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tered. Each of these \vards is 84 feet long and 27 feet wide. The flooring is of
mud. Each ward would hold 34 beds and would last at least 8 years without much
repair.
The sheds used as observation wards are also pulled down and two nice wards,
similar to those above described, have been built on the spot, but each of these wards
is 105 feet long and would hold 50 beds. Thus these sis; wards alone are sufficient
to provide accommodation for 250 patients. Besides these eleven wards there are
five other temporary wards which accommodate 225 patients ; these wards the Sirdar
intends to rebuild after the monsoon. So there is at present accommodation for
475 patients,
A small-pox epidemic broke out in the month of December. The Arthur
Road Hospital, which admitted small-pox cases, was full by the beginning of Janu-
ary, and the Mahratha Hospital was asked to take in small-pox cases. This was
done without any distinction of caste or creed, and patients of all castes were admitted
in the small-pox wards, but arrangement was made to respect their religious feelings.
A ward was given to Mahrathas and other high caste Hindus. One ward was given
to the low caste and one to the Christians and Mohamedans, but these three wards
were not sufficient for the rush of patients, and two new wards were run up by the
Sirdar within a week to meet the increasing demand. Each of these wards is 105
feet long and 27 feet broad, and would accommodate 50 patients. This accommoda-
tion was also not sufficient to meet the increasing demand, and we had to turn some
of the contact sheds into small-pox wards, and thus make room for patients. The
plague patients were accommodated in the permanent wards by the side of the road,
while the larga number of convalescents were accommodated in the old wards
situated in the interior. The number of observation cases had also increased and
we had to use three sheds with an accommodation of 80 beds for male patients and
one of the permanent wards for females.
Visit of His Excellency the Viceroy.—The most notable event during the year
under review was the visit paid by His Excellency Lord Curzon, the Viceroy of
India, to the Hospital. The Hospital authorities were informed two days previous
that His Excellency intended to pay a visit to the Mahratha Hospital and meet the
Volunteers there. The Hospital compound and the Connaught Road were decorated
with buntings and cocoanut tree leaves, and a permanent ward situated in front of
the new-built wards was turned into a reception hail, which was decorated with
hangings and flowers. The floor was carpeted and a raised dais was placed at the
other end of the hall and a seat was arranged for their Excellencies thereon.
The morning of the 7th December 1899 presented an imposing spectacle at the
Mahratha Hospital. A very large number of Volunteers and Officers came to the
place and crowds of people were seen standing on the road from the Victoria
Gardens down to Ghorupdeo Road. His Excellency Lord Curzon, accompanied by
His Excellency Lord Sandhurst, were escorted to the place by Mr. W. L. Harvey,
the Municipal Commissioner, Colonel Wilkins, the Special Medical Officer in charge
Plague Operations, and the Deputy Commissioner. Their Excellencies wore received
at the gate by Sirdar Mir Abdulalli and the Members of the Mahratha Committee,
who were introduced to His Excellency by Colonel Wilkins. His Excellency was
then taken to the old temporary wards and thence to the newly built permanent
wards, where Lord Curzon made very kind enquiries about the plague patients.
They were then conducted to the reception hall where all the Volunteers and Officers
had gathered. Their Excellencies were offered a cordial welcome by the Chief
Medical Officer, and after a most instructive speech from His Excellency Lord
Curzon, and the distribution of garlands and bouquets, the party returned amongst
loud cheers and acclamations,