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CHAPTER VI.
RAILWAY INSPECTION.
Railway Medical Inspection.
The adoption of measures for the prevention of the conveyance of plague infection by
Railway passengers engaged the attention of Government as early
as October 1896. as soon as it was found that plague had become
established, and was spreading in the Town and Island of Bombay. The authorities of the
G. T. P. and B. B. &, C. I. Railways were consulted as to the best method of securing ade-
quate inspection arrangements, and before plans were developed, a telegram was received
from the Government of India on the 12th October 1896, urging the adoption of a systematic
examination of Railway passengers. Measures were soon organized for the systematic and
careful examination of all passengers leaving Bombay by through trains at Grant Road on
the B. B. & C. I. Railway line, and at Victoria Terminus on the G. I. P. Railway line, under
Section 47 (d), 71 and 117 of the Railway Act (No. IX of 1890). Meanwhile active steps had
been taken by local bodies in most of the important places in the Presidency for their own
protection, and by the 22nd of October 1896 it was decided to make arrangements for the
medical examination of arrivals at those places where it did not already exist. At about the
same time Government were informed that the Southern Mahratta Railway Company had of
their own accord instituted arrangements for the inspection of passengers travelling on their
line at Poona, Miraj, Belgaum, Londa, Hubli, Gadag, and Hotgi.
Soon after (about the middle of December) the large exodus from Bombay made it im-
possible for the then existing staff in Bombay to cope with the work. A better and more compre-
hensive system, to be worked by an adequate staff, was therefore introduced; and from the 4th
of February 1897 Government decided to stop the inspection of through passengers in Bombay,
and, instead, to provide for the examination of all passengers in down through trains at Kalyan
and Palghar Stations on the G. I. P. and B. B. & C. I. Railway lines respectively, and to
employ at each of these stations a large staff of Inspecting Medical officers under Commis-
sioned Medical officers. Observation Camps and Plague Hospitals were rapidly erected at
those places, and rules giving the powers for all necessary procedure were published on the
10th February 1897, under the Epidemic Diseases Act (Act III of 1897). These rules were
shortly after applied also to Bhusawal (for the protection of the Central Provinces, Bengal
and Calcutta), to Ahmedabad (for the protection of Káthiáwár and Rájputána), to Hotgi (for
the protection of the Southern Maratha Country, Hyderabad and Madras), and to Londa
(for the protection of Goa, Mysore and Madras).
Inspection posts under these rules were subsequently established at various places in
the Presidency, e. g., Poona, Rajevadi, Dhond and Manmad, and the system of barrier inspec-
tions already in force for the inspection of arrivals at important places was improved and
extended.
Under Government Resolutions No. 522—88-p., dated the 1st February 1897, and 1072
—542-p., dated the 27th February 1897, Surgeon-Major (now Lieut.-Colonel) A. F. W.
Street, D.S.O., I.M.S., Deputy Sanitary Commissioner, who had been placed on special duty
in connection with the plague in January 1897, was appointed to control and supervise all
measures for the Medical Inspection of passengers by railway, in and near Bombay, and at
Dhond and Manmár and other stations in the Presidency. This control he exercised until
the end of April 1897, when, in consequence of an accident, he was compelled to proceed to
Europe on privilege leave. The control of the Mofussil inspections then passed into the hands
of District Officers, while that of those in and near Bombay were made over by Government
Resolution No. 2914—2994-P., dated the 27th May 1897, to Surgeon-Captain W. E. Jennings,
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