NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
.APP. VIII. ]
spread of infection by land.
179
an hospital, and it might be argued that only persons suffering from
infectious diseases would occupy the rooms. This may be, so that I
can only say that it was a great satisfaction to me, as it would be I
fancy to any one actually engaged in plague work, to see any place
or thing suspected of harbouring microbes destroyed by fire.
As regards the huts themselves I consider that the walls and
roof should be double. It is cold at night on the Mahableswar Hills
and these huts were decidedly draughty.
Single-sided huts are
hardly sufficient protection against wind or rain.
Fearing rain towards the end of May we had the huts at Machutra
double walled and roofed. Surgeon-Major Monks had erected an
air-tight chamber at Chorpani Camp for fumigating purpose, and at
both camps appliances for boiling clothes were available, A good
deal of work in this connection was carried out.
12. Dodges resorted to by the public to avoid detention in
camp.—The police has to keep their eyes open at the post as people
tried all sorts of dodges to get past them and thus avoid being
detained in the camps.
The public soon learnt the rules and the first dodge was to say
that eight days had elapsed since the person had left his home. In
these cases it generally fell to my lot to determine when they did
leave their homes. Knowing that local villagers could not get by the
post without trouble, people would appear ab the post carrying a
bundle of grass or sticks and pretend that they came from close by.
One man, a darzee, came up in a carriage drawn up by two horses.
As he appeared a bit confused when asked for his address, he was
detained, and it turned out that he was simply going to the bazaar
and had managed to get a seat in a phaeton from Wathar for Rs. 2
with two other persons who had paid Rs. 3 each. In the slack time
the proprietors of carriages are glad to take anything. Nearly
everyone who was stopped had a piteous tale to tell showing how
absolutely necessary it was for him to get at once into Mahableshwar.
The orders given to the jamadar were simple. When they were in
doubt they were to detain and report to me. This they did willingly
as it took the responsibility off their shoulders,
13. Hospital Assistants.—The work done by the Hospital Assist-
ants both at the Civil Hospital, where the daily inspection went on,
and at the camps and posts, where they were in medical charge, was
extremely good, They gave me every help and worked most cheer-
fully.
180
Measures to prevent the
[ APP. VII.
14. Police Officers.—I think it right here to ask for some recogni-
tion of the services of the jamadars in charge of the Machutra, Ling
Mala and Metalya Posts. The two former had exceedingly hard
work which they did very well. The latter had less to do, but still he
was in charge of an important post, and what he had to do he did well.
The Hospital Assistants on this duty got an addition of Rs. 15 per
mensem to their pay, and I should be glad if Government would
grant the same to these jamadars. This work was very hard and was
really of a very responsible character; it was further work where
subordinates are liable to be tempted and to misuse the powers given
-to them. To the best of my knowledge and belief these three men
were perfectly straight in their dealings, and I have no hesitation in
saying that they did their work most efficiently.
Papers relating to Pilgrimages in India.
PROHIBITION OF PILGRIMAGES IN THANA AND POONA
DISTRICTS.
No. 106.
Resolution of the Government of Bombay 5 No. 1137—634-P , dated the 3rd March
1897.
RESOLUTION.—As a temporary regulation, His Excellency the
Governor in Council is pleased, under Act III of 1897, to prescribe
that all pilgrimages and fairs are prohibited in the Thana and Poona
Districts pending further orders. If the Collectors of those districts
recommend any exemptions from this rule, they should state their
reasons fully.
THE PILGRIMAGE TO JAGANNATH.
No. 107.
Telegram dated Darjeeling, the 5th May 1897.
From—The Secretary to the Government of Bengal, Financial Depart-
ment,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India, Home Department.
Commissioner, Orissa, reports that contractors, Mahanadi, and
other large bridges on East Coast Railway intend to import four or
five thousands masons or nachvies from Surat vid Wadi and Bezwada
and that Bombay pilgrims will come to Puri by same route and
probably go on to Calcutta. Opening East Coast Railway has placed
Cuttack within four days of Bombay, and Lieutenant-Governor thinks
substantial danger of plague being imported into Orissa and spread-
ing to Calcutta which has constant and large passenger traffic with
APP. VIII. ]
spread of infection by land.
181
Orissa. His Honour suggests therefore that Government of India
should take steps to prohibit employment labourers or masons from
Surat or Bombay Presidency on East Coast Railway and should
move Madras Government to open first class inspection station at
Bezwada where present inspections reported ineffective by Commis-
sioner. Failing this Bengal Government will be compelled to start
inspection station on lines of Khama at Khurda Road Junction on
East Coast Railway for Puri. Lieutenant-Governor would press
upon Government of India that case of Surat labourers is parallel to
that of Mecca pilgrims and Uganda labourers and constitutes real
danger to this Province.
No. 108.
Telegram No. 1468, dated Simla, the 8th May 1897.
From—The Secretary to the Government of India, Home Department,
To—The Secretary to the Government of Madras, Local and Municipal
Department.
Bengal Government reports that considerable traffic is likely
between infected areas in Bombay Presidency and Cuttack via Wadi
and Bezwada owing to impending fairs at Puri and importation of
masons for work on bridges on East Coast Railway. In view of this
circumstance Government of India would be glad if Madras Govern-
ment would inform them by telegram of the nature of medical inspec-
tion at Bezwada.
No. 109.
Telegram No. 1485, dated Simla, the nth May 1897.
From—The Secretary to the Government of India, Home Department,
To—The Secretary to the Government of Bengal, Municipal and Finan-
cial Department, Darjeeling.
Your telegram of 5th, regarding masons from Surat for East Coast
Railway. Public Works Department have telegraphed to ascertain
whether masons are being imported in large numbers, which seems
doubtful ; if so, enquiry will be made as to whether they cannot be
got elsewhere, and if not, precautions will be taken. Meanwhile
Madras Government has been asked about character of inspection at
Bezwada. Pilgrims from Bombay Presidency to Puri should be
segregated in observation camp on arrival.
No.110.
Telegram, dated Ootacamund, the 15th May 1897.
From—The Secretary to the Government of Madras, Local and Munici-
pal Department,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India, Home Department.
Medical inspection of railway passengers now conducted at
Kondapalli, not Bezwada, by Commissioned Officer assisted by two
182
Measures to prevent the
[ APP. VIII.
Hospital Assistants and trained female nurse. Goods are examined
at Bezwada under direction of Civil Apothecary superintended by the
Kondapalli Commissioned Officer.
No. III
Telegram No. 1542, dated Simla, the 20th May 1897.
From—The Secretary to the Government of India, Home Department,
To—The Secretary to the Government of Bengal, Financial Department.
Continuation my telegram 1496, dated 14th. Following telegram,
dated 15th, received from Madras Government :—Begins. Ends.
No. 112.
No. 275-T. M., dated Darjeeling, the 31st May 1897.
From—H. H. RISLEY, Esq., C.I.E., Secretary to the Government of Ben-
gal, Financial Department,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India, Home Department.
With reference to the correspondence ending with your telegram
No. 1542-Sanitary, dated the 2oth May 1897, regarding the precau-
tions necessary to guard against the introduction of the bubonic
plague into the districts of Orissa, I am directed to submit, for the
consideration of the Government of India, the accompanying copy of
a letter from the Commissioner of Orissa, No. 91-M., dated the 20th
April 1897, with which this correspondence originated.
2. In paragraph 5 of his letter the Commissioner lays stress on
the danger of plague being imported into Orissa by pilgrims coming
from the Bombay Presidency to Puri during the ensuing Car festival
and being eventually communicated to Calcutta which has a constant
and large passenger traffic with Orissa. These pilgrims will come
to Puri either by the Great Indian Peninsula Railway, the Nizam's
Railway and East Coast Railway via Wadi and Kondapalli, or by the
Southern Mahratta line and East Coast Railway via Hotgi and
Dharwar. The Bombay Government have intimated that inspections
at Dhond on the Dhond and Manmad Section of the Great Indian
Peninsula Railway are about to be discontinued, and the Resident at
Hyderabad reports that the Medical Staff employed on plague inspec-
tion at Wadi, the junction of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway
with the Nizam's Railway consists of two hakims, one lady doctor
and two dressers. Unless, therefore, the Government of Bombay
have inspections at Hotgi and Dharwar which command the approach
to the Southern Mahratta Railway, there will, after the Dhond inspec-
tions are stopped, be nothing to prevent people from coming round
by that railway and evading inspection at Kondapalli. They would
no doubt be inspected at Bezwada, but it appears from your telegram
APP. VIII. ]
spread of infection by land.
183
of the 20th instant that inspections at this place are conducted by a
Civil Apothecary alone and cannot therefore be fully relied on.
3. The most effective means of guarding against the dangers
arising from the influx of Bombay pilgrims to Puri would undoubted-
ly be to prohibit the sale within the Bombay Presidency and Sind of
railway tickets to Khurda Road and all stations on the East Coast
Railway between that place and Bezwada, If the Bombay pilgrims
want to get to Puri in any other way than by the routes mentioned
above, they must go round by Calcutta. In that case they will have
to pass the Khana inspection station on the East Indian Railway which
commands the approach from the Bengal-Nagpur Railway, and will
take so long over the journey that the normal period of incubation
will have expired before they reach Calcutta.
4. If the Government of India accept this view of the matter,
I am to suggest that the accompanying draft notification which is
based on the notification recently issued in the case of Hardwar
should be published by the Government of India under the Epidemic
Diseases Act. The Lieutenant-Governor does not think it necessary
that pilgrims from other parts of India should be prevented from
visiting Puri provided that pilgrimage from Bombay and Sind is
restricted in the manner proposed.
5. Meanwhile I am to add, with reference to the concluding lines
of your telegram of the 11th instant, that the Commissioner of Orissa
has been requested to draw up a complete scheme for forming an
observation camp in which the pilgrims arriving for the Rath Jatra
from the direction of Bombay will be segregated and kept under
observation for 10 days.
No. 91-M., dated Cuttack, the 20th April 1897.
From—H. G. COOKE, Esq., C.S., Commissioner of the Orissa Division,
To—The Secretary to the Government of Bengal, Municipal Department.
I have the honour to enclose copies of a letter from the Magis-
Copies of the enclosures
are not sent herewith.
trate of Cuttack and of its enclosure, a letter
from the Civil Surgeon of Cuttack on the
subject of precautions necessary to guard
against the introduction into Luttack and, I may add, into Puri and
Calcutta of the bubonic plague,
2. Bombay is at present something over four days' journey by
rail from Cuttack, and the only place where any precautionary mea-
sures are taken at present is Bezwada on the East Coast Railway
about 36 hours' journey by rail from Cuttack. The adequacy of the'
184
Measures to prevent
the
[ APP. VIII.
means taken at Bezwada may be gathered from the fact that the
Civil Surgeon of Cuttack receives letters and telegrams calling
attention to people by name who appear to the medical officer at
Bezwada to be suspicious or doubtful.
3. As to the danger of infection being introduced from Bombay to
this place, the Superintending Engineer of the Bengal-Nagpur Rail-
way assures me that many of his principal contractors are Suratis,
and that from thence will come as many as four or five thousand
masons who will be employed on the great bridges that are to be
built across the Mahanadi and other large rivers near Cuttack.
4. Should the disease develop in Cuttack, there is'a'very appreci-
able risk of its being carried thence to Calcutta, as there is a large
population of Uriyas constantly going to Calcutta for employment
and returning after they have saved a little money and being replaced
by others, so that the stream of emigrants is constant towards
Calcutta.
5. There is even a gr-eater danger than this which arises from the
pilgrims to Puri who are recruited to some extent from Bombay.
Should the disease break out at the great Car festival at that place
when thousands of pilgrims assemble, it might be communicated to
any part of India by the pilgrims on their return journey. Amongst
other places, Calcutta would be liable to this danger as pilgrims from
Puri might elect to return that way to visit other places of pilgrimage,
such as Benares and Hardwar, for it is a common practice with
pilgrims to visit several sacred places in a single tour.
6. There is no doubt that Jatni or Khurda Road station, which is
where the Puri branch of the East Coast Railway leaves the main
line, is the best place for examining and detaining suspicious cases,
and I-do not think that it would be possible to make the conditions
too stringent, especially in view of the Car festival in July next.
The Khurda Road station is about four days by rail from Bombay,
and as the disease takes at least seven days and possibly twelve days
to manifest itself, no half measures such as appear to be adopted at
Bezwada are adequate.
Draft Notification.
Whereas the Governor General in Council is satisfied that there is
danger of an outbreak of plague if persons residing or staying in the
Bombay Presidency or Sind assemble at Puri to attend the Car
festival in the present month of June and the ensuing month of
July.
APP VIII.]
spread of infection by land.
185
In exercise of the powers conferred by section 2, sub-section (i)
of the Epidemic Diseases Act (III of 1897) the Governor General in
Council is pleased to direct that no tickets to travel by railway to
Bezwada and the stations on the East Coast Railway between
Bezwada and Bhubaneswar shall be sold within the Bombay Presidency
and Sind from the 24th day of June 1897 to the 8th day of July 1897.
No. 113.
Telegram No. 1686, dated Simla, the 14th June 1897.
From—The Secretary to the Government of India, Home Department,
To—The Secretary to the Government of Madras,
Correspondence ending your telegram of 15th May. Medical ins-
pection at Bezwada. Bengal Government fears infection may be
carried into Orissa by pilgrims, especially pilgrims for Car festival,
which takes place in middle July, coming -via Southern Mahratta
and East Coast Railways. Pilgrims by this route would escape ex-
amination at Kondapalli. Government of India will therefore be glad
if Madras Government will cause inspection staff at Bezwada to be
strengthened and Commissioned Medical Officer to be appointed to
that station.
No. 114.
No. 1690, dated Simla, the 14th June 1897.
From—The Secretary to the Government of India, Home Department,
To—The Secretary to the Government of Bengal, Municipal (Medical)
Department.
I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 275-
T. M., dated the 31st May 1897, regarding precautions to guard
against the introduction of plague into Orissa, with special reference
to the danger arising from the influx of pilgrims from the Bombay
Presidency into Puri, to visit the temple of Jagannath and to be
present at the Car festival.
2. I am to say that it appears to the Government of India that
now that the virulence of the epidemic has diminished the danger of
so much infection reaching Calcutta through Orissa has been greatly
reduced. The Government of India also understand that the number
of persons from the Bombay Presidency who perform the pilgrimage
to Puri is not large. Under these circumstances it appears to the
Government of India that there is not sufficient reason to adopt the
extreme measure of prohibiting the sale within the Bombay Presi-
dency and Sind of railway tickets to Khurda Road and all stations on
the East Coast Railway between that place and Bezwada. The pre-
caution would also not be completely effectual since intending pilgrims
c 24
i86
Measures to prevent
the
[ APP. VIII.
could take tickets to some place outside the Bombay Presidency and
continue their journey with a fresh ticket. The Government of India
notice that the Commissioner of Orissa has been requested to draw
up a complete scheme for forming an observation camp in which the
pilgrims arriving for the Car festival from the direction of Bombay
will be segregated and kept under observation for ten days, and it
appears to them that this precaution combined with the usual pre-
caution of inspection at certain places on the journey will be suffi-
cient to guard against the danger.
3. With regard to the subject of the inspection of the pilgrims on
the journey. The route via the Great Indian Peninsula Railway, the
Nizam's State Railway and the East Coast Railway is guarded by the
first class inspection station at Hotgi and by the inspection station at
Kondapalli, the arrangements at which were communicated to the
Government of Bengal in my telegram No. 1542, dated the 20th May
1897. The alternative and circuitous route -via the Southern Mah-
ratta Railway is guarded by the first class inspection station of
Guntakal in the Madras Presidency, and as an additional precaution
the Government of Madras have been requested to increase the
strength of the inspection staff at Bezwada and to appoint a Commis-
sioned Medical Officer to the place.
4. In conclusion I am to say that the Government of India will
be glad to receive in due course an account of the working of the
observation camp to be established for the segregation of pilgrims
coming from the direction of Bombay. They would also be glad to
learn, in order to communicate the information to the Government
of Madras, over what dates the period of the Car festival will extend.
No. 115.
Telegram dated Darjeeling, the I5th June 1897.
From—The Secretary to the Government of Bengal, Financial Depart-
ment,
To—The Secreiary to the Government of India, Home Department.
Pilgrims beginning to arrive Puri. Lieutenant-Governor would
be glad to have orders on my letter 31st May regarding prohibition
sale of railway tickets.
No. 116
Telegram No. 1723, dated Simla, the 18th June 1897.
From—The Secretary to the Government of India, Home Department,
To—The Secretary to the Government of Bengal, Financial Department.
Your telegram dated 15th. Pilgrims visiting Orissa. Reply to
your letter dated 31st May sent by letter.on 14th instant.
APP. VIII. ]
spread of injection by land.
187
No. 117.
Telegram dated Ootacamund, the l0th June 1897.
From—The Secretary to the Government of Madras, Local and Munici-
pal Department,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India, Home Department.
Your No. 1686-Sanitary. South Maliratta and East Coast Rail-
ways well protected by Guntakal and Bombay Presidency inspec-
tions. Inspection at Bezwada considered unnecessary. Please state
whether you concur.
No. 118.
Telegram No. 1744, dated Simla, the 24th June 1807.
From—The Secretary to the Government of India, Home Department,
To—The Secretary to the Government of Madras, Local and Municipal
Department.
Your telegram dated 16th. Inspection at Bezwada. Government
of India consider it desirable that there should be inspection nearer
Puri than Guntakal until after Car festival. They therefore think
that Commissioned Medical Officer should be posted to Bezwada for
the present.
Telegram dated Ootacamund, the 25th June 1897.
From—The Secretary to the Government of Madras, Local and Munici-
pal Department,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India, Home Department.
Your telegram No. 1744-Sanitary. Orders issued to transfer ins-
pection station from Kandapalli to Bezwada under supervison of Corn-
missioned Medical Officer.
NO. 120.
Telegram No. 1770, dated Simla, the 1st July 1897.
From—The Secretary to the Government of India, Home Department,
To—The Secretary to the Government of Bengal, Financial Department.
Continuation paragraph 3 of my letter 1690, dated 3rd. Gov-
ernment of Madras telegraph that orders have issued to transfer ins-
pection station from Kandapalli to Bezwada under supervision of Com-
missioned Medical Officer. This will guard both Nizam's State Rail-
way and Southern Mahratta Railway routes.
NO. 121.
Telegram dated Darjeeling, the 2nd July 1897.
From—The Secretary to the Government of Bengal, Financial Depart-
ment,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India, Home Department.
Your letter 1690 of 14th June. Paragraph 4 last sentence. Car
festival begins 2nd July, usually lasts about 25 days, say, till end of
188
Measures ío prevent the
[ APP. VIII.
the month. Sanitary Commissioner has made complete inspection
arrangements on Khana model.
NO. 122.
Telegram No. 1782, dated Simla, the 7th July 1897.
From—The Secretary to the Government of India, Home Department,
To—The Secretary to the Government of Madras, Local and Municipal
Department.
Correspondence ending your telegram dated 25th June. Protec-
tion of Orissa from plague. Bengal Government states that Car
festival began 2nd instant and will last until about end of month.
No. 123.
THE SINGHAST MELA.
Telegram No. 3580, dated Indore, the 10th April 1897.
From—The Agent to the Governor-General, Indore,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department.
A religious fair, known as the Singhast Mela, is held once in twelve
years at Ujjain and is usually attended by three or four hundred
thousand, chiefly Sadhus and mendicants, from all parts of India. The
period for this fair is from the 17th April to the 16th May 1897, the
dates given being those of the full moon in months Cheth and Basakh.
Arrangements were being made more than a year ago for the great
influx of people expected at Ujjain, but, in October 1896, when famine
threatened, Maharaja Sindhia issued orders prohibiting the Singhast
Mela at Ujjain, and notices where printed by His Highness and for-
warded to me for wide circulation. I sent copies in November 1896
to all Local Governments and Administrations and to all Railways in
India, and reminders were sent in March 1897. I n spite of all
precautions, about fifteen thousand Sadhus have arrived from all parts
of India, and it is impossible to prevent them from going to Ujjain.
I have therefore in consultation with Sarsoobah of Malwa and with
Sindhia's consent, arranged that these Sadhus shall bathe on 17th
April in Sipra at Ujjain under strict rules as to encampment
outside city, sanitary arrangements and promises of leaving Uj-
jain on 18th April. These terms have been agreed to by the
Mahants of each sect, who have bound themselves to enforce
obedience of all their followers. It is most important that no more
Sadhus or other mendicants shall be allowed to leave their homes or to
travel towards Ujjain at present. No epidemic exists, but I cannot
too earnestly urge the danger of situation if further gathering between
17th April and 16th May is permitted. I trust Government of India
will move all Administrations and Local Governments to issue stringent