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been provided. Arrangements were now made to provide hospital build-
ings and subordinate medical officers for Panvel, Uran and Revdanda,
and the disinfection of all these places taken in hand vigorously by gangs of
trained coolies under an European Inspector. The whole disinfecting staff
employed in the district was supervised by Mr. T. G. B. Atkinson, who was
deputed for this purpose by the Bombay Plague Committee. The knowledge
that military aid was at the disposal of the Plague Committee to enforce the
order for segregation of patients at once removed all open opposition to this
measure, though the dislike of the people to part with their sick was evinced by
repeated instances of concealment of cases. The organising of house-to-house
inspection, to prevent the possibility of such concealments, was a matter of some
difficulty, but the best efforts of the officers at each place were put forward to
gain this object. It was resolved that at Alíbág every house in the town should
be disinfected and lime-washed, and this was done. So also at Theronda, Rev-
danda and Cheul. In Panvel and Uran it was deemed sufficient to disinfect
those houses only in which cases had occurred, and in the case of Panvel this
was done. At Uran circumstances have rendered it necessary to modify this
order, and to increase somewhat the range of houses to be disinfected, and the
work is still going on. The process of disinfection consists in thoroughly wash-
ing the whole of the interior of a house, walls, roof and floor with a solution of
perchloride of mercury, after which the house is lime-washed. The washing with
perchloride of mercury solution, however, is too damp a process to be resorted to
when the rains have set in, and at such time disinfection is done by lime-washing
with a mixture of carbolic acid in the wash, the whole of the surfaces of walls,
roof and floor. The disinfecting operations met with no resistance anywhere
except at Revdanda and Cheul, where a disposition was shown amongst part
of the Brahmin community to oppose the admission of the professional disin-
fectors into their houses. This was, however, overcome in a great measure by the
tact of Mr. Brady, the local supervisor of operations. Meanwhile the promise of a
Commissioned Medical Officer was fulfilled, Surgeon-Captain D. J. Collins,
A.M.S., being deputed to take medical charge of the operations against the
plague under the orders of the Collector. This officer arrived at Alíbág on 12th
May, and has ever since been busily employed in overlooking the whole field of
work, and visiting successively all the affected localities. Government were
also pleased to depute a junior Civilian, Mr. S. M. Edwardes, to act as a Special
Assistant to the Collector during the press of work entailed by the visitation.
Mr. Edwardes has been able to relieve me of a considerable portion of the
formal and routine work of my office, and thus enabled me to spare more time
than would otherwise have been possible, to the campaign against the plague.
The sketch given above does not include the very numerous orders daily issued
by this office as occasion demanded (both before and after the advent of the
Bombay Plague Committee's aid), all of which were detailed in the weekly pro-
gress reports submitted to Government.
8. The system of operations which the aid of the Bombay Plague Com-
mittee rendered it the possible to inaugurate therefore comprised—
(I) The establishment of Plague Hospitals, equipped with the neces-
sary medical staffs and stores.
(II) The compulsory removal of sick persons from their own houses.
(III) The disinfection of the affected premises.
In Alíbágj as has been stated, a hospital shed and a medical man had
already been provided, and continued to be useful until the epidemic ceased
in the town. But the season being far advanced, it was thought well in
opening the other hospitals to provide buildings which would be capable of
withstanding the rains. Accordingly it was decided that at Alíbág, when the
rains broke, the hospital should be removed to the old Mámlatdár's kacheri, and
buildings were chosen at Pauvel and Uran and Revdanda. At Panvel a large
upper-storied dharmshála, belonging to a Hindu lady resident in Bombay, was
selected and occupied. The owner at first refused her consent, but though I
had power under Rule 9 to seize the buildings, I succeeded in conciliating her
and inducing her to allow the contemplated use of the dharmshála as an act of