97
24. For the purposes of the search, the whole city was divided up into sections
and divisions, and to avoid unnecessarily alarming the people, operations were
commenced on a smaller scale than that adopted at a later period. When the
number of parties was increased on March 22nd, and the native gentlemen
who had promised their services failed to attend in sufficient numbers, it became
impossible to have one in attendance on each party. Two or three, therefore,
accompanied each division : although 51 had given in their names, Mr. Band
reported that the average number that attended seldom exceeded 20.
25. At one time the experiment was tried of having two "searches a day, but it
was found that this was more than the men could do ; their camp was at a distance
of 2 or 3 miles from the scene of the operations, and the work itself was of a
laborious and exhausting nature.
26. A general idea of the system followed will be gathered from the following
report, the first of the weekly reports submitted to Government by Mr. Rand
during his work in Poona :
"Dated 25th March 1897.
"With reference to Government circular No. 1095—572-p. of the 1st instant, I have the
honour to submit the requisite weekly report for the week ending 19th March. 1897.
The military were employed on anti-plague operations in the city of Poona on the 13th
instant and on each subsequent day except Sunday. On each day 20 search parties, 20
fumigation parties, and 20 limewashing parties worked in the city. Search parties
consisted of three British soldiers, fumigation parties of one British and two native soldiers,
and limewashing parties of three British and one native soldier.
The parties were
arranged in divisions, each consisting of ten parties and under the command of an officer.
Native gentlemen were attached to the search, parties, as were European and native ladies,
most of whom possessed some medical experience. The house-to-house inspection of the
search parties resulted in a fair number of cases being detected and sent to hospital. The
principal result of the house-to-house inspection has been that a substantial proportion of
the plague cases that occur in the city are voluntarily brought to hospital by the relatives
of the sick person. The behaviour of the troops employed has been excellent, and only a
few complaints have been made against them. In addition to the work of the military,
search for cases is conducted by the Municipal Hospital Assistants under the supervision
of Surgeon-Captain Lloyd Jones. Within suburban municipal limits medical inspection
of passengers entering and leaving Poona was made at the railway station. Prepa-
rations were made for house-to-house inspection with the aid of the military. In Poona
Cantonment two military search parties were employed from the 18th, instant. From Kirkee
Cantonment no changes in the arrangements for dealing with the plague have been
reported."
27. From this time the operations progressed smoothly, and a reduction in
the death-rate became apparent in the beginning of April. On April llth
Mr. Rand reported that pickets and cavalry patrols had been posted on the roads
leading out of Poona, and had detected several plague cases which were being con-
veyed from the city by night. At the same time he said that the Medical officers
were of opinion that the epidemic was assuming a milder form. This was borne
out by the fact that the proportion of patients discharged cured from the
hospitals was increasing.
28. The steady decrease in the mortality is shown in the following table :—
Period.
March 1—10 ..
*"
10—20 ..
" 21-31 ..
April 1—10 ..
" 11-20 ..
"
21—30 ..
May 1—10 ..
" 11—20 ..
Plague deaths
reported.
202
241
313
218
132
66
22
16
Total
mortality.
615
517
524
328
206
109
59
53
29. As regards the actual mortality which had taken place from plague, Mr.
Rand points out that the recorded figures of plague cases are little guide, as in
the early period no attempt at securing accurate returns had been made by the
* Plague Committee's operations began on a small scale on March 13th, but the number of parties was increased on
March 22nd.
B 1135—25+