NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
14
to think of their houses as places into which they were shut up to die,
panic might seize them, and, in spite of pass and of detention rules,
Bombay might be deserted and the mofussil refilled with Plague.
To this was added the consideration that, towards the close of
the hot weather of 1897, the sudden return of perhaps 300,000 to
400,000 people compelled resort to infected and evil houses which
the medical authorities had condemned as unfit for human use.
The Committee were hopeful that a second epidemic might give
the chance of cleansing and bringing light and air into many
of these, and that, if any large number of houses had to be closed or
destroyed, the inmates might find shelter in camps built on
sites which might be used throughout the rains. There was the
further hope that a provision of huts might remove one of the
great difficulties in the way of the new Bombay Improvement
Trust and enable that Body to clear spaces and streets.
Deputation.
On the 31st December a deputation of native merchants under the
auspices of Sir George Cotton waited on the Plague Committee to lay
certain complaints and difficulties before them :—
Complaints.
As to the inward detention rules
the deputation asked for removal
or modification of those.
As regards segregation the depu-
tation asked that no one should
be sent to a public hospital unless
he failed to go to a private hos-
pital.
Redress.
It was explained that the existing
rules, and practice were not really
burdensome. All travellers after
medical inspection, if they came
from non-infected areas or if
they had passes from their place
of origin duly signed by a Gov-
ernment Plague authority, were
exempt from quarantine. After
24 hours in camp, to enable their
clothes to be disinfected, all ar-
mais who produced the guar-
antee of a leading member of
their caste were free to leave the
camp ; and temporary leave was
granted to holders of valuables
to enable the owners to deposit
them in safe keeping.
It was explained, that no patient
whose cast6-people had a private
hospital was ever taken to a
public hospital ; and further, as
regards Contacts, that if the
Committee pass the house as
suitable, a Contact living in a
good house can be segregated in
a separate room.
15
Complaints—contd.
As regards the house-to-house visit-
ation, the deputation asked that
no searching should take place
except in the morning between
6 and 10 a.m.; that females he
examined by female doctors only,
and that patients with tempera-
ture not exceeding 100° be
exempt from removal to hospital.
The deputation complained, of
orders forbidding the export of
second-hand sacks.
The deputation asked that at the
bunders thermometers should
not be put in the mouths of pas-
sengers.
Redress— contd.
It was explained that house-to-
house visitation was carried on
only between seven and ten in
the morning and between four
and six in the evening ; that
visits were not made at any other
time unless information of a case
had been given ; and that such
special visits were not made at
night. The wish regarding the
examination of females by a
female doctor and that no patient
with a temperature under 100°s
hould be sent to hospital would
be respected so far as was possi-
ble. The Committee were al-
ways anxious that search-parties
and others should be accompanied
by one or two local residents.
The Committee hoped that this
help would be given them now
more freely than in the past.
It was explained that no such order
was in force.
It was explained that instructions
had already been issued with a
view of lessening, if not putting
a stop to the practice, and that
these would be repeated.
Movements of
the people.
DECEMBER ...
Arrivals—
Bail
Road ...
Sea
Departures—
Rail
Road
Sea
... 87,056
... 85,996
... 38,233
211,885
... 104,426
... 87,781
... 35,059
227,266
Excess.
15,381
JANUARY 1898.
Sickness and
mortality.
In area the plague had now spread from 21 to 25 districts, includ-
ing Dhobi Talao, Phanaswadi, Girgaum, Walkeshwar, Mahim and Parel.
In the 2nd week (8th) the recorded total death-rate roso from 075 to
1,061, and the Plague mortality from 200 to 302. In the 3rd week
(15th) the total deaths rose from 1,061 to 1,307, and the recorded
16
Plague deaths from 302 to 450.* In the 4th week (22nd) the total
deaths rose from 1,307 to 1,540, and the Plague deaths from 450 to 651.
The 5th week (29th) showed a fresh rise from 1,540 to 1,726 in the total
deaths, and from 651 to 834 in the recorded Plague deaths. The Plague
was spreading from south to north. Colaba and Sewri alone were free.
While during January in Bombay cases rose from 868 in December
to 2,532 in January, and deaths from 583 to 2,515, in the mofussil, cases
fell from 5,420 to 4,331, and deaths from 4,825 to 3,500.
isolating' the
City.
In the beginning of the year the sudden and vast increase of Plague
in Bombay, together with the decline in Poona and in other parts of the
Deccan, suggested the detention of travellers leaving the city, and
the abolition of the restrictions on arrivals. The Hon'ble Mr. Wingate,
the Plague Commissioner, met the Plague Committee to discuss
the question of outward and inward inspection. As regards outward
inspection by rail it was determined to re-organize the existing system,
so that people leaving Bombay by the B. B, C. I. should be detained at
Anand, and if travelling by the G. I. P. either at Kalyan or
Manmar. At Kalyan the outward inspection was made more rigorous.
At the same time Thana and Bandora declared quarantine against visitors
from Bombay as an infected district. On the 7th January Anand
followed suit with a declaration of ten days' detention.
Bombay was now in a state of isolation. Detention was still en-
forced in the case of arrivals from infected areas. The difficulty of leaving
the city was further increased by the Notification (17th January) that
no pass would be granted to any one who had not spent the seven
preceding days in Modikhana Camp. The only exception was in
favour of residents in the parts of the city which wore declared
uninfected, and who had been under the supervision of the local Medical
Plague Officers for seven days previous to quitting Bombay.
These restrictions failed to keep the Marwadi and Gujarati traders
from leaving in large numbers, but the imposition of a ten days'
detention at Kalyan and at Bandra greatly reduced the departures by
rail, and the prohibition by notification of any native craft carrying pas-
sengers from Bombay to any port between Karachi in the north and
Bhatgal in the south saved the coast from infection. Persons provided
with approved passes were allowed to travel by ferry boats and coasting
steamers. As Plague continued to spread in Bombay, the need of
inward detention declined and the restriction was removed on the 25th
January.
* There had been little emigration of late and the total population was supposed to bo
twice what it was in January 1897, that is roughly 800,000 as against 400,000.
17
Health Camps.
Narielwadi and Modikhana were now turned into Health. Camps and
Wari Bunder was devoted to Contacts. The work of emptying infected
and unwholesome houses was pushed on and entrusted to three Naval
Officers : Lieut. Mansergh, Lieut. Mason and Mr. Jenkin, with 20 Blue
Jackets. The household effects of the families sent to the camp were
packed into carts and carried to the camp at the charge of the Plague
Fund. This Naval contingent was most useful, and the camps at
Elphinstone Bridge, Connaught Road, and Narielwadi were filled.
In Kamathipura, where during both epidemics Plague secured a very
firm hold, Rao Saheb Ellapa Ballaram's successful camp on Foras
Road was increased by building hats for 500 additional inmates. With
this comfortable accommodation close at hand the Rao Saheb succeeded
in emptying a number of unwholesome houses in 15th Street. As has
been mentioned the inmates of the Health Camps are free to come and go
as they please. Except in isolated cases, where for special reasons the
moving was inconvenient, this camping was effected without opposition.
The people settled in their huts, improved greatly in health and re-
mained nearly free from Plague ; and when their time in camp was
over, in many cases they either refused to move or moved with
reluctance.
Considering the progress of the Plague and the practically imprison-
ed condition of the 750,000 people of the city, Government came to the
conclusion that the scale on which Health Camps were being built was
insufficient. They were satisfied that, to prevent the risk of serious
calamity—either the increase in the virulence of the Plague due to the
overcrowding, or the flight of largo numbers of the infected carrying
Plague over the presidency—sets of camps large enough to hold 40,000
to 50,000 people were required. On the 31st January a Government
Resolution was issued commenting on the dangers of the situation and
directing that sites for camps should be fixed in the Harbour Islands
and in Salsette.
The Committee considered the subject and found that the Harbour
Islands were unsuitable from want of water, but that in Salsette, within
easy distance of the Virar and Tansa mains, especially at Santa
Cruz, Kurla and Ghatkuper, convenient sites were available.
It was the opinion of the Committee that sites so far from
Bombay should in the first instance be offered to the rich and well-to-do.
Every effort was made to aid those who were willing to go, and to help
by arranging for the water-supply and for sanitation, and by building
or providing materials for huts. A Committee of influential natives was
18
The Members were :—
Sirdar Umar Jamal.
Mr. Vasantji Khimji.
Mr. Narayan Trimbak Vaidya.
The Hon'ble Dr. Bhalchaudra.
Bao Saheb Ellapa Balaram.
Mr. P. B. Joshi.
ROUGH
G. I. P.
Kalyan
100
Diva
100
Dimauli
50
Mumbra
100
Thana (including
Navpada)
... 560
Bhandup
500
Kurla
,
1,500
Chimbur
1,000
Ghatkup&r
... 2,000
5,900
ESTIMATE.
B.B. & C. I.
Bandora
... 1,000
Sania Cruz ...1,000
Malad
... 500
Borivli
... 400
Andheri ... 1,500
Goregaon ... 1,000
5,400
Total... 11,300
formed to make the wish of Government generally known and to explain
the need for leaving infected localities,
and the help which the Plague Committee
was ready to give to all settlers. A large
number of upper-class Hindus had already
settled in bungalows and sheds in the parts of Salsette near the railway
and were coming daily to
Bombay by train. The total
number of settlers was probably
about 11,000. The scheme
for forming camps in Salsette
was not successful. The ar-
rangement of clustering in
sheds round bungalows, in
settlements of forty to fifty families, suited the better class of settlers
better than the publicity of a camp. No measure of success attended the
efforts to induce any class of working people to settle outside of the
Island of Bombay. They could face neither the going so far from their
houses nor the time required for the daily journey.
The attention of the Committee was therefore turned to the opening
of large Health Camps on all convenient sites in the Island of Bombay.
The Dadar flats, within easy reach of both railways and of the Tansa and
Virar mains, were chosen as the chief site. With the approval of Gov-
ernment it was arranged to build a camp or camps able to house 40,000
people. The work of superintending the laying out and the building of
two of the four proposed camps, was entrusted to Captain Swayne, R.E.,
Executive Engineer, Military "Works, and the building was entrusted to
two leading contractors who had throughout been of the greatest service
to the Committee, Sirdar Umar Jamal and Rao Saheb Ellapa Ballaram.
In the neighbourhood of the large camps clusters of huts were built to
suit the requirements of well-to-do settlers, and these were occupied at
low rents. At Matunga and along the line of the Vincent Road were
many private settlements, some of them of timber huts, which had been
in use during the former epidemic.
The Committee were anxious that the excellent sites on the north
slopes of Antop Hill should be used as a camp. The Municipal Com-
missioner arranged for a supply of water, and a settlement of about 150
upper-class Hindus was formed. Except that it is nearly a mile from
the railway, Antop Hill is an excellent site. Other places admirably
suited for camps are the west slopes of Worli Hill and the recently
reclaimed shoreland to the south of Sewri.
19
A sharp outbreak of Plague in Worli in February stirred the people
to leave their houses, and a water-supply from the Worli main and other
needs were provided. About 25 well-to-do families built huts and
moved to the camp, where, except for one case of Plague, they have
enjoyed excellent health. So far the experience has been that, except
at Dadar, there is little hope of starting camps likely to be popular with
the working classes, except in open spaces within the limits of the city.
Increase of
staff.
The wider spread and the greater virulence of Plague in January forced
on the Committee"the necessity for strengthening the staff. The need of
dividing charges and of introducing a superior grade of officers on whom
the burden of the administration would fall was evident and admitted.
Fortunately the decline of Plague in Poona, Nasik and Sholapur made
available the services of several trained officers. C Ward, the centre
of the city, was divided into two charges—C North and C South.
C North, including Kumbharwada, Khara Talao and Bhuleshwar, with a
population of about 200,000, was placed under Surgeon-Captain Arnim,
whose capability had been proved during the Karachi outbreak in the
early months of 1897. C South, including Market, Dhobi Talao and
Phanaswadi, with a population of little less than 200,000, was entrusted
to Major W. Ross of H. M.'s Durham Light Infantry, one of the most
successful combatants of the Poona Plague. Mr. R. B. Stewart, I.C.S.,
who had brought the Nasik District safely through a serious outbreak
of Plague, was put in charge of E Ward, and Mr. A, Wood, I.C.S., of
D Ward. The very serious prevalence of Plague in North Fort
required the division of A A Ward. The Fort was placed under Mr. J. H.
DuBoulay, I.C.S., Deputy Municipal Commissioner, who, with the
valuable assistance of Mr. Roughton, Mr. Raikes and about twenty other
European helpers, carried out with the greatest success the removal of
the sick and the cleansing of infected houses.
This outbreak caused during January, February, and the first week
of March 632 deaths, a total in excess of the deaths in any quarter of the
city, except 649 in Market. The intensity of this outbreak seems to
have been in great measure due to the concealment of the earlier cases
among Parsis. The vacating of infected and unwholesome houses was
placed under Capt. Betham, H. M.'s 8th Bombay Infantry, supported
by the Naval contingent, and Lieut. Strong of the same regiment was
appointed to supervise the camps.
Employment
of Military,
In addition to the want of superior district officers fitted to control
the entire system of Plague measures under their charge, the much more
rapidly fatal type of the disease required a stronger medical staff to
20
secure more constant searching of houses. All the available medical
staff had been utilised. The only additional searching agency was that
of Military search-parties. Military search-parties had been remarkably
effectual and popular in Poona. Their value there was beyond question.
It was true that British soldiers were stranger to the people of Bombay
than to the people of Poona. Still some risk had to be faced, and it seemed
fair to suppose that at least in Parsi and in middle-class Hindu quarters
the dislike to the strangeness of the agency would pass.
A beginning was made with fifty men of the Durham Light Infantry
under Major W. Ross. The men formed search-parties and worked with
remarkable expedition and regularity. They were made use of only in
Dhobi Talao and Market, where the houses for the most part were those
of Parsis and lower-class Hindus. No complaints and no signs of dislike
or uneasiness were visible when the search-parties were at work. But in
certain parts of Market, Marathas and other middle and lower-class
Hindu families, who in Bombay are generally ready to change their
lodgings, left. Whether this movement arose from fear of the Plague or
because of uneasiness due to the Military search-agency, it is not easy
to say. It may be doubted whether as searchers the Military parties
were more successful than the former Medical parties, but in any case
they were an efficient instrument for detecting concealed or recently
infected patients.
By the middle of February the staff was strengthened by 50
more men of the Durhams, by four officers and 50 men of the Shropshire
Light Infantry, and by two officers and 25 men of the Royal Artillery.
The men of the Shropshire Light Infantry were employed to patrol cer-
tain somewhat troublesome streets in B Ward when search-parties were
in the houses. This precaution was necessary because of the threats
which a section of the Musalmans of Chakla and South Umarkhadi had
formerly made against the medical search-parties. The presence, of the
troops in the streets was sufficient to prevent any repetition of opposition
and did not seem to arouse ill-feeling among the people. The Artillery
were similarly employed in some of the troublesome parts of Umarkhadi.
Internal
movements.
In the beginning of January the Committee hoped they might
succeed in confining the Plague to certain portions of the Island. Foot-
passers could not well be stopped, but families travelling with cart-
loads of furniture might be checked without difficulty. This rule was
introduced in the case of Malabar and Cumballa Hills, and, with one
or two rare exceptions, it has since been strictly enforced. As the
pressure of the disease in the crowded parts of the city increased,
21
and as the system for preventing departures to the mainland without
a detention of ten days was perfected, it became necessary to relax the
rule against the movements of families to the northern parts of the
Island. Clerks were stationed at certain police posts and took the name
and address of the owners of all cart-loads of luggage. This information
was forwarded to Surg.-Capt. Jennings, the District Plague Officer for the
North of the Island, and all houses occupied by new-comers were placed
under medical supervision for ten days.
Besides the supervision of new-comers, to hinder the spread of
Plague in the north of the Island, a large body of disinfectors
under Mr. Atkinson were employed in Matunga, Sion and Worli,
and the greater part of Mahitn, removing tiles, lime washing, cleansing,
and, where necessary, making openings for light and air. A comparison
of the area so treated with the small section which remained uncleansed
seems to show that this advanced work proved of considerable value in
checking Plague.
Movement s of
the people
JANUARY...
Arrivals—
Rail ...
Road ...
Sea
Departures—
Kail ...
Road ...
Sea
...
69,529
59,823
14,538
143,890
93,518
60,794
47,312
201,624
Excess.
57,734
FEBRUARY.
Sickness and
mortality.
During the first week of February (5th) the total deaths rose from
1,726 to 1,871, and the recorded Plague deaths from 834 to 927. Thirty-
three districts were infected ; the North Fort badly. The second week
(12th) showed a rise in total deaths from 1,871 to 2,067, and in recorded
Plague deaths from 927 to 1,113, though the total Plague mortality
was probably not less than 1,231. During the week the death-rate
among Europeans was remarkably low ;—at the yearly rate of 4.60 per
thousand. The third week (19th) showed an increase in total deaths from
2,067 to 2,196, and in recorded Plague deaths from 1,113 to 1,257. The
fourth week (26th) showed a decline in total deaths from 2,196 to 1,974,
22
and in Plague deaths from 1,257 to 1,082. The spreading stage was
supposed to be at an end. The Plague had, as in the previous year,
travelled from east to west and from south to north. Seven districts
had almost entirely escaped—Walkeshwar, Mahalakshmi, Mahirn, Sewri,
Chowpati, Sion, and Worli. From these, in eleven weeks, only 155 deaths
were recorded. The only exception to the increase of mortality during
February was in B Ward, which by the end of the month had nearly
reached the normal, having fallen, from about 40 deaths a day to about
20. While in February in Bombay cases rose from 2,533 in January
to 4,591 in February, and deaths from 2,515 to 4,460 ; in the mofussil
cases fell from 4,331 to 3,921, and deaths from 3,500 to 3,090.
House vaca-
tion.
In Dongri, a district of B Ward, 11/2 miles of the road along the
crest of the hill was specially treated. All houses where cases of
Plague had occurred were emptied of their people, disinfected, cleansed
and improved by cutting openings in walls and in passages. While the
cleansing and the alterations were in progress the people were accom-
modated in the Elphinstone Bridge Camp on Port Trust land. This
camp worked well. The health of the people was good. Few of them
were willing to leave when the time came for them to go back to their
houses. The result of the operations has been satisfactory.
During the week ending February 15th, over 27,000 houses were
visited, 1,501 disinfected, and 300 vacated ; 478 contacts were sent to
Public and 155 to Private Camps. The inmates of the Committee's
camps numbered 6,379 ; about 12,000 people were settled in the suburbs
of Bombay, and about 11,500 more in Salsette ; that is to say, the houses
of the city were relieved of about 30,000 of their inmates.
On Saturday, the 21st February, a serious fire occurred, which de-
stroyed more than half of the Plague quarters attached to the European
General Hospital, together with all the wards of the adjoining Modi-
khana Hospital. The bravery of the nurses, ward-boys, and
hospital staff saved all the patients from the flames. The fire began
about two o'clock p.m., and was over by four o'clock. Before dark
the patients were all removed into a half of the Modikhana Camp
which was cleared for their use. Within a day the wards were made
comfortable and equipped with all hospital requirements. The re-building
of the hospital was pushed on, and by the exertions of Mr. N. M. Wadia,
C.I.E., and Mr. M. M. Murzban, the Parsi patients who on the evening
of the fire had been kindly received into the Setti Sanitarium in the
Fort, were accommodated first in a ward of the Modikhana Camp