NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
215
"The glass bottle or jar should then be placed in a strong wooden
or tin box, which should be large enough to allow of a layer of raw
cotton, at last three-fourths of an inch thick, being put between the
vessel and the box. The box itself should be encased in common gárah
cloth which should be securely closed and selaed. The seals should be
at intervals not exceeding three inches along each line of sewing."
2. Cultures and slides for the bacteriological diagnosis of
Plague may be prepared as follows :
Requirements—
1. Spirit lamp.
2. Spatula.
3. Scalpel.
4. Forceps.
5. * Glass pipettes (sterile).
6. * Agar slants (dry).
7. Microscopic slides.
8. Carbolic lotion (1-20).
A.—To make cultures from a bubo post-mortem, wash the skin
over the bubo well with soap and water and then with carbolic lotion
and dry it.
Heat the spatula strongly in the flame until it is hot enough to
sear the skin. Do this.
Heat the scalpel (previously boiled) and make a small stab over
the centre of the bubo, piercing the true skin.
Then having carefully passed one of the straight pipettes through
the flame six times, break off the sealed end with the forceps (also pre-
viously boiled).
Push the pipette with a twisting motion into the bubo through
the stab aperture made by the sealpel, and suck up a little fluid or
semi-solid material.
Quickly take an agar slant in the left hand and remove plug with
forceps and place between ring and middle fingers of left hand. Heat
the mouth of the tube. Insert the pipette into the agar tube and blow
out a small amount of material on the surface of the agar leaving a drop
to spread over the centre of a microscopic slide.
Then take one of the bent pipettes or spreaders, heat six times
in the flame and pass into agar tube and quickly spread the material
deposited there over the surface.
N.B.—Rest the heated end of the spreader on the surface of the agar jelly to cool it,
before spreading the material.
The mouth of the agar tube should be kept hot by turning it in
the flame of the lamp while it is open, and the cotton plug ought to be
burnt in the flame before putting it back in the tube with the forceps.
While open, keep the agar tube mouth downwards or in a hori-
zontal position.
The remaining drop in the pipette should be blown out on the
centre of a microscopic slide and spread over. The slide should, when
dry, be passed three times through the flame. Care should be taken
not to over-heat the slide.
* These will be sent from the laboratory on application.
216
The slide and the tube should be labelled, wrapped in paper and
carefully packed in cotton wool and sent off to the laboratory for report.
If sent by post, the instructions contained in Rule " C " of paragraph
1 should be observed.
The straight pipette used should be destroyed by melting the end
in the flame. The bent pipette should be sterilized by holding in the
flame of the spirit lamp till all the matter on it is charred.
B.—In a similar manner cultures can be obtained from the heart,
blood, liver, and spleen, and it is always better to send cultures from
various organs in every case.
(G.O., No. 1456-P., dated 7th October 1899.)
(7)—Plague Appointments!and Plague Allowances.
Though, the Plague Regulations empower Collectors and
Chairmen of Municipalities to employ certain classes of sub-
ordinates, the formal sanction of Government or the Plague
Commissioner is necessary for each appointment.
(P.C., No. 1047, dated 28th December 1898 ; P.C., No. 205, dated 20th January
1899 ; G.O., No. 800 M., dated 6th June 1899.)
2. Collectors and the President, Municipal Commission,
Madras, should prepare every month printed lists of officers
of all classes, including troops, employed on plague duty, in
accordance with, the instructions contained in Plague Com-
missioner's Proceedings, No. 762, dated 22nd November 1898,
and No. 1047, dated 28th December 1898, and G.O., No.
1504-P., dated 17th October 1899. The Inspector-Greneral
of Police and the Commissioner of Police, Madras, should
prepare similar lists of all Police engaged in plague work, and
the Surgeon-Greneral should also submit a return showing all
Medical officers on plague duty and all temporary doctors
obtained from England, with their stations, pay and allow-
ances. The lists should be distributed as follows :—
Three copies to the Chief Secretary to Grovernment,
Financial Department.
Four copies to the Secretary to Government, Local and
Municipal Department. (When there is a Plague
Commissioner, three of these copies should be sent
to him.)
Two copies to the Accountant-General.
(G.O., No. 134, Financial, dated 24th January 1899.)
3. The use of troops for plague purposes should be
avoided as far as possible and their employment should be
confined to disinfection when local labour is not available.
When so employed, they should not wear uniform or carry
arms. The sanction of Government or the Plague Commis-
sioner should be obtained before requisitioning them, and
217
where the employment of troops has once been sanctioned, the
men may be changed without reference to the Plague Commis-
sioner or Government. Arrangements should be made for
the relieving detachment to be inoculated before departure.
4. The following procedure should be adopted in obtain-
ing the services of Military officers for plague duty :—
I. A Local Government or Administration requiring an
officer or officers for plague duty will apply to the Government
of India, in the Home Department, detailing the number of
officers required, and where and when they should be ordered
to join.
II. The Government of India will then address the
Adjutant-General in India, who will issue instructions under
the orders of the Commander-in-Chief to one or more Com-
mands to supply the officers wanted, the Government of India
being at the same time informed of the instructions issued.
III. On learning from the Adjutant-General's Department
from what Command the officers asked for will be supplied,
the Government of India will inform the Local Government
or Administration concerned, and all further correspondence
in reference to the individual officers detailed by Commands,
or their replacement, should they for any reason revert to
Military duty, will be conducted between the Local Gov-
ernment or Administration and the Lieutenant-General
Commanding.
IV. When the officers selected have joined their appoint-
ments, the Lieutenant-General Commanding will communicate
their names to the Adjutant-General's Department, and their
services will then be placed at the disposal of the Government
of India.
V. When an officer's services are no longer required, he
should be directed by the Local Government or Administra-
tion to rejoin his regiment, the Lieutenant-General Com-
manding and the Government of India being at the same time
informed, and the latter will then replace the officer at the
Commander-in-Chief's disposal.
(G-.O., No. 718-P., dated 26th July 1898 ; P.C. No. 2 , dated 29th September 1898
P.O. No. \8/991\, dated 25th October 1898 5 P.C. No. 605, dated 3rd March 1899.)
5. No officers of the Indian Medical Service or the Royal
Army Medical Corps lent for plague duty should be permitted
to revert to Military duty without the previous sanction of
the Government of India.
(G.O., No. 1139, Public, dated 9th October 1899.)
28
218
6. The temporary doctors obtained from England must
be utilised to the best advantage. They should be required
to travel and organize, and be employed less as direct exe-
cutive officers. It is impossible to allow a Medical officer for
each infected town, and it is only at places where plague is,
or is likely to be, very bad that the resident doctors should
be stationed.
(G.O., No. 209, Public, dated 18th February 1899.)
7. The charge of plague operations in an infected district
must be regarded as part of the general duty of an executive
officer. No encouragement should be given to an impression
that duty connected with the plague involves greater risks or
is deserving of more favourable treatment than attendance in
the infectious wards of a hospital or in a camp afflicted with
cholera, which is accepted as part of the officer's ordinary
duty. Except in exceptional cases no recommendation should
be made for the grant of special salary, allowance or pension
for plague duty.
(G.O., No. 175 P., dated 3rd February 1899 ; G.O., No. 218, Financial, dated 11th.
February 1899.)
8. The following leave concessions have, however, been
temporarily sanctioned by the Secretary of State :—
(i) To officers who have been employed on duties
connected with the plague for a period of not less than five
months—
Either (a) one month's extra privilege leave, or
(6) full pay instead of half pay for the first two
months of furlough or other leave for which
half pay is ordinarily admissible.
(ii) To officers so employed for a period of not less
than ten months—
Either (a) two months' extra privilege leave, or (6)
full pay instead of half pay for the first four
months of furlough or other leave as above.
These concessions may be availed of at any time before the
29th June 1900 for plague service rendered at any time before
that date. The leave may, however, with the consent of the
Local Government, be enjoyed after the 29th June 1900 in
cases where the exigencies of the public service have necessi-
tated the refusal of leave when applied for, and have thus
prevented the grant of the full concessions earned within the
prescribed period. For the future plague duty performed in
addition to ordinary work is to be remunerated specially (if
219
sufficiently arduous to deserve special remuneration) by the
grant, in the case of medical officers only (but not others),
of special allowances during the performance of such duty
instead of leave concessions subsequently enjoyable. The
above concessions are not admissible—
(i) to officers whose duty in connection with plague
has not, in the opinion of the Local Government,
been so unusually arduous as to render them
deserving of the concessions ;
(ii) to officers who have been specially appointed to
such duty and have been remunerated during
the performance of it by special salary or allow-
ances ;
(iii) to Secretariat and other officers whose additional
work in connection with plague has been office
work.
(G.O., No. 2387 L., dated 8th December 1897 ; G.O., No. 1506 L., dated 17th August
1898; G.O., No. 1074 L., dated 18th May 1899 ; G.O., No. 1043, Financial, dated 26th
September 1899.)
9. The special allowances given to certain classes of officers
for plague duty and the salaries attached to special temporary
appointments created on account of the plague are given
below. All questions relating to the grant of allowances to
medical officers should be referred for the orders of Govern-
ment :—
A.—Allowances of officers deputed to Plague Duty.
Class of officers.
A. Military officers
and troops.
!
Particulars.
(a) When employed on guard
duty.
(b) When employed on sanitary
duty, such as searching,
disinfecting,
superin-
tending,
scavengeriug,
&c.—
(i) Combatant British
Commissioned "
officers of over
5 years' service.
(ii) Combatant British
Commissioned
officers under 5
years' service.
(iii) British
non-
commissioned
officers.
(iv) British privates ...
Allowances.
Nil.
Rs. 300 a mouth.
Rs. 200 a month.
Re. 1 + annas 6 extra ration
money per day.
Annas 12 + annas 6 extra
ration money per day.
220
A.—Allowances of officers deputed to Plague Duty—continued.
Class of officers.
A. Military officers
and troops—
cont.
Particulars.
(b) When employed on sanitary
duty, such as searching,
disinfecting,
superin-
tending, scavengering,
&c.—cont.
(v) Native officers
(vi) Native
non-
commissioned
officers.
(vii) Sepoys
.:.
.
Allowances.
I
1
Rs. 1-8-0 a day.
Annas 12 a day.
Annas 8 a day. Before engag-
ing on plague duty, the
sepoys will be inoculated and
supplied with two suits of
white drill, one pair of boots
and two white turbans. The
clothing will be supplied
regimentally, and the cost
recovered subsequently from
the local bodies concerned.
Note.—When the troops employed on plague duty have been performing guard
and sanitary duties in the same place together, that is to say, when some of the party
have been employed on sanitary duties while others have been doing guard duty, the
duties being interchangeable, all the troops should be paid allowances. On the other
hand, where the duties assigned to any one body of troops have been exclusively of the
nature of guard duties no allowances should be granted. The allowances shall be paid
only for the days on which the troops are actually employed on plague duty. All
doubtful cases should be referred for the special orders of Government.
(G.Os., No. 753, Public, dated 19th May 1899 ; No. 1194, Public, dated 3rd August 1899.)
B. Medical officers
wholly
em-
ployed
on
plague duty.
(i) Commissioned
officers
transferred from regi-
mental or purely mili-
tary duty.
(ii) Commissioned officers in
civil employ.
(iii) Senior Military Assistant
Surgeons with
the
honorary rank of Cap-
tain or Lieutenant.
(iv) Military Assistant Sur-
geons in Civil or Mili-
tary employ, on pay
exceeding Rs. 150.
(v) Military Assistant Sur-
geons in Civil or Mili-
tary employ, on pay
not exceeding Rs. 150.
Same as in the case of British
Commissioned
Military
officers.
Rs. 5 a day.
Rs. 5 a day.
Rs. 3 a day In addition to
any acting,
charge
or
house allow-
ance they may
have
been
drawing at the
time of their
deputation to
plague duty
and
which
they would
Rs. 2 a day
have conti-
nued to draw
but for such
deputation.
221
A.—Allowances of officers deputed to Plague Duty- continued.
Class of officers.
B. Medical officers
wholly
em-
ployed
on
plague duty —
cont.
C. Medical officers,
doing plague
work in addi-
tion to their
ordinary
duties.
D. Plague super-
visors belong-
ing to the Salt,
Abkári
and
other Depart-
ments.
E. Compounders on
ambulance
staff.
Particulars.
(vi) Civil Assistant Surgeons.
(vii) Civil Apothecaries
(viii) Hospital
Assistants
engaged on plague
duty involving per-
sonal risk, such as
attending on plague
patients.
(ix) Hospital
Assistants
engaged
on
light
plaguo duty, such as
inspection of pass-
engers.
(1) Commissioned officers
(2) Medical subordinates
(3) Nurses or Midwives
(i) Appointed in non-munici-
pal areas.
(ii) Appointed in municipal
towns.
Allowances.
Rs. 2 a day.
Rs. 25 * a month, or in the case
of men, who, at the time of
their deputation, were in in-
dependent charge, the full
charge allowance of their
grades.
Annas 8* a
day.
Rs. 10 * a
month
In addition to
house-rent or
free quarters,
but in lieu
of
charge
allowance.
Such local allowance, not ex-
ceeding one-fifth
of the
salary, as may be fixed in
each case by Government.
The allowance should be
given only- to officers whose
additional plague work,
such as that of medical in-
spection of passengers by
road or railway, is entirely
separate from, and outside
the sphere of, their ordinary
duties and not to officers
whose ordinary and legiti-
mate work, such as that of
attending on the sick in
hospital, has been increased
owing to the occurrence of
plague.
Allowance of 25 per cent. of
the salary + Rs. 30 fixed
travelling allowance + Rs. 15
horse allowance, provided the
permanent pay + 25 per
cent. thereof does not fall
below Rs. 80.
Same as in the case of D (i), but
minus the fixed travelling
allowance.
Allowance of 20 per cent. of
the salary, to be granted
only when the ambulance
staff is on active plague
duty.
* These allowances are admissible only to officers who have been deputed to a dis-
tance from the scene of their ordinary work to duty solely connected with plague.
222
B.—Salaries of officers temporarily entertained for Plague Duty.
Designation.
A. Retired Commis-
sioned Medical
officers.
JB. Temporary
English
Doctors.
0. Ketired Military
Assistant
Surgeons.
D. Uncovenanted
Medical offi-
cers.
E. Private Hospital
Assistants.
IT. Lady
Nurses
obtained from
Englaud.
Salary.
Rs. 500 a month (in addition
to their pensions which will
continue to be a military
charge).
Rs. 500 a month or such salary
as may be fixed in their
agreements with the Secre*
tary of State.
Pay of their grade at the time
of retirement + Ra. 100
allowance subject to a maxi-
mum of Rs. 350 a montb.
In special cases the local
Government may raise the
limit to Rs. 5U0. A Retired
Honorary
Commissioned
officer of the Indian Subordi-
nate Medical Department is
entitled to double first-class
travelling allowance by rail,
and eight annas a mile by
road.
Such pay not exceeding Rs. 350
a month as the Surgeon-
General may find necessary,
wich travelling allowances to
and from the places to which
they are posted at the rates
of double second-class fares
for journeys by rail and annas
4 a mile for journeys by
road.
Pay assigned to the corre-
sponding grades of Hospital
Assistants in Government
service + 50 per cent, thereof
with compensation for quart-
ers.
(a) Rs. 175 a month in
addition to free quarters,
fuel, ligbts and punkah-
pullers,
commencing
from date of embark-
ation to India;
(b) double first-class fare by
rail when travelling on
duty ;
(c) first-class passage when
proceeding by steamer
from one part of India
to another on duty.
Remarks.
The officer must have retired
before the 1st April 1898,
and his re-employment must
be either on Plague duty or
in a post which cannot be
filled in the ordinary way by
reason of the officers, who
would, in ordinary course, be
available for it being required
for plague duty. The a£>-
23ointment
requires
the
previous sanction of the Gov-
ernment of India.
The officers should be requii'ed
to produce certificates of
physical fitness, and their
appointments should, in the
first instance, be made for
periods not exceeding six
months.
The term of employment may,
subject to their good conduct
and efficiency, be for a period
of three months; the engage-
ment being terminable after
the expiry of the first two
months by a written notice
given by either the Govern-
ment or the officer.
If free quarters are not pro-
vided, an allowance of Rs. 3
a day should be paid.
223
B.—Salaries of officers temporarily entertained for Plague Duty—continued.
Designation.
G. Qualified Euro-
pean, Eurasian
or
Native
nurses locally
recruited.
I. Private gentle-
men appointed
as Plague
supervisors in
municipal
towns.
J. Private gentle-
men appointed
as
Plague
supervisors in
rural areas.
K. Plague Inspect-
ors —
(1) if Certifi-
cated
Sanitary
Inspect-
ors.
(2) if special-
ly train-
ed
for
tempo-
rary
Plague
duty.
L. Assistant Plague
Inspectors.
M. Other tempo-
rary subordi-
nates including
menial
ser-
vants.
Salary.
Remarks.
Such pay not exceeding Rs. 100
a month as Collectors may
find necessary.
Rs. 2 a day + Rs. 15, horse
all owance.
Rs. 80 pay + Rs. 30, fixed
travelling allowance + Rs. 15,
horse allowance.
Rs. 45 pay + Rs. 15, fixed
travelling allowance + Rs. 15,
horse allowance.
Rs. 40 pay + Rs. 15, fixed
travelling allowance + Rs.
15, horse allowance.
Rs. 15 to Rs. 25
Such rates as would bo suffi-
cient to induce persons . to
take up the appointments.
When the nurses attend on
Plague patients, a boarding
allowance of Rs. 1-8-0 a day
in the case of Europeans and
Eurasians, or one rupee in
the case of natives should be
paid.
Such supervisors should usually
be Europeans or Eurasians,
and they need not be appoint-
ed unless the outbreak of
plague requires a special
organization to deal with it.
Allowances should not be paid
to every Sanitary Inspector
indiscriminately, but should
be sanctioned only when
circumstances render their
grant
necessary. Fixed
travelling allowance should
be given only in the case of
Inspectors placed in charge
of Plague observation circles,
or in the case of those whose
duties require them to
travel constantly. In the
case of all others ordinary
travelling allowance accord-
ing to the rates given in the
Civil Service Regulations
should alone be sanctioned.
The Collector will decide
the question in each case.
The grant of horse allow-
ance depends on circum-
stances ; if an Inspector is
required by the Collector to
keep a horse, he will draw
horse allowance as long as a
serviceable animal is actu-
ally kept and a certificate
to that effect obtained.
Intended to serve in unions and
get no allowances.
Menial servants are not eligible
for any allowances, and should
be conveyed from place to
place at the cost of Govern-
ment.
(G.O., No. 984 P., dated 23rd June 1898.)
225
(8)—Plague Expenditure and Accounts.
No expenditure in connection with plague establishments
or for the carrying out of works shall be incurred without
the previous sanction of the Plague Commissioner (when one
has been appointed) or of Government.
2. Plague Commissioner.—The Plague Commissioner * is
authorised to accord such sanction himself subject to budget
provision in the latest quarterly estimate passed by Govern-
ment (save as respects appointments carrying a salary in
excess of Rs. 200 per mensem), reporting the fact immediately
to Government. As regards establishments, this power of
sanction extends only to such establishments as are treated
as direct plague charges ; the sanction of Government is
required to all appointments which constitute indirect plague
expenditure, i.e., the cost of which is debitable to the ordinary
service heads.
(G.Os., No. 868, Financial, dated 11th October 1898; No. 1115, Financial, dated 25th
November 1898.)
3. The Plague Commissioner is also empowered to sanc-
tion grants-in-aid for the construction and maintenance of
private plague hospitals and segregation and health camps at
the rates prescribed in G.O., No. 1245-P., dated 5th October
1898, up to a total limit of Us. 10,000. He shall immediately
report all such expenditure to the Financial Department,
intimating whether provision for the same exists in the most
recent estimates. He shall, in no case, exceed the total limit
of Rs. 10,000 without obtaining the orders of Government.
(G.O., No. 868, Financial, dated 11th October 1898.)
4. The Plague Commissioner has control over all expendi-
ture connected with plague operations, and may call for such
returns and information as regards expenditure as may seem
to him necessary, and all returns from Collectors and other
officers regarding plague expenditure shall be sent to Govern-
ment through him.
(G.O., No. 1122-P., dated 20th September 1898.)
5. Plague Estimates.—All Collectors, the Surgeon-General,
the Inspector-General of Police, the Commissioner of Police
and the Sanitary Commissioner are required to submit quar-
terly estimates † of plague expenditure. These estimates
should be forwarded direct to the Financial Department
* The appointment of the Plague Commissioner requires the previous sanction of
the Government of India. (G.O., No. 977-P., dated 22nd June 1899.)
† Duplicate copies are not required,
29