to the Government of Bombay, General Department.
When may Government of India expect reply to telegram No.
1007, dated 18th March, regarding Aden Quarantine Rules?
No. 72.
Telegram No. 1362, dated Simla, the 25th April 1897.
From—-The Secretary to the Government of India, Home Department,
To—The Secretary to the Government of Bombay, General Department.
Correspondence ending with my telegram 1249, dated l0th. Gov-
ernment of India will be glad to receive as soon as possible reply to
my telegram 1007, dated 18th March, about Aden Quarantine Rules.
No. 73.
Telegram, dated the 3oth April 1897.
From—The Secretary to the Government of Bombay, General Depart-
ment,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India, Home Department.
Your telegram 1302-Sanitary, dated 25th April. Aden Quaran-
tine. The Resident has submitted proposed rules which, however,
require some revision, no practical difficulty being experienced at
Aden. Matter is not apparently very pressing.
Rules for the inspection of outward-bound vessels
issued during the present epidemic before the
Venice Convention.
BOMBAY.
No. 74,
Telegram No. 61-P., dated the 27th February 1897.
From—The Secretary to the Government of Bombay, General Depart-
ment,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India, Home Department.
It is considered urgently necessary to medically inspect persons
leaving Bombay by sea, a complete scheme has been prepared, legal
c 33
258
Measures to prevent the
[ APP. IX.
advice taken and the following rules drafted under Quarantine Act 1
of 1870 to which sanction of India is requested :—Begins, (i) No
vessel shall leave the Port of Bombay until she has been inspected by
the Health Officer of the Port and the master or person in charge of
such vessel has obtained a bill of health or certificate from such officer
that the master or person in charge, officers, crew and passengers (if
any) of such vessel are free from any infectious disease dangerous to
life. (2) Should the Health Officer of the Port be of opinion that any
person on board of any vessel so inspected is suffering from an
infectious disease dangerous to life, he shall refuse to give a bill of
. health or certificate as aforesaid unless and until such person is
removed from the vessel. (3) After the master or person in charge of
the vessel has obtained any bill of health or certificate under the
provisions of the rules no person or cargo shall be admitted or taken
on board such vessel before she leaves the Port of Bombay, unless
such vessel is again inspected by the Health Officer of the port, and
another bill of health or certificate obtained from such officer by the
master or person in charge of such vessel. (4) No port clearance
shall be delivered to any vessel unless and until the master or person
in charge thereof shall produce the bill of health or certificate so to be
obtained as aforesaid, and it shall be the duty of customs officers to refuse
delivery of the port clearance without the production of such bill of
health or certificate. (5)The Government of Bombay may appoint any
person or persons by name or by virtue of office Health Officer or
Health Officers of the port for the purpose of these rules as regards
any class or classes of vessels and may cancel any such appointment.
(6) Disobedience to any of the above rules, numbers (i), (2), (3) and
(4), will subject the offender and all persons aiding or abetting him to
a prosecution under section 271 of the Indian Penal Code Rules.—
Ends. Please communicate sanction by wire urgent.
No. 75.
Telegram No. 250, dated the 28th February 1897.
From—The Secretary to the Government of India, Home Department,
To—The Secretary to the Government of Bombay, General Department.
Your telegram 61-P., regarding rules medical inspection of ship
and bills of health. Government of India doubtful whether they come
entirely within Act I of 1870, but they can be acted on. Bill was
today introduced in Legislative Council and will be passed next
Thursday which gives power to make such rules and they can then
be formally issued. Are not similar rules required for Karachi ?
Bill also provides for extension generally of powers conferred by sec-
tion 434 of Bombay City Act referred to in your letter 41 over P. of
25th, so special legislation to extend sanction generally in Bombay
Presidency will be necessary,
259
APP, IX. ]
spread of infection by sea.
No. 76.
No. 656-165-P., dated Bombay Castle, the 6th February 1897.
NOTIFICATION.—By the Government of Bombay. General Department.
The following rules have been prescribed by His Excellency the
Governor in Council in accordance with the Epidemic Diseases Act of
1897:—
1. No vessel shall leave the Port of Bombay until she has been
inspected by the Health Officer of the Port and the Master
or person in charge of such vessel has obtained a Bill of
Health or certificate from such officer that the Master or
person in charge, officers, crew and passengers (if any)
of such vessel are free from any dangerous epidemic
disease.
2. Should the Health Officer of the Port be of opinion that any
person on board of any vessel so inspected is suffering from
a dangerous epidemic disease he shall refuse to give a Bill
of Health or certificate as aforesaid unless and until such
person is removed from the vessel.
3. After the Master or person in charge of the vessel has
obtained any Bill of Health or certificate under the provisions
of these rules, no person or cargo shall be admitted or
taken on board such vessel before she leaves the Port of
Bombay unless such vessel is again inspected by the Health
Officer of the Port and another Bill of Health or certificate
obtained from such officer by the Master or the person in
charge of such vessel.
4. No Port Clearance shall be delivered to any vessel unless and
until the Master or person in charge thereof shall produce
the Bill of Health or certificate so to be obtained as aforesaid,
and it shall be the duty of Customs officers to refuse delivery
of the Port Clearance without the production of such Bill of
Health or certificate.
5. The Government of Bombay may appoint any person or
persons by name or by virtue of office Health Officer or
Health Officers of the Port for the purpose of these rules
as regards any class or classes of vessels and may cancel any
such appointment.
6. Disobedience to any of the above Rules Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4
will subject the offender and all persons aiding or abetting
him to a prosecution under section 271 of the Indian Penal
Code.
260
Measures to prevent the
[ APP. IX.
No. 77.
No. 820-322-P., dated Bombay Castle, the 5th February 1897.
NOTIFICATION.—By the Government of Bombay, General Department
The following rules have been prescribed by His Excellency the
Governor in Council in accordance with the Epidemic Diseases Act
of 1897:—
1. No vessel shall leave the Port of Karachi until she has been
inspected by the Health Officer of the Port and the master
or person in charge of such vessel has obtained a Bill of
Health or certificate from such officer that the master or
person in charge, officers, crew and passengers (if any) of
such vessel are free from any dangerous epidemic disease.
2. Should the Health Officer of the Port be cf opinion that any
person on board of any vessel so inspected is suffering from
a dangerous epidemic disease, he shall refuse to give a Bill
of Health or certificate as aforesaid unless and until such
person is removed from the vessel.
3. After the master or person in charge of the vessel has obtained
any Bill of Health or certificate under the provisions of
these rules no person or cargo shall be admitted or taken on
board such vessel before she leaves the Port of Karachi
unless such vessel is again inspected by the Health Officer of
the Port and another Bill of Health or certificate obtained
from such officer by the master or person in charge of such
vessel.
4. No Port Clearance shall be delivered to any vessel unless and
until the master or person in charge thereof shall produce
the Bill of Health or certificate so to be obtained as afore-
said, and it shall be the duty of Customs officers fco refuse
delivery of the Port Clearance without the production of
such Bill of Health or certificate.
5. All steamers and square-rigged vessels will be inspected by the
Health Officer before leaving the wharves or moorings, and
all coasting craft shall anchor between and to the west of
No. 1 mooring and deep-water point for the purpose of being
medically inspected by the Health Officer of the Port on the
eve of their departure.
5, Vessels not leaving port within 24 hours after receiving
pratique may not leave without re-inspection. The date
and hour of his inspection will be noted in the Bill of Health
by the Health Officer.
7. The medical inspection of vessels and passengers shall be
carried out between sunrise and sunset.
261
APP. IX. ]
spread of infection by sea.
8. Disobedience to any of the above Rules Nos, 1 to 6, will
subject the offender and all persons aiding or abetting him
to a prosecution under the Indian Penal Code.
BENGAL.
No. 78.
Notification by the Government of Bengal, No. 3, dated the loth February
1897.
In exercise of the powers conferred by section 2 of the Epidemic
Diseases Act, 1897, and by the Notification of the Government of
India in the Home Department, No. 202, dated the 4th instant, the
Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal is pleased to prescribe the following
regulations for the inspection of ships or vessels leaving the Port of
Calcutta, and the detention thereof, or of persons intending to sail
therein :—
1. Before leaving the port all vessels, including buggalows and
other native crafts, shall be inspected by the Port Health Officer, who,
if he finds no reason for suspecting that any person on board is in-
fected with bubonic plague, shall deliver to the master a bill of health
in the form annexed.
2. If any person on board is suffering from, or is suspected by the
Health Officer to be infected with, bubonic plague, the Health Officer
shall order the vessel to be detained for not less than seven days at
the quarantine anchorage appointed by the Port Officer and to be
thoroughly disinfected before departure.
3. The Health Officer shall at the same time cause any person
suffering from the plague to be removed to a plague hospital, and any
person suspected of being infected to be kept under observation for
not less than seven days in the place appointed for this purpose by
the Medical Board.
4. If during the period of detention no fresh case occurs on the
vessel and no person on board shows suspicious symptoms, the vessel
may be permitted to proceed ; and if during the same period the
persons detained under observation are proved not to be suffering
from plague or any other infectious disease, they may continue their
voyage,
5. No pilgrim or other native passenger shall leave the Port of
Calcutta for any port in the Red Sea unless he has been under con-
tinuous medical observation for at least seven days in a place appoint-
ed by the Lieutenant-Governor for that purpose, and is pronounced
free from infection before departure by the medical officer in charge
of such place.
262
Measures to prevent the
[ APP. IX.
Bill of Health,
* Including officers and able-bodied
seamen.
This is to certify that the ship (or steamer)
sailing under
the
flag
and under the command of Captain
of
tons bound for
with a
crew of
persons* and
pas-
sengers and laden with a cargo of
is at the time of leaving this
port in a satisfactory sanitary condition, and that no case of infectious
disease dangerous to life exists among her officers, passengers, or
crew, all of whom have been inspected by me.
† Or as the case may be.
It is further certified that the town and port of Calcutta are at
present† free from epidemic cholera,
plague, yellow fever, and all other
dangerous epidemic diseases.
No. 79.
No. 226.T.—M , dated Darjeeling, the 28th May 1897.
From —H. H. RISLEY, Esq., C.I.E., Secretary to the Government of Bengal,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India, Home Department.
Under orders contained in the Home Department letter No. 395,
dated the 9th February 1897, I am directed to submit, for the in-
formation of the Government of India, a copy of revised Plague
Notification No. 3, dated the 25th May 1897, prescribing rules for
inspection of vessels leaving the ports in this Province for non-Indian
ports.
Notification by the Government of Bengal, No. 3, dated Darjeeling, the 25th
May 1897.
In exercise of the powers conferred by section 2 of the Epidemic
Diseases Act, 1897, and by the Notification of the Government of India
in the Home Department, No. 302, dated the 4th February, and in
supersession of Plague Notification No. 3, dated the l0th February
1897, which is hereby cancelled, the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal
is pleased to declare that all vessels and persons leaving the under-
mentioned ports in Bengal shall be subjected to the rules in the
Regulation hereinafter set forth : —
Calcutta.
Chittagong.
Balasore.
Chandbally.
False Point.
Puri.
Rules.
1. No person shall be permitted to embark on board a vessel,
buggalow or native craft, within any of the above mentioned ports
bound for any port out of India, who has within the preceding ten
days resided in or visited a part of India believed by the Health
Officer of the Port to be infected by the plague.
263
APP. IX. ]
spread of infection by sea.
2. No vessel shall leave any such port for any port out of India
until she has been inspected by the Health Officer of the Port, and
the master or person in charge of such vessel has obtained from
such officer a bill of health in the form given below, stating that the
master or person in charge; officers, crew and passengers (if any) of
such vessel are free from the bubonic plague.
3. Should the Health Officer of the Port be of opinion that any
person on board of any vessel so inspected is suffering from the
bubonic plague or is not free from the infection of the plague, he shall
refuse to give a bill of health as aforesaid unless and until such
person and his relations and non-medical attendants are removed
from the vessel to a plague hospital or place of observation appointed
by Government, and such parts of the vessel as have been frequented
by such person or his relations and attendants shall have been dis-
infected to the satisfaction of the Health Officer. If the vessel has
no medical officer on board, the Health Officer shall order her to be
detained for not less than ten days at the quarantine anchorage
appointed by the Port Officer, and to be thoroughly disinfected before
departure. If during the period of detention no fresh case occurs on
the vessel and no person on board shows suspicious symptoms, the
vessel maybe permitted to proceed, and if during the same period the
persons detained under observation are proved not to be suffering
from plague or any other infectious disease they may continue their
voyage.
4. After the master or person in charge of the vessel has obtained
a bill of health or certificate under the provisions of these rules, no
person or cargo shall be admitted or taken on board such vessel
before she leaves the port unless such vessel is again inspected by the
Health Officer of the Port and another bill of health obtained from
such officer by the master or person in charge of such vessel.
5. No port clearance shall be delivered to any vessel bound from
any such port to any port out of India unless and until the master
or person in charge thereof shall produce the bill of health so to be
obtained as aforesaid ; and it shall be the duty of Customs officers to
refuse delivery of the port clearance without the production of such
bill of health.
6. The duties of Health Officers under these rules shall be
discharged by the medical officers named below, or by such other
medical officer as may from time to time be appointed for such
purpose by the Lieutenant-Governor :—
Calcutta ...
Chittagong
...
Health Officers.
Port Health Officer.
Civil Surgeon,