142
[CHAP. VI.
who supervised and controlled the measures in Bombay, until he was appointed in May 1898
to act as Health Officer of that Port.
In the Thana District, at the beginning of 1898, when medical inspection arrangements
there gave way to the detention camp system, camps were opened at Bandra and Kalyan.
These camps were placed in Surgeon-Major Street's charge from the 1st of February 1898
until the 6th April 1898, when they passed to "the control of the Collector of Thana.
On the 23rd of February 1897, a list of infected areas was published and arrivals from
such areas were compelled to furnish their names, addresses, business, &c., to the local autho-
rities, who were thus able to maintain an officient watch over them.
In April 1897 disinfection of the baggage of Railway passengers was instituted at
Hotgi and Bhusawal. Later on, when plague had spread to several towns in the mofussil, and
continued to spread, and it was found inexpedient to arrange for a wide-spread medical
inspection so thorough as to influence its course materially, a number of Observation Camps
were established in selected parts of the Presidency for the purpose of disinfecting and
detaining for observation all third class passengers from infected areas.
In the meanwhile, Bombay became practically free, and, to prevent its re-infection,
all passengers coming into Bombay City, whether by sea or rail or road, were examined, and
such as came from infected areas and were likely to carry infection, including third class pas-
sengers by rail, were detained for observation in Camps. This arrangement lasted until the
recrudescence of plague in December 1897.
To enforce detention of arrivals from infected areas was most difficult, because of the
many methods by which it could be evaded. These methods of evasion, with the steps
taken to obviate them, are shown in tabular form below :—
List of
Local Sta-
tions on
G. I. P.
Line.
Infected area.
a
Kalyan.
Demauli.
Diva.
M umbra.
Thana.
Bhandup.
Ghat-
Cooper.
List of
Local Sta-
tions on
Β. Β. &
C.I.Line.
R
Infected ara.
Virar.
Nolla.
Sopara
Bassein.
Bhynder.
Borivli.
Malad.
Goregaon.
Andheri.
Possible methods of evasion.
G. I. P.
(I) Passengers from beyond Kalyan could
book to Kalyan and re-book to Bom-
bay in a local train.
...
B. B. &. C. I.
(I) Passengers from beyond Virar could
book to Virar and re-book to Bom-
bay by a local train.
G. I. P.
(II) Passengers could alight at Kalyan and
walk to Mumbra, Diva, or Demauli,
and book by a local train to Bora-
bay.
B.B. &. C. I.
(II) Passengers could alight at Virar and
walk to some station south thereof
and book to Bombay in local trains
G. I. P.
(III) Passengers could book to Thana am
re-book from there to Bombay locals
B. B. &C. 1.
(III) Passengers could book to any stations
between Virar and Bombay and
then re-book to Bombay in locals, as
some through trains stop at all sta-
tions.
Steps taken to prevent evasion by
these methods.
(I) Booking to Bombay from Kalyan
and Virar was stopped, except for
season ticket-holders or those
possessing certificates from Plague
authorities allowing them to travel.
(II) The Company stopped booking at
these three stations, except for
season ticket-holders.
(II) The Company promised to report
if the booking from stations south.
of Virar increased.
(III) Booking was stopped there, except
for season ticket-holders or those
who possessed certificates from
Plague authorities allowing them
to travel.
(III) The Company consented to run all
trains from beyond Virar through
to Grant Road, and to stop all
hooking from north of Virar to
any station south of Virar and
north of Grant Road.