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rooms, which were left disinfected until the occupants were sent for. The locked
rooms were disinfected on 2nd April. The total number of rooms disinfected was
eighty-six. It may be noted that in all these cases, the whole room, in addition
to being brushed, was swelled out with the solution. No cases have occurred in
this house, though it is now fully tenanted.
The fourth house which was taken up for experimental disinfection was house
No. 23/25, Patackwadi Dooker Gully.—The plague history of the house is as foll-
ows :—Cases occurred on 19th September, and 19th October 1900 ; 22nd and 31st
January; 4th, 5th, 13th, 17th, and 18th February ; 5th and 17th March 1901.
The solution used was 1 in 500. The mixing of the solution and the disin-
fection was done under the personal supervision of the District Officer and
Assistant District Officer. I was also present to see details. The disinfection
commenced on 22nd March, continued on 25th idem, and the locked rooms
were finished on 11th April. The tenants of the house in some cases left it, others
took camp accommodation, while some of them occupied a few rooms. In all
thirty-eight rooms were thoroughly scrubbed and swelled out. While the ground
floor was being disinfected a number of dead rats in a state of dessication were
found lying in a corner near the staircase. This probably explains the recurrence
of plague in this house. No cases of plague have occurred, since the house was
re-occupied in April.
The results obtained from this disinfection have been encouraging and proved
conclusively that a double strength solution is desirable if any appreciable result
is to be obtained. In all these houses which were of the worst type, and in
which the plague history in previous years has been very bad, this disinfection
with a double strength solution was able to stay the progress of the disease for a
period of 28 and 30 days respectively. In deducing conclusions, it must be borne
in mind that there are certain points which require careful observation and further
elucidation. These are infection from the surroundings by means of human agency
and re-infection of houses by infected rats.
It must be borne in mind however that it is quite probable the good
results of the disinfection above mentioned were due to the particular
attention devoted to these special cases of disinfection by the District
Officers and Medical staff who were present and who collectively super-
vised the work.
Capt. Smith goes on to say :—
As regards difficulties experienced in the case of Parsis three days have to be
given on account of religious ceremonies in the room in which the case occurred.
They will as a rule allow disinfectants to be used in the room except in the space
where the body has been lying. But as a rule the proper thorough disinfection is
not carried out until three days after the death has occurred. An exception to
this rule is in the cases of families who carry out the necessary religious ceremonies
in the fire temple. These cases are done about 24 hours afterwards.
As regards the Mahomedans where a house is occupied they almost invariably
claim what they call a three days' " Ziarat. " I really cannot imagine how they
were ever allowed in the first instance to start such a custom as this which means
the deferring of disinfection for three days. The real meaning of the "Ziarat" is
the prayers read on the morning of the third day after the death, and there is as
far as I know no real objection to the disinfection being carried out within 24
hours of death. I might mention that in Aden the houses and rooms are used to be