43
9, Nahanis and the privy-seats of latrines used by the inmates of the rooms disinfected
should be carefully cleaned and flushed with the solution of perchloride of mercury.
30. The roofs and Avails of houses should not be opened, and floors should not be
dug up.
11. A 10 per cent. solution of perchloride of mercury is supplied to the 'District Officer
from the Foras Road laboratory. Each District Officer is provided with measuring glasses
containing 6 oz. and with wooden tubs containing when nearly full 380oz. The perchloride
solution is intended to be used of a strength of 1 in 7G0. Five ounces of this 1 in 10
solution contain 1/2 oz. perchloride of mercury and this when made up to 380 oz. with water
gives the strength required. In order to give a margin for errors the glasses supplied for
measuring have a capacity of G oz. but as in practice they are never quite filled approximate-
ly 5 oz. are added to each tub of water.
Similarly the solution of phenyle should be prepared by adding one glass of phenyle to
one tub of water, the glasses and tubs being of the same size as stated above.
Government agree with the majority of the Commission that the opening up
of the roofs and walls of masonry houses is seldom necessary : when the dwellings
are huts of a comparatively poor character, the removal of portions of the roofs
can be done with no structural injury and at small cost, and it will be a prudent
precaution to unroof such huts and to induce the people to remain away from them
for at least 2 months until the process of desiccation is complete. In towns
chemical disinfection by trained disinfectors is a far more efficient measure.
The Commission point out that Laboratory experiments and practical experi-
ence alike tend to show that little danger is to be apprehended of the spread of
plague by ordinary articles of merchandize. The only precaution which could be
taken would be to insist upon its being thoroughly dry, and this is a point to which
merchants themselves attend in their own interests. The Commission are, there-
fore, of opinion, and Government agree that it is neither advisable nor necessary
to take any steps towards the disinfection of ordinary merchandise. In view of
these general recommendations the accompanying instructions for disinfection are
laid down in modification of those now in force and printed at pages 55 and 56
of the Municipal Commissioner's plague report for the year ending 31st May 1899.
Paras. 40 to 54 dealing with Railway and Sea Inspection and the like do not
concern the internal administration of this city.
Paras. 55 to 59 contain a recapitulation of points already noticed and a
discussion of the principles to be applied in dealing with the varying conditions of
different places.
Government lay it down that the extent to which measures can be effectively
and thoroughly carried out will depend to a great extent upon the tact and influence
of the Government officials charged with this duty. No one among the many
duties which a District Officer is called on to perform in this country affords
greater scope for attaining success by means of personal influence than that of
plague administration. His Excellency in Council entirely agrees with the views
recently expressed by the Lieutenant-Governor of the N.-W.P. that any rigid
system of plague measures is to be deprecated, and ho is the most successful plague
administrator who is able to gauge the temper of the particular class of people
he is dealing with and to suit the rules to the circumstances of the place. A general
system or principle must, indeed, be preserved, but success depends mostly on the
patience and dexterity of the officer in charge, and his power over the people.
J. H. DUBOULAY,
Bombay, 5th September 1900,
Deputy Commissioner,
Plague Operations.