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responsible person in each camp who would act as headman and give me prompt intimation
of any cases of illness or death that might occur in the group of huts or sheds placed in his
charge. I then called at the particular hut reported to me as containing a case and satisfied
myself as to the nature and duration of the illness or cause of death. In addition,
I went round the camps daily on a general visit of inspection. The mortality
is unusually low considering the total number of individuals that were passed
through the camp and especially the insanitary surroundings from which they came in.
The tabular statement appended shews that during the five months in which the camps
were under my observation, there were three cases of plague attacks and two of plague
deaths. I proceed to deal with these one after another :—
Plague Attach No. 1.—This was a Purdesi who took ill at Mahaluxmi and was in that
condition brought down into the Camp. His presence was detected on the second day after
his arrival and even then with difficulty. It was only after much persuasion that he con-
sented to go to hospital.
Plague Attack No. 2.—This woman came into camp from a highly infected house on
the 2Gth of February 1901. She was found to be with plague on the 9th of March, but
had been ailing for two days previously. In my opinion she came infected and the disease
declared itself within the period of incubation.
Plague Attach No. 8.—This was a boy living in hut No. 1 in the Daivadnya No. 2
Camp. A few days previously a person from Revdanda had died of plague in the adjoining
hut No. 2, and this lad in all likelihood caught the contagion from that case. He had
been living in Camp for two or three months previously and had been enjoying good health.
1 had some difficulty in seeing this case as the parents put all kinds of obstacles in the way
of my doing so.
Plague Death No. 1.—No information was given to me of the illness in this case. The
first I knew of it was when after cremation of the corpse I was asked for a certificate as to
the cause of death. I declined to certify and from the circumstances thought, the man had
died of plague. The Sectional Medical Officer also put it down as a plague case.
Plague Death No. 2.—This was the case of the man from Revdanda to which reference
has been made above. He came down on the evening of the 15th from Revdanda
to live with some of his relatives in the camp and died of plague on the 16th.
It seemed to be a clear case of imported plague as his surroundings in Camp were quite
healthy.
I would note that in all the above cases of plague attacks and deaths, the respective
huts were completely disinfected and the roofs removed to allow of through ventilation and
these prompt measures probably saved the Camp from further infection.
Secretariat Camp.—This is a permanent set of hutments put up for the use of Secre-
tariat Peons. It consists of 4 rows of sheds, each row being divided into 3 blocks. The
middle block in each row contains 4 huts and each side block 5. There are thus 56 huts
in all. In addition to these there is a small block to the South of this Camp occupied by
a havildar of the Improvement Trust Office. At present the occupants are served by a set
of water-taps placed near the railway railing and thus in bringing water to and fro and in
using it much of it is splashed about and a good deal of damp created. To obviate this
1 would suggest that two nánees be put up between each set of two rows at each corner for the
convenience of those who occupy the latter. Both nanees might be connected by an open
drain emptying into the main. This seems to me the only way to prevent excessive mois-
ture and to keep the soil from becoming unhealthily damp. On the whole, the camps have
conduced greatly to the good health of their occupants who realize that they form the
pleasantest means available for avoiding the plague. Experience has shown them how
to minimize any inconveniences that might have existed when these camps were merely a
tentative measure and altogether matters have proceeded comfortably and harmoniously
under the careful and considerate supervision of Captains Pritchard and Lockhart-Mure to
whom the best thanks of the camp inmates are due.