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disinfection has done good, but its effects only seem to be temporary. It was generally
carried out within 12 hours of death, unless in the case of Mahoniedans a delay of three
days for performance of funeral ceremony was asked for.
Examples where disinfection had good results :—
110, 112, 1st Nowroji Hill, North.—Six cases of plague occurred on 15th and 16th
February 1901 ; the whole house was disinfected on 16th idem. Two more cases occurred
on 17th and 19th of the same month and the two floors on which they occurred were
disinfected ; since when no plague has occurred and only one death.
48/50, 1st Nowroji Hill, North.—Eight cases of plague occurred between 3rd and 9th
March 1901. The whole house was disinfected on 12th idem ; since when no cases have
occurred.
Many such examples could be quoted, but on the other hand a good many examples can
be shown where disinfection has not had any good results :—
95 97, 1st Nowroji Hill, North.—There were twelve cases of plague between 29th
January and 16th February. The house was disinfected on 16th February. Four more
cases occurred between 17th and 27th February. The whole house was disinfected on 9th
March. Another plague death occurred on 11th March, and still one more on 4th
April 1901.
110, 2nd Nowroji Hill, North.—Two plague deaths occurred on 8th and 9th
February. The whole house was disinfected on 9th February. Another plague death occur-
red on 11th March, and three more subsequently on 7th and 10th April and loth May 1901.
I think that disinfection in combination with segregation is most effectual, but by it-
self the effect is only temporary.
Dr. Fraser, Special Medical Officer, Central District, makes the
following report :—
To increase the value of disinfection 1 was of opinion that certain changes were
necessary for improvements in the general method of carrying out the actual work of disinfec-
tion, such as the employment of lamps in dark ill-lit or unlit rooms while carrying out the
disinfection of the same ; the adoption of a definite method in the disinfection of places
whereby not even a square inch of surface which ought to be disinfected would be
missed ; the accurate marking of all glasses and buckets used in disinfection so that
the proper standard of strength (no more and no less) should be invariably main-
tained ; the duly impressing on those concerned that the two disinfectants used by us
are different in constitution, that each has its own uses and that they are not to be used
indifferently. The substitution of wooden for zinc buckets removed one very prolific source
of error and difficulty in this matter. Finally thoroughness in the work itself was looked i or.
Another point which struck me as being essential was the training of an adequate
staff of disinfectors to our improved methods of work, and the constant supervision by
superior European officers of the work carried out by them both while they were in process
of training and throughout the epidemic.
The generality of those in immediate supervision over gangs seem unable to create
around themselves an atmosphere of association in which a man shirking or scamping his
work cannot live. The influence which (sub-inspectors) by constant personal supervision
of those under them and which by laying down for themselves as well as for their men a
high standard of conduct in the performance of their duties, they should exert over their
gangs, seems to me to be only too frequently absent with the consequent result that superior
officers have to be constantly on the move supervising them. Their standard of work is now
much higher than it was at one time, but one feels that they must not be trusted to
themselves.