103
The plague administration continue to be indebted to Sir Dinshaw
Maneckji Petit for the loan of the site of the Maratha Hospital. He
indeed offered to present the site to the Municipality for use as a
General Hospital for epidemic diseases but died, before the terms of
settlement could be effected.
The Colaba Land and Mill Company have again for another year
generously lent their ground at the Victoria Bunder Chawls, for use as
a plague camp.
Besides the above, there were several other gentlemen who gave the
free use of their property in F and G Wards and elsewhere during the
year. Government land was occupied rent free. The Port Trust conti-
nued to charge 3/16 of the ordinary rates for land let out to the
Municipality for plague purposes and the Improvement Trust charged
out of pocket expenses or such rent as they would otherwise have
secured.
The camps were managed on the same lines as described in last
year's report. The camps in the North of the Island were under the
control of Captain Boileau, District Officer, F & G Wards. Their manage-
ment left nothing to be desired. The people were contented and no
complaints were received. Captain Boileau reports as follows :—
There were no Municipal camps erected during the past epidemic and as compared with
1900 there were few people in the fields who were outsiders to my district. Those who
did come from Bombay were accommodated in much the same way as in 1900. Latrines
and water were given to all communities numbering over 100 souls and to the very poor
people who were unable to pay for water connection. 58 stand-pipes and 22 latrines
were erected.
The total number of people in camp taken on the 25th March was 19,000. They
were mostly Brahmins, Lohanas and Marathas with a sprinkling of Goanese. There were no
Mahoniedans in the camps.
The camps were extended from Dadar station, G. I. P. Ry. and Vincent Road on the south
up to Sion and Mahim on the north, and in addition large numbers of people were evacuated
from Sewri Koliwada, Sion and Dharavi. There were also a few people in camp between
Elphinstone Road station B. B. & C. I. Ry., and Dadar, B. B. & C. I. Ry., on the west of
the Railway line.
With the exception of one camp (Mr. Chapwalla's) situated to the west and north
of new Matunga station, all the camps enjoyed the best of health, and there were com-
paratively few cases of plague. Mr. Chapwalla's camp, however, became badly infected,
the reason being, that although orders to the contrary being given, some people returned to
their homes in Bombay during the day and caught infection there, which was developed
in camp, and gave rise to several fatal cases. The community then decided to break up
the camp and shifted it to another site more easternly when plague was at once arrested.
The camps were administered by Mr. Patel, Camp Master who had under him six
Registration Ramosis, and the work of the detection of sickness was efficiently carried out
by him. Altogether 56 plague cases and plague deaths were reported by him, the deaths
from all causes being 61.
Halalkhore arrangements were made as before under the direction of the Divisional
Health Officer, Dr. Sorab C. Hormusjee and were excellently rendered. The water-supply was
plentiful and good, and the stand-pipes were promptly erected where ordered by Messrs.
Pinto and Rodrigues, the Water Inspectors of P and G Wards.