7
Evaluation.
6. When the existence of plague in a town or village has been
established, the lives of many of the inhabitants can be saved if they
leave their houses and take up their residence beyond the reach of
infected rats. In villages and smaller towns the people usually evacuate
their houses voluntarily on the appearance of plague and camp in the
neighbourhood and the practice should be encouraged. In larger towns
there is not the same readiness to evacuate, owing to the difficulty of
finding suitable camping grounds not too far away from the places
where the people have to work, to the absence of water-supplies and to
other inconveniences ; while the poorer inhabitants are often unable to
provide themselves with adequate shelter. On the other hand there is a
danger that, if no steps are taken, a panic will set in when the number
of cases of plague becomes large, and the people will scatter to neighbour-
ing villages and, by carrying with them infected fleas or merchandise
containing rats, disseminate infection. Under regulation 4 the Collector
has power to order the evacuation of any house or group of houses
in an infected area, but the power should be used with discretion and all
reasonable assistance should be given to persons evacuating their houses
whether as a result of such an order or of their own free will. Many
may not be able to provide themselves with shelter at short notice and
it is advisable, therefore, that arrangements should be made beforehand
so that hutting materials shall be either in stock or readily procurable
and shall, when evacuation is actually in progress, be issued in reason-
able quantities, freo; of charge to those who really ca.nnot afford to pay for
them, and to others at cost price. Sites for camps should not be more
remote than is necessary to prevent invasion by infected rats ; they
should be selected with due regard to water-supply and sanitation and
there should be as little interference as possible with the avoca,tions of
the people. Police should be employed to protect the evacuated houses
against burglary arid to patrol the approved camps ; and arrangements
may be made for the custody, free of charge, of the effects of persons
who have left their houses, but such custody should be entirely at the
risk of the owners.
Treatment of
plague pati-
ents ; and
plague hos-
pitals.
7. A plague pa,tient like any other sick person should receive the
niotv" careful attention and all efforts should be directed towards making
him as comfortable as possible. A person suffering from bubonic
plague is no more a source of danger than any other person who may
carrv infected fleas. It is unnecessary therefore to construct special
plague, hospitals or to locate them in places remote from human
habitation. Patients can be treated best in the ordinary hospitals,
special wards being set apart for the purpóse and additional temporary
accommodation being constructed if neccssa.ry ; nor is there any
objection to a pa.tient being treated in his own house if he prefers to
stay there and his friends and relations arc prepared to take proper
care of him. Patientts suffering from pneumonic plague should not be
taken to the general warrd of a hospital but should be treated in an
isolationwad if there is one.
Where private committees or individuals wish to establish hospitals
for particular communities, the Government will contribute half the
actual cost of construction and maintenance provided—
(a) that the cost of construction is considered reasonable and the
buildings are erected on sites approved by the Collector or plague