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Intelligent people as a rule avoid, if possible, taking lodgings in houses or floors, etc.,
that have got plague marks on them.
The landlords are well aware of this and invariably take the first opportunity to
wash out these marks and so give their houses an appearance of having been free
from plague.
Landlords knowing the preference people have to living in houses free from plague or
former bad plague history charge very much higher rents for these houses.
Moreover, they will not take in people who have come from infected houses. These
marks are very useful and enable the S. M. O.'s to keep in touch with the rooms in which
suffering cases are kept.
As most of the houses inhabited by the poorer classes have had plague at some time
or another they do not appear to take very much notice of these marks. Though doubtless
if they were in a position to do so they would probably prefer to live in non-infected quarters.
There is a belief amongst the intelligent classes that a room once infected is always
infected and that in a room, etc., in which cases have occurred one year, cases may be ex-
pected in future years.
I think, on the whole, that the system of marking the houses should be continued,
although there is no way or rule, etc., in force with which they can be prevented from
rubbing out or effacing these marks.
The Verifi-
cation Work.
Lieut. Shakespeare reports on the verification, work which was
exceedingly heavy in his Ward and was carried out most thoroughly
by Dr. Matthai. He also comments upon the attitude o£ the people
towards plague measures and the effect of plague marks on houses
as follows : —
Verification in this district has always been carried out very rapidly and is reliable.
Every death not verified by a recognised practitioner, is treated as suspicious, unless seen by
the Sectional Medical Officer either before or after death. Delay was only due in a few
cases where a certificate was promised and not brought for a few days. In the cases of still-
born infants, the Sectional Medical Officer nearly always examined the mother, to prevent
any deception practised in this way.
The people as a rule are afraid of asking aid from the plague doctor, being under the
impression that he will put down every sick person as suffering from plague and Avili then
disinfect. In this district, however, they have come round to the view that the doctor will
treat them for other diseases as well as plague, and that gratis, which is an undoubted
advantage in the average native mind.
There is no doubt that the people of this district have realized and appreciate the
advantages of reporting their cases of sickness to the Sectional Medical Officer and this,
of course, is due to the efforts of the Sectional Medical Officer himself. Needless to say
that all the plague staff when sick call upon him for treatment.
The attitude of the people towards plague measures appears to be resignation, rather
than anything else. They help by reporting cases, also occasionally attempt to conceal
cases, but when disinfection has been ordered, they accept it without much opposition and
with the air of making the most of a bad job.
Plague marks on the walls of houses, in the opinion of most volunteers do not affect
the rent. They say rents have risen all over Bombay without any difference between infected
and non-infected houses. Sometimes a plague mark is whitewashed over ; but it would
make but little difference if they were all whitewashed over. The marks are supposed to be '
for the use of the plague staff ; but the staff invariably refers to the house registers if
anything is required about a particular house. In fact, the plague mark is only an. un-
necessary expenditure of paint and money.