131
By Dr. Gimi.
(1) Tara Naikin Wadi, No. 9.—About the middle of September it was brought
to my notice that rats were dying about the Wadi and on or about 28th September
1899 the first plague case occurred in the chawl. It was sent to hospital where
he succumbed next day. The room was vacated and the house disinfected. No
case occurred in the chawl until 12th October 1899. After that date inoculation
was pushed to a great extent in that chawl. Deaths (plague) did not occur in
that chawl until 18th January 1900, except one which occurred on 21st October
1899. In February and later, several cases occurred in the chawl, but all the cases
were among the non-inoculated. In every case, the room was disinfected and the
contacts which were not inoculated and which did not take inoculation later were
sent to segregation camps.
(2) Charniwadi No. 87.—This is one of the houses where there was very little
plague last year. The first case of plague occurred on 29th October 1899, the room
was vacated, the contacts segregated and the room as well as one room on each
side were disinfected. No case of plague occurred in that house until 27th January
1900, when the first case again appeared after two mouths, On inquiry, I learnt
that rats were dying about the house for the last fortnight. In the first and second
week of February several cases of plague occurred, when the house was completely
vacated and thoroughly disinfected. The house was re-occupied after a fortnight on
5th March 3900, Since then only-one case occurred in the house on 12th May 1900.
By Capt. Dun-
bar Stuart.
(1) Jairajbhai's Chawl in Forjell Street of the Tardeo Road consists of 4 blocks,
single storey—3 parallel to one another, and the other at right angles to the three ; at
the back of the latter block is a buffalo stable. The compound is a large and airy-
place having good open ground ; the blocks do not adjoin one another, a distance of 25
feet separates them from one another. There are in each block 48 rooms, 24 a side ;
mud floor with 18" plinth; the partitions, planks. The whole of this place wus
badly infected last year : up to 31st May lb'99, there were 36 cases and deaths.
All the blocks were evacuated one after another. The block I specially write about
is the one in front of the stables. This block, on account of a number of cases
last February 1899, was vacated on the 27th March ; the Fire Engine wag
requisitioned, and the place absolutely flooded, roofs, walls too, with phenyle
solution ; it took 4 hours to do. The place was allowed to dry thoroughly.
One wash of thin Perchloride was used, the place thoroughly cleaned, white-
washed, tiles to the width of 2 ft. removed over each room. The place was then
ro-occupied on 1st June 1899, the Chowpaty Camp being closed. The place kept well,
and no plague case occurred till August, when there were 2 suspicious plague cases,
viz., one on 6th August 1899, and the other on 19th of the same month; it then kept
free till 22nd November 1899 when there was again a suspicious death. Nothing more
happened till the beginning of the year, when fora period of 3'months there were
7* cases and" deaths ; the place was again vacated on 13th April 1900, and allowed
to be re-occupied on the 25th May 1900. Since then there has been no death.
This year in this compound there were only 21 deaths of which this chawl (the above
described) contributed 10. Nothing will improve this chawl; utter evacuation for
one year might do it; it breaks out in the season, the bacilli come to life again and
attack the people.
(2) In No. 121j Kandewady.—There wore 19 Plague cases and deaths between
the 1st June 1899 and llth February 1900. On the llth February 1900, 2 blocks in
the premises wore completely evacuated ; the people were removed to camp after the
place had been thoroughly disinfected and flushed ; it was allowed to be re-occupied
on the 17th March. There was one death after re-occupation which was taken as
suspicious, as there was no reliable cause of death, otherwise the place was kept free.
* One on 7th, one on 27th and one on 31st January ; one on 25th and one on S6th February
and one on 3rd and one on 31st March 1900, respectively.