NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
APP. IX. ]
spread of infection by sea.
373
Bengal has been pleased to prescribe as a temporary
measure the following rules for quarantine against plague."
(3) In Rule I the following definition is given of the term obser-
vation : " The term observation means that the persons
subjected to it will bs segregated on board ship or in a
lazaretto or isolation camp till they have obtained free
pratique." It appears from Rules VIII (6) and IX (3) that
the words "on board ship" in this definition mean on board
the ship on which the person arrived. This is not in
accordance with the definition of the term observation con-
tained in the footnote to Chapter II, section VIII of the
Venice Convention. The words there used are "on board
a ship " (à board d'un navire), meaning on board a vessel
used as a lazaretto. The Government of India consider
that the words "on board ship" should be struck out of the
definition in Rule I ; and that, in accordance with the in-
structions contained in paragraphs 11 and 12 of my letter
No. 1625, dated the 1st June, healthy passengers should
never be detained on board ship, but should be landed, and,
when necessary, kept under observation or surveillance on
shore. I am to request that, with the permission of His
Honour the Lieutenant-Governor, Rules VII (3), VIII (6)
and IX (3) may be revised in accordance with these in-
structions. In the case of infected ships [Rule VII (3)],
no one among those arriving on the vessel should be left
on board, except the persons, if any, whose presence is
necessary for the care of the vessel.
6. With reference to the remarks contained in the last paragraph
of your letter, I am to say that the Government of India have no
objection to the establishment of a new quarantine station further re-
moved than the present station from the persons connected with the
shipping work at Diamond Harbour. If due precautions are taken, it
does not appear to the Government of India to be likely that foreign
Governments will take any objection to measures which are carried
out in accordance with the regulations prescribed by the Venice
Convention.
No. 94.
No. 4345-Medical, dated Calcutta, the 21st August 1897.
From—C. E. A. W. OLDHAM,Esq , Officiating Secretary to the Govern-
ment of Bengal, Municipal (Medical) Department,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India, Home Department.
With reference to the correspondence ending with your letter
No. 1905, dated the 6th August 1897, I am directed to submit, for
the information of the Government of India, a copy of revised Plague
374
Measures to prevent the
[ APP. IX.
Notification No, 3, dated the 17th August 1897, which has been
issued by the Lieutenant-Governor, prescribing rules for the inspec-
tion of vessels leaving the ports in this province for non-Indian ports.
No. 3, dated Calcutta, the 17th August 1897.
NOTIFICATION—By the Government of Bengal.
In exercise of the powers conferred by section 2 of the Epidemic
Diseases Act, III of 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 25th May
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 for ports out of India shall be subjected to
the rules in the Regulation hereinafter set forth :—
Calcutta.
Chittagong.
Balasore.
Chandbally.
False Point.
Puri.
RULES.
1. Medical inspection and bill of health.—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 have been inspected by him by
day at the time of embarkation, and are free from infectious disease
dangerous to life and from the bubonic plague : Provided that in the
case of passengers a certificate in the form annexed as Appendix I,
by a commissioned medical officer appointed for this purpose, and
dated not more than twelve hours before the departure of the vessel,
shall be accepted in lieu of examination by the Port Health Officer.
Such certificates shall be annexed to, and form part of, the bill of health.
2. Removal of infected persons.—Should the Health Officer of the
Port be of opinion that any person on board of any vessel so inspected
is suffering from bubonic plague or is not free from the infection of
the plague, such person and all his relations and non-medical attendants
shall be removed from the vessel to a plague hospital or place of obser-
vation appointed by Government, and such parts of the vessel as have
been frequented by such person or his relations and attendants shall
be disinfected to the satisfaction of the Health Officer. When a case
which is ascertained or believed to be plague is discovered on board,
the fact shall be stated in the bill of health, as well as the precau-
tionary measures adopted.
3. Disinfection of suspected articles.—All contaminated or suspect-
ed articles shall be thoroughly disinfected on shore, or in the disinfection
APP. IX. ]
spread of infection by sea.
375
lighter, under the supervision of the Port Health Officer, in the
manner prescribed in Appendix II.
4. Fresh bill of health when necessary.—After the master or
person in charge of the vessel has obtained a bill of health under the
provisions of these rules, no person shall be admitted 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. Port clearance.— (a) Except as provided for in clause (b) of
this rule, 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 :
(b) Provided that the Collector of Customs may grant port clear-
ance under section 66 of the Sea Customs Act on a guarantee being
given by the agents of a vessel, that within 48 hours of departure they
will produce a duplicate copy of the bill of health as finally granted,
signed by the Port Health Officer or an additional Port Health Officer,
and that if for any reason the Health Officer should refuse to grant the
bill of health, they will bring the vessel back to her moorings.
6. Health Officers.—-The duties of Health Officers under these
rules shall be discharged by the medical officers named below, or by
such other medical officer or officers as may from time to time be
appointed for such purpose by the Lieutenant-Governor :—
Health Officers.
Calcutta ...
... Port Health Officer and Additional Port
Health Officers.
Chittagong
Narayanganj
Balasore
Chandbally
False Point
Puri
,., Civil
... Civil
... Civil
... Civil
...
... Civil
Surgeon.
Hospital Assistant,
Surgeon.
Hospital Assistant,
Ditto
Surgeon.
Narayanganj.
Chandbally.
Jambu.
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
as
master, of
tons, bound for
with a crew of
persons*
and
passengers, is at the time of leaving this port in a satis-
factory sanitary condition, and that no case of infectious disease
376
Measures to prevent the
[ APP. IX.
dangerous to life, or of bubonic plague, exists among her officers,
passengers or crew, all of whom have been inspected by me, with the
exception of the persons named below, by day at the time of embar-
kation.
* Or as the case may be.
It is further certified that the town and port of
are at present* free from plague,
epidemic cholera, yellow fever and all
other dangerous epidemic diseases.
The persons named below, who are personally known to me, or
whose identity has been proved to my satisfaction, have produced the
annexed certificates from medical officers duly appointed in this
behalf.
APPENDIX I.
CERTIFICATE.
I do hereby certify that I have examined
a passenger on the ship
.
, not more
than twelve hours before the departure of the ship from the port of
, and find him in good health, except as noted
in the margin, and free from any symptoms of bubonic plague.
Rank.
Official designation.
Specially appointed under Rule 1 of Plague Notification No. 3,
dated the 17th August 1897, to examine passengers leaving the port of
by sea.
APPENDIX II.
Under-clothing, bedding, wearing apparel, mattresses, carpets, etc.,
which are contaminated or suspected, should be disinfected in stoves at
normal presssure, or at a pressure of from one-and-a-half to two
degrees, with or without the presence of steam.
Before a stove is passed as efficient for the purposes of disinfec-
tion, it should be subjected to a test, with the aid of a signal thermo-
meter, showing the moment when the temperature in the middle of
a mattress rises to at least 100° (centigrade).
To ensure that the disinfection is effective, this temperature must
be maintained for from 10to 15 minutes.
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.
APP. IX. ]
spread of infection by sea.
377
(b) A 5 per cent, solution of pure crystallized carbolic acid, or 5
per cent, of cried e commercial carbolic acid, in a warm solution of
soft soap.
The carbolic solutions will be useful, more particularly for disinfect-
ing articles, such as metals, instruments, etc., which can neither be
subjected to a temperature of 100° centigrade, nor placed in contact
with corrosive sublimate. They may also be used at ports not pro-
vided with a disinfecting stove of the prescribed pattern.
No. 95.
No. 16l2-Marine, dated Calcutta, the 27th August 1897.
From—COLONEL A. D. MCARTHUR, R.E., Secretary to the Govern-
ment of Bengal, Marine Department,
To—The Secretary to the Government of India, Home Department.
Notification No. 126-Marine, dated
the 20th October 1896.
Notification No. 53-Marine, dated
the 2nd March 1897.
With reference to your letter No. 1905 of the 6th instant, to the
address of the Secretary to this Government in the Municipal (Medical)
Department, I am directed to submit, for the information of the Gov-
ernment of India and for publication in the Gazette of India, copies of
Notifications Nos. 160-Marine and 161-Marine, dated, respectively, the
24th and 27th instant : (1) publishing rules for quarantine against
plague for the port of Calcutta issued under Act III of 1897, and (2)
cancelling the rules for quarantine published in the Notifications noted
in the margin issued by this Govern-
ment under Act I of 1870.
Notification No. 160-Marine, dated the 24th August 1897.
In exercise of the power conferred by section 2 of the Epidemic
Diseases Act, III of 1897, and by the Notification of the Government
of India in the Home Department, No. 302, dated the 4th February
1897, the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal has been pleased to
prescribe, as a temporary measure, the following rules for quarantine
against plague, and for the medical inspection, isolation, observation
and surveillance of persons suffering from, or suspected of being
infected with, plague.
These rules shall take effect from the 26th August 1897 in the port
of Calcutta, and shall supersede all previous rules.
I. Definitions—•
(1) Health Officer,—In these rules " Health Officer " means the
Health Officer of the Port of Calcutta, and includes an
Assistant Health Officer and any person appointed by
name, in virtue of his office, to perform the duties of an
Assistant Health Officer.
c 48
378
Measures to prevent
the
[ APP. IX.
(2) Infected ship.—Any ship with plague on board, or on board
which one or more cases have taken place within twelve
days before her arrrival, will be considered infected.
(3) Suspected ship.—Any ship, on board which there has been
a case of plague at the time of departure, or during the
voyage, but on which no fresh case has occurred for twelve
days before her arrival, will be considered suspected.
(4) Healthy ship.—Any ship, even though coming from an
infected port, which has had no death or case of plague
on board, either before departure, during the voyage or
on arrival, will be considered healthy.
(5) Observation.— The term " observation " means that the
persons subjected to it will be segregated in a lazaretto
or isolation camp, till they have obtained free pratique.
(6) Surveillance.—The term " surveillance " means that the
persons subjected to it will not be isolated ; they will at
once obtain free pratique, but, on arriving at their des-
tination, they will be kept under medical supervision.
II. H ois tina of yellow flag.— The commander of every vessel,
including buggalows or other native craft, (a) arriving from an infect-
ed port, or (b) having plague on board, or (c) on board of which one or
more cases of plague have taken place within twelve days of her arrival,
shall, on arrival at the Sandheads, hoist a yellow flag, and indicate
by signal the port from which she has come, and shall keep such flag
and signal flying until permitted in writing by the Health Officer
to haul it down. The pilot, on going alongside such vessel, shall
direct the flag prescribed above to be hoisted, if that has not already
been done.
* N.B.—Pilotage is compulsory for
all vessels over 100 tons in the port
of Calcutta
III. Prohibition of communication.—The commander shall not,
without first having obtained permission as hereinafter provided, allow
any communication, except orally, with
the shore or any other vessel or boat (
excepting only with the boat supply-
ing the pilots* from the Pilot Brig, and in that case communication
shall be limited to receiving on board the pilot, his Leadsman, servant
and baggage.
IV. Stoppage at Diamond Harbour.—If there is any case of sick-
ness on board, and the pilot has reason to believe that it is plague, he
shall telegraph to the Plealth Officer from Saugor, and not proceed be-
yond Diamond Harbour without the permission of the Health Officer.
V. Stoppage at Mateabrooj.—If the pilot has no reason to believe
that there is any one suffering from plague on board, he shall bring the
vessel up the river to Mateabrooj, and shall anchor it there till the
Health Officer has visited it.
APP. IX. ]
spread of infection by sea.
379
VI. Inspection by Health Officer.—The Health Officer, as soon as
he has received information of the stoppage of tne vessel at Diamond
Harbour, or of its arrival at Mateabrooj, shall visit it and ascertain by en-
quiry from the commander or of the medical officer on board, or from
other sources of information, whether any person on board is suffering
or has suffered from plague. For this purpose, he may demand a
declaration, on oath, from the doctor of the ship, or, failing him, from
the captain, that there has been no case of plague on the ship since her
departure.
VII. Rules relating to infected ships—•
(1) If an infected ship has, under Rule IV, been stopped at
Diamond Harbour, she will await the orders of the Health
Officer there. If, under Rule V, she has been brought up
to Mateabrooj, the Health Officer will direct the command-
er to take her to the sanitary station at Diamond Harbour
or elsewhere as may be appointed by Government, and to
awail orders there.
(2) On arrival at the sanitary station, the sick will be immediate-
ly disembarked and isolated under the order of the Health
Officer.
(3) The other persons on board shall also be disembarked and,
when necessary, kept under observation at the sanitary
station for a period varying, in the discretion of the Health
Officer, according to the sanitary condition of the ship
and the date of the last case. Such period must not
exceed ten days from the date of the last case, whe-
ther that occurred on boardship or during the period of
observation on shore. It is also in the discretion of the
Health Officer to allow such persons to proceed to their
destination on their giving a written undertaking, in
the form annexed as Appendix I, to submit themselves
to surveillance by the medical officer (if any) appointed
for the purpose, at their destination, for a period of tea
days from the date of the arrival of the ship. The under-
taking shall be executed in duplicate, and one copy shall be
sent by the Health Officer to the medical officer concerned.
No one arriving on the vessel shall be left on board, except
those persons whose presence is necessary for the care of
the vessel.
(4) The soiled linen and personal effects of the crew and passen-
gers, which, in the opinion of the Health Officer, may be
considered as infected, shall be disinfected in accordance
with the rules contained in Appendix 11.
380
Measures to prevent the
[ APP. IX.
(5) The bilge-water will be pumped out after disinfection, and
good drinking-water will be substituted for the water stored
on board.
(6) All parts of the ship, which have been inhabited by plague-
patients, will be disinfected ; and the other parts of the
ship may also be disinfected at the discretion of the Health
Officer.
(7) When these rules have been fully complied with, the Health
Officer shall, by an order in writing under his hand, to be
delivered to the commander, permit the yellow flag to be
hauled down,
VIII. Rules relating to suspected ships—
(1) If a suspected ship has, under Rule IV, been stopped at
Diamond Harbour, she will await the orders of the Health
Office there. If, under Rule V, she has been brought
up to Mateabrooj, the Health Officer will go on board of
her there.
(2) The passengers and crew will be medically inspected by the
Health Officer.
(3) The soiled linen and personal effects of the passengers and
crew, which, in the opinion of the Health Officer, may be
considered as infected, wiîl be disinfected in accordance
with the rules contained in Appendix 1l.
(4) The bilge-water will be pumped out after disinfection, and
good drinking-water will be substituted for the water
stored on board.
(5) All parts of the ship, which have been inhabited by plague-
patients, will be disinfected ; and the other parts of the
ship may also be disinfected at the discretion of the
Health Officer.
(6) Passengers who are suspected by the Health Officer to be
infected with plague may be detained under observation
in an isolation hospital appointed for the purpose for ten
days from arrival of the ship, or, if plague occurs amone*
them while under observation, from the date of the last
case.
(7) The crew will not be allowed to land, except on duty, for ten
clays from the arrival of the ship.
(8) Passengers who are passed on medical inspection as healthy
will be allowed to proceed to their destination on their
giving a written undertaking, in the form annexed, to
submit themselves to surveillance by the medical officer
APP. IX. ]
spread of infection by sea.
381
(if any) appointed for the purpose, at their destination,
for a period of ten days from the date of the arrival of
the ship. The undertaking shall be executed in dupli-
cate, and one copy shall be sent by the Health Officer to
the medical officer concerned.
(9) When these rules have been fully complied with, the Health
Officer shall, by an order in writing under his hand, to be
delivered to the commander, permit the yellow flag to
be hauled down.
IX. Rules relating to healthy ships—
(ï) A healthy ship shall be given free pratique at once, what-
ever may be the nature of her bill of health.
(2) Such a ship may, at the discretion of the Health Officer, be
subjected to the measures prescribed in Rules VIII (2),
VIII (3) and VIII (4), but the ship itself may not be
disinfected as in Rule VIII (5), except with the consent
of the commander or agent.
(3) Passengers who, on medical inspection, are suspected by the
Health Officer to be infected with plague may be de-
tained under observation in an isolation hospital appointed
for the purpose for ten days from the date on which the
ship left an infected port, or, if plague occurs among
them while under observation, from the date of the last
case.
(4) The crew will not be allowed to land, except on duty, ten
days from the date on which the ship left an infected port.
(5) The crew and passengers may, at the discretion of the
Health Officer, be subjected to surveillance in the manner
described in Rule VIII (8) for a period of ten days from
the date on which the ship left an infected port.
(6) When these rules have been fully complied with, the Health
Officer shall, by an order in writing under his hand, to
be delivered to the commander, permit the yellow flag
to be hauled down.
(7) None of the above measures will be considered necessary
when the ship has been given free pratique at Colombo
or other intermediate port.
X. Ships carrying a doctor or a stove.—In exercising the discretion
vested in him by the rules under heads VII, VIII and IX above,
the Health Officer should take into consideration the fact of there
being a doctor, or a disinfecting apparatus (stove), on board the ship
in question,
382
Measures to prevent the
[ APP. IX.
XI. Rules relating to crowded and insanitary ships.—Crowded
ships, ships carrying emigrants or return pilgrims and ships which
appear to be in an, insanitary state may, at the discretion of the
Health Officer, be treated as suspected ships under head VIII.
XII. Right of ship to put back to sea.—Any ships objecting to
submit to the obligations imposed by these rules will be free to put
back to sea. Such objection must be notified on or before arriving at
Diamond Harbour.
XIII. Rules applying to ships claiming right to put back to sea.
—If ships claiming the right to put back to sea desire to disembark
passengers or land goods, they must submit to the rules relating to
suspected ships.
XIV. Provisions and stores.—It will be the duty of the Port
Officer to facilitate the conveyance to all vessels in quarantine of
such supplies of provisions, stores and other articles as may be re-
quired by those on board. Such supplies will be placed on the boats
of the vessels in quarantine to be subsequently removed by mem-
bers of their crews.
APPENDIX I.
I (name) of (place) do hereby declare that it is my intention at
once to proceed to (place), and I agree to submit myself to medical
supervision by (name or office of medical officer appointed for the
purpose) for a period of ten days from (date from which period is
to be reckoned).
Signed
In the presence of
Health Officer.
APPENDIX II.
Instructions for disinfection.
1. Personal effects, rags, infected bandages, papers and other
articles, without value, should be destroyed by fire.
2. Under-clothing, bedding, wearing apparel, mattresses, carpets,
etc., which are contaminated or suspected, should be disinfected in
stoves at normal pressure, of at a pressure of from one-and-a-half
to two degrees, with or without the presence of steam.
Before a stove is passed as efficient for the purposes of disinfec-
tion, it should be subjected to a test, with the aid of a signal ther-
mometer, showing the moment when the temperature in the middle
of a mattress rises to, at least, 100° (centigrade).