NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
APP. IX.]
spread of infection by sea,
383
To ensure that the disinfection is effective, this temperature must
be maintained for from ten to fifteen minutes.
3. Disinfecting solutions—
(a] Solution of corrosive sublimate, of 1 part in 1,000, with the
addition of 10 parts of chloride of soda.
The solution should be coloured with aniline dye or indigo. It
should not be placed in metal vessels.
(b) A 5 per cent, solution of pure crystallized carbolic acid, or 5
per cent, of crude commercial carbolic acid, in a warm
soft soap.
(c) Fresh slaked-lime.*
4. Special instructions to be observed in the employment of disin-
fecting solutions.
The linen, clothing and articles, soiled by the excreta of patients,
should be soaked in the solution of corrosive sublimate. The solution
of pure carbolic acid, and the solution of soap and carbolic acid, are
equally suited to the purpose. The articles should remain in the
solution for at least six hours.
Articles which cannot be subjected to the temperature of the stove
(100° centigrade) without injury, such as leather goods, wooden arti-
cles stuck together with glue, felt, velvet, silk, etc., should be washed
with the solution of corrosive sublimate ; coins can be disinfected
with the solution of soap and carbolic acid.
Persons engaged in nursing the sick should wash their hands and
faces with the solution of corrosive sublimate, or with one of the car-
bolic solutions.
The carbolic solutions will be useful, more particularly for disin-
fecting articles, such as metals, instruments, etc., which can neither
be subjected to a temperature of 100° centigrade, nor placed in
contact with corrosive sublimate.
Slaked-lime is particularly recommended for disinfecting excreta.
Expectorated matter should be burnt.
5. Disinfection of ships with plague-patients on board.
The cabin or cabins, and all parts of the ship occupied by the sick
or suspected, should be cleared out, and all articles in them should be
treated as described above.
* To get very strong slaked-lime, take lime of good quality, slake it, by moisten-
ing it gradually with half its weight of water. When the operation is completed, put
the powder in a carefully-corked receptacle, and place it in a dry spot. As each kilogram-
me of lime absorbs 500 grammes of water in order to become slack, it acquires a
volume of 2 litres 200, and it is sufficient to dilute it with double its volume of water, say
4 kilogrammes 400 grammes, to obtain a white-wash, which will be of about 20 per
cent, strength of lime.
384
Measures to prevent the
[ APP. IX.
The partitions should be disinfected with the solution of corrosive
sublimate, with an addition of 10 per cent, of alcohol. The wash-
ing should commence from the top, horizontally, and be continued
downwards, so that the whole surface of the partition becomes covered,
with a coating of minute drops.
The boarding should be washed with the same solution.
Two hours after, the walls and flooring should be washed over
with plenty of water.
6. Disinfection of the hold of an infected ship.
To disinfect the hold, sulphate of iron, in quantity sufficient to
neutralize the sulphurated hydrogen, should first be thrown in, the
bilge-water should be pumped out, and the hold washed with sea-
water. Solution of corrosive sublimate should then be thrown in.
The bilge-water should not be pumped out while the ship is
in port.
No. 161-Marine, dated the 27th August 1897.
NOTIFICATION—By the Government of Bengal, Marine Department.
With the previous sanction of the Governor General in Council,
the Lieutenant-Governor is pleased to declare that the rules for qua-
rantine against plague, promulgated in the Notifications issued by
this Department, Nos. 126-Marine and 53-Marine, dated, respec-
tively, the 20th October 1896 and 2nd March 1897, are cancelled, with
effect from the 26th August 1887, the date on which the revised rules
for quarantine, issued under the provisions of Act III of 1897, and
published in this Department Notification No. 160-Marine, dated the
24th August 1897, com e into operation.
MADRAS.
No. 96,
No. 602 (Marine), dated Ootacamund, the 6th July 1897.
From—The Secretary to the Government of Madas 3 Public Works De-
partaient,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India, Home Department.
With reference to your letter No. 1624, dated 1st June 1897,
I am directed to say that a copy of the quarantine rules for Madras,
revised in accordance with the remarks contained therein, will follow
as soon as practicable. Meanwhile I am to ask for a decision on the
following questions :—-
(a) whether in the case of a vessel from, say, Calcutta, calling
at Madras on her way home, all the crew is to be brought
on shore and inspected there ; or
(b) whether it will suffice to inspect the persons who join at
Madras ; and
APP. IX. ]
spread of infection by sea.
385
(c) whether the procedure is to be the same at other ports of
call ;
(d) if a vessel starts from, say, Madras, must the crew be
brought on shore for inspection. This is probably not
intended, as it would expose them to infection.
2. Meanwhile, with reference to the penultimate sentence of para-
graph 5 of your letter, it has been directed that Madras and all
other ports in this Presidency from which vessels sailed direct to foreign
countries or Burma shall be regarded as infected ports for the purpose
of outward inspection.
3. The rules for the outward bound vessels cannot be revised till
this Government is in possession of the Bombay rules, on which the
Madras rules must, in accordance with the instructions contained in
clause (b), paragraph 5 of your letter, be based. Application has been
made to the Bombay Government for a copy of its rules.
No. 97,
No. 1832 (Sanitary), dated Simla, the 17th July 1897-
From—J. P. HEWETT, Esq., C.I E., Secretary to the Government of
India, Home Department,
To—The Secretary to the Government of Madras, Public Works
Department.
I am directed to reply to your No. 6o2 (Marine), dated the 6th
instant, on the subject of modification, in accordance with the Venice
Sanitary Convention of 1897, of the rules issued by the Government
of Madras for the quarantine of vessels arriving from infected ports,
and for the examination of persons sailing on vessels departing from
ports in the Madras Presidency.
2. The decision of the Government of India is asked for on certain
questions set forth in the first paragraph of your letter. With regard
to questions (a), (b) and (c), I am to say that in the case of a vessel
starting from, say, Calcutta, and calling at Madras or any other port
in the Madras Presidency on her way home, neither the crew nor the
passengers already on board need be brought on shore and inspected
there. It will suffice to inspect the persons who join the vessel at
Madras or other port of call.
3. With regard to question (d), I am to say that the Government
of India consider that in the case of vessels sailing to foreign countries
from ports in the Madras Presidency, the crew should be brought on
shore for inspection. Chapter I, section ii, Article 1 of the Conven-
tion requires the medical inspection on shore of every person sailing
on the ship. This includes the examination on shore of the crew. The
precaution would seem to be necessary since, in the case of a vessel
sailing from an infected port, it is probable that some persons amongst
the crew might have recently mixed with the infected population of
the place, and the crew should therefore be examined in order to
c 49
386
Measures to prevent the
[ APP. IX.
ascertain that none of them are suffering from or infected with plague.
The ports of the Madras Presidency not being infected the matter is of
less importance in,that Presidency. But it is possible that some mem-
bers of the crew might have come from an infected district to join the
ship, and, as is stated in paragraph 5 of my letter No. 1624, dated the
1st June, the Government of India consider it desirable that the modified
rules to be issued by the Government of Madras should conform, as
far as possible, to the terms of the Convention. The Madras ports
not being infected there can be no danger in landing the crew. In the
case of an infected port it would be necessary to adopt due pre-
cautions.
4. In conclusion, I am to say that the Government of India will be
glad to receive copies of the modified rules as soon as they are issued.
Extract from the Proceedings of the Government of Madras, Marine Department,
No. 493, dated the 28th May 1897.
Read the following paper :—
No.98
No. 1862, dated Vriddhachalam, the igth May 1897.
From—A. E. CASTLESTUART STUART, Esq., Collector of South Arcot,
To—The Secretary to the Government of Madras, Marine Department.
I have the honour to request the favour of an authoritative ruling
by Government on the following point :—
Is a vessel calling at the port of Cuddalore and bound thence for
Bombay m'a Negapatam and Colombo liable to be inspected by the
Port Health Officer for the purposes of Act III of 1897 ( the Epidemic
Diseases Act) ?
2. Under paragraph 2 of the Notification ordered to be published
by Government in G. O. No. 323 (Marine), dated the 1st April 1897
" all other officers appointed Health Officers under the said Act or
otherwise will exercise their powers in the case of all vessels leaving
the ports for which they have been appointed for whatever .destina-
tion such vessels may be declared."
3. In obedience to the terms of this Notification which are printed
in italics, the Health Officer at the port of Cuddalore, inspected the
British India Steam Navigation Company's S.S. Chanda on 5th May
1897 before she left the port bound for Bombay via Negapatam and
Colombo. The commander took exception to this inspection, urging
that as his vessel was not bound for " any port out of India " from
Cuddalore, but directly for Negapatam—another port in India—no
such inspection was necessary.
4. The Notification ordered to be published by Government in
G. O. No. 344 (Marine), dated 8th April 1897, apparently lends sup-
port to the commander's objection, though it would seem to be
APP. 1X-. ]
spread of infection by
sea.
387
contradictory to the Notification referred to in paragraph 2, supra.
By the later Notification—the former being also in force—His Excellen-
cy the Governor in Council was pleased " to declare that all vessels
and persons leaving " certain ports in the Madras Presidency, of which
Cuddalore is one, " for ports out of India shall be subjected to the
regulations " therein formulated. Paragraph 2 of these regulations
runs : "No vessel shall leave any such port for any port out of Indict
until she has been inspected by the Health Officer of the Port," etc.
The words which are printed in italics might be taken to mean that
ä vessel leaving Cuddalore directly for Negapatam—which is not " a
port out of India"—need not be inspected by the Health Officer
whereas the former Notification makes it clear that Health Officers
are to exercise their powers " in the case of all vessels leaving the
ports for which they have been appointed for whatever destination
such vessels may be declared.
5. I venture to submit that, during the continuance of the plague
epidemic, it is desirable that all vessels should be inspected at each of
the ports specified in the later Notification before leaving such ports
for whatever declared destination.
Order thereon by the Government of Madras.
His Excellency the Governor in Council observes that the rules
printed with G. O. No. 344 (Marine), dated 9th April 1897, render
inspection compulsory in the case of all vessels leaving for any port
" out of India," and paragraph 2 of the Notification printed with G. O.
No. 323 (Marine), dated 1st April 1897, directs Health Officers to
exercise their powers of inspection on all outward vessels for " whatever
destination such vessels may be declared." There is nothing incon-
sistent in the rules as they stand, and as one rule is not declared to
have superseded the other, both are in force, and should be acted on.
The intention is to extend the power of inspection prescribed in the
rules printed with G. O. No. 344 (Marine), dated 8th April 1897.
The order of dates of the two Notifications was accidental.
No. 99. Extract from the Proceedings of the Government of Madras, Manne Department,
No. 790-Marine, dated nth September 1897.
Read again-
General Order No. 601, Marine, dated 6th July 1897.
Ordered that the following notification be published in the Fort St.
George and all Maritime District Gazettes-:—-
NOTIFICATION.—In exercise of the powers conferred by the Act III
of 1897, th e Epidemic Diseases Act, His Excellency the Governor in
Council is pleased to declare that all vessels and persons, leaving the
388
Measures to prevent the
[ APP. IX.
undermentioned ports of the Madras Presidency for ports out of India
direct, shall be subjected, as a temporary measure, to the regulations
hereinafter contained, and that the duties of health officers under these
regulations shall be discharged by the medical officers named below, or
by such other medical officer as may from time to time be appointed
for the purpose by the Government or " Sanitary authority " as defined
in the regulations published in the Fort St. George Gazette of the
3 1st August 1897, the definitions contained in which are applicable to
the regulations herein contained. These regulations will supersede
those now in force for the inspection of outward bound vessels :—
Ports.
Gopalpur
Calingapatam
Bar u va
Bimlipatam
Vizagapatam
Cocanada
Masulipatam
Madras
Cuddalore
Negapatam
Tranquebar
Tuticorin
Pamban
Kilakarai
Calicut
Cochin
Tellicherry
Health Officers.
,,. Civil Apothecary.
Ditto.
... Hospital Assistant, Sompeta.
... Civil Apothecary.
... District Medical and Sanitary Officer, or, in his
absence, the Assistant Surgeon of the District.
... Civil Surgeon, or, in his absence, the Assistant
Surgeon in charge.
... District Medical and Sanitary Officer, or, in his
absence, the Assistant Surgeon of the District.
... Port and Marine Surgeon, and Officer in
subordinate charge of the Port and Marine
Dispensary.
... District Medical and Sanitary Officer, or, in his
absence, the Assistant Surgeon oí the district.
... Civil Surgeon.
,., Civil Apothecary.
Ditto.
Ditto.
... Hospital Assistant.
... District Medical and Sanitary Officer, or, in
his absence, the Assistant Surgeon of the
District.
... Civil Surgeon, or, in his absence, the Assistant
Surgeon in charge.
... Civil Surgeon, or, in his absence, the Assistant
Surgeon in charge.
389
APP. IX. ]
spread of infection by sea.
Ports.
Cannanore
Mangalore
Health Officers.
... Civil Surgeon, or, in his absence, the Medical
Officer in charge of the Central Jail.
... District Medical and Sanitary Officer, or, in his
absence, the Assistant Surgeon of the
District.
Regulations.
1. No person shall be permitted to embark on board a vessel with-
in any such port bound direct for any port out of India, who has, with-
in the preceding ten days, resided in a part of India believed by the
Health Officer of the port to be infected with plague. Any port
may be declared " infected" by the Government or by the " Sanitary
authority."
2. No deck passenger, who appears to the Port Officer to belong
to the labouring classes, shall be permitted to embark on board a vessel
at the port of Tuticorin bound for a port in Ceylon, until he or she
has satisfied the Medical Officer of the Government of that Colony
stationed at Tuticorin that he or she has not, within the preceding ten
days, resided in a part of India infected by the plague, and
that he or she is free from infection with the plague, and until the
said Colonial Officer has so certified in respect of such passenger.
The Health Officer of the port of Tuticorin shall not deliver a bill of
health in respect of any such vessel, if there be on board any such
passenger in respect of whom the Colonial Officer has not certified as
aforesaid.
3. No vessel shall leave any such port for any port out of India
direct, 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 or certificate in the form given below that
the officers and crew of, and also the passenger (if any) by, such
vessel are free from the bubonic plague :—
Bill of Health.
This is to certify that the ship (or steamer)
sailing under
the
flag
and under the command of
as master of
tons bound for
with a crew of
persons* and
* Including officers and able-bodied passengers and laden with a cargo
seamen.
of
is at the time of leaving
this port in a satisfactory sanitary condition, and that no case of bubonic
390
Measures to prevent the
[ APP. IX»
plague exists among her officers, passengers or crew, all of whom
have been inspected by me.
It is further certified that the town and port of
are
* Or as the case may be. at present free* from plague :
Provided that—
(i) a vessel which has obtained a clean bill of health at any
port of the Madras Presidency shall not be liable to
further inspection during the same voyage if there has
+ Proviso (1) does not apply to
vessels sailing for Burma which
must not be allowed to leave the port
of Madras without medical inspection
as prescribed in these regulations.
been no case of plague
on board meanwhile,
and the vessel has not
subsequently touched at
any port which has been
declared infected, or taken up passengers at other than
inspectiont ports ; and
(ii) all vessels belonging to the Ceylon Government which may
leave ports in the Madras Presidency with emigrants for
Ceylon shall be exempted from medical inspection.
4. The medical inspection of passengers and other persons pre-
scribed in these regulations must be of each individual by day, on
shore, at the time of embarkation : Provided that—
(i) in the case of vessels anchored in the Madras roadstead (i.e.,
crew of a vessel being brought on harbour) and atout-porto,
shore for inspection they may come
r
in batches.
the inspection of officers
and crew may be conducted on board ; and
(ii) in the case of a vessel starting from Calcutta and call-
ing at Madras or any other port in the Madras Presidency
on her way to Europe, neither the crew nor the passen-
gers already on board need be brought on shore and in-
spected there. The form of bill of health under this
proviso and under (i) to Regulation 3 will be as
follows :—
Bill of Health.
This is to certify that no case of bubonic plague exists among any
of the passengers or other persons embarked at the port of
on board the ship (or steamer)
under the command of
as master bound for
$ Or as the case may be.
It is further certified that the town
and port of
are at present free§
from plague,
391
APP. IX. ]
spread of infection by sea.
5. Vessels not leaving port before 6 A.M. of the day following the
medical inspection may not leave without re-inspection and the grant
of a fresh bill of health.
6. 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 from any illness which he suspects may prove to be
plague, he shall refuse to give a bill of health as aforesaid unless and
until such person, together with his or her attendants and relatives
and their baggage and personal effects, have been removed from the
vessel and such parts of the vessel as have been frequented by such
persons shall have been disinfected to the satisfaction of the Health
Officer. Such removal and disinfection shall be noted on the bill of
health. The baggage and effects of such persons as are removed
from or prevented from sailing in any vessel under this rule shall be
disinfected on shore in such manner as the Port Health Officer directs
before such baggage and personal effects are permitted on board any
vessel.
7. All persons so removed shall be detained in a plague hospital or
place of observation appointed by the Sanitary authority, as the case
may be ; and shall not leave such hospital or place until the Chief
Medical Officer present at the spot shall have certified that they are
free from the infection of the plague.
8. After the master or person in charge of the vessel has obtained
a bill of health under the provisions
* Note.—Mail bags are included in
" cargo " under this Regulation.
of these regulations, no person or
cargo* or goods of any kind shall be
embarked or disembarked before the vessel leaves the port unless such
vessel is again inspected by the Port Health Officer and another bill
of health obtained from such officer by the master or person in charge
of such vessel. If the necessity of a fresh inspection by the Port
Health Officer under this regulation arises from any default or act of
the master or agents of the vessel, of which the Port Officer shall be
the sole judge, such fresh inspection shall not take place until after
the payment to the Port Officer by the master or agents of such vessel
of such fee for such inspection, not being less than five nor more than
fifty rupees, as the Port Officer in his sole discretion may order.
9. 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 a bill of health obtained as
aforesaid ; and it shall be the duty of the Customs Officer to refuse
delivery of the port clearance without the production of such bill of
health.
392
Measures to prevent the
[ APP. IX.
10. Any person disobeying or contravening any of the foregoing
regulations shall be deemed to have committed an offence punishable
under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code and shall be liable on con-
viction to be punished with imprisonment of either description for a
term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend
to one thousand rupees, or with both.
No. l00.
No. 2184, dated Simla, the 28th September 1897.
From—J. P. HEWETT, Esq., C.I.E., Secretary to the Government of
India, Home Department,
To—The Secretary to the Government of Madras, Marine Department.
I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your endorsement No.
791-Marine, dated the nth instant, forwarding a copy of the revised
rules issued by the Government of Madras on the same date for the
inspection of outward-bound vessels. The rules appear to the Govern-
ment of India to be in general well adopted to meet the requirements
of the case. I am to make the following remarks on certain points
connected with them.
2. The first of the regulations directs that no person shall be per-
mitted to embark on board a vessel bound direct for any port out
of India who has, within the preceding ten days, resided in a part of
India believed by the Health Officer of the Port to be infected with
plague. This regulation reproduces in a slightly modified form the
first of the rules for vessels sailing from Tuticorin to Ceylon, pub-
lished by the Government of Madras on the 22nd of February, and the
first of the rules for vessels sailing from the Port of Madras for ports
out of India published on the 23rd of the same month. At that time
the Venice Convention had not yet been framed; now that the Conven-
tion has been commonly accepted and enforced the retention of the
rule appears to the Government of India to be unnecessary. It goes
beyond the requirements of the Convention, and, in the opinion of
the Government of India, it also goes beyond the necessities of the
general case. The case of Ceylon is, however, the Government of
India recognize, somewhat apart from that of other countries outside
of India, owing to its close proximity to the Indian mainland. If the
Government of Madras consider that the withdrawal of the rule in the
case of vessels bound for Ceylon will be likely to cause vessels for
Madras ports to be put in quarantine at Colombo, then the Govern-
ment of India will have no objection to its retention in this special case.
3. Rules 6 and 7 describe correctly the action to be taken on the
discovery of a declared or suspected case of plague on board the vessel
before her departure, but no provision is made in the regulations for