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through men of their own religion. These officers had arrived on the 8th and 9th respectively
and were employed up to the 14th in making themselves thoroughly acquainted with the people
and endeavouring to secure influence with the headmen and Mullahs.
59. It should also be mentioned that, at the commencement of February, Mr. Gloster,
T.C.S., the Assistant Sessions Judge, and Mr. Barker, the Karachi A'bkari Inspector, had kindly
offered their services and been working as Superintendents, Mr. Jacob, I.C.S., the Sessions
Judge, also assisting for a short time. Dr. Arnim was at the same time—in consequence of a
special representation made by the Principal Medical Officer regarding the interests of Canton-
ments—placed in charge of the Sadar Bazar, in addition to which work he subsequently, at the
special request of the Commissioner, agreed to supervise sanitary and medical matters in the
suburban area.
60. On the 7th of February, after some correspondence, arrangements were made to run
a special train from the stations of Landhi and Malir to Karachi and back, leaving in the early
morning and returning in the evening, so as to accommodate those persons who liked to camp at
either place and come into Karachi by day for business.
61. The Manager of the North-Western Railway kindly sanctioned special fares of one
anna for a single journey and 1 annas for the return, and eventually as many as 724 persons
used these- trains in a day. Subsequently, too, on the 12th idem, 3rd class carriages were
attached fco a goods train, which left for Karachi later than the special trains and was in conse-
quence more convenient for clerks.
62. In consequence of these arrangements, Messrs. Ralli Brothers built a number of huts
for their workmen at the Malir, and the Local Fund Department also ran up huts at both
stations and rented them to the employés of different firms and offices.
63. So far no information regarding the treatment of the sick has been given in this
report, the fact being that prior to the 14th of February, when 1,476 cases of plague had been
reported, only 7, of which 3 were Government servants, had been treated in the Civil Hospital,
11 by the Mahomedan Assistants across the Lyari, one in the Municipal Hospital at Machi-
Meani, and none in the Caste Hospitals.
64. The distrust of all treatment was, in fact, greater and more intense than could have
been expected from previous experience in other epidemics, and can, I think; only be accounted
for by the suddenness with which death had occurred on one or two occasions at, or after, the
medical man's visit—a suddenness which unfortunately is a common feature of the illness.
65. That this distrust was not confined to Medical officers I can vouch for by my own
experience; for having visited at a Superintendent's request a house, in order to try and prevail
on the people to let the children of the house be removed, I found two persons lying dying on
the floor ; one of whom expired directly I had left the room, "the natural consequence," as the
Superintendent was informed next day, of my visit. In this house the man who spoke to me
and was the sole attendant on the sick had himself 'buboes' on him, while two of the children
were evidently recovering from the disease,
66. With the close of the week ending the 13th of February, however, a new departure
was made as regards treatment, for on that clay the two youug officers of the Indian Medical
Service, Surgeons-Lieutenant Niblock and Cornwall, arrived, and on the following day were sent
out on either side of the Lyari, to make their own way as best they could with no one but an
English-speaking Munshi to interpret for them.
67. Yet within a very few days both had secured patients, the number of which steadily
increased, until on this side of the Lyari Dr. Niblock was required for the Plague Hospital, to
which he carried off several of his patients, and on the other Dr. Cornwall had succeeded in
getting all the sick under treatment in the different hospitals, which he was chiefly instrumental
in organizing.
68. In the following week, too, the Commissioner had, at my urgent request, asked for
and obtained from Government permission to use the High School, which adjoins the Civil
Hospital, in place of the latter, and convert the Civil into a Plague Hospital, a measure which
coupled with the nurses provided and comforts poured into the hospital by the Famine Relief
Fund, and the splendid work of the Convent Sisters, converted it into a thoroughly successful
institution, at which up to the date when this report closes over 516 had been treated, of whom
192 had been discharged cured.
69. The Relief Fund above alluded to was started on the 6th of February, the money
being raised by private subscriptions, and reaching the large sum of Rs. 19,629-0-10, With
this money 14 nurses, including volunteers, were supplied to the different hospitals, and board
and lodging provided to the Sisters of the Roman Catholic Convent, who worked so nobly under
Sister Heriberta from the 28th February to the 25th of June. The money also provided
clothing and comforts for the patients, and allowances to poor persons when discharged, as well
as relief to people in real want and distress. Every Plague Superintendent received a certain
amount to spend at his discretion.
70. Another great measure of relief was the provision of grain shops in all central parts
of Karachi, including Keamari, Manora, and the Trans-Lyari. This was rendered necessary by