63
4. All inspecting Medical officers appointed under these rules are empowered to
detain persons suffering from, or suspected by them to be suffering from, the dangerous
disease known as bubonic plague, in such places as may be appointed for the accommodation
of such persons, respectively.
5. The Police shall act under the orders given by the Medical officer on duty under
these rules with regard to compelling persons to submit to such regulations as may be
made or approved by the said officer for the purpose of inspection and with regard to the
detention and segregation of persons suffering or suspected to be suffering from bubonic
plague*.
6. Disobedience to any orders issued under the above rules 1, 4 and 5 will subject
the offender to a prosecution under Section 188, Indian Penal Code."
11. As an additional security tte following rule was issued, on the sugges-
tion of the Government of India, on February 23rd to enable the local authorities
to keep a better watch over the movements of persons coming from an infected
area :
" Railway station masters shall require all passengers coming from infected stations to give
'names and addresses, business which has brought them, to the station and intentions regarding
future movements.' For the present the following shall be considered to be infected stations,
viz., all stations in the Island of Bombay and Sálsette, Kalyán, Bassein, Bulsár, Ránder, Kirkee,
Poona and Ghorepuri. A station master shall forward a copy of his list containing the above
information every day to the nearest Mámlatdár, who shall forthwith instruct the headman of
the town or village or the Secretary of the Municipality to watch such person and send a
report if he is ill or departs within ten days"
12. It was subsequently ascertained that it was nob practicable for station
masters at all stations to undertake the duty of recording the necessary informa-
tion. Collectors and Political Agents were therefore informed (Gr. R. No. 2757
—2104-p., dated May 20th 1397) that at such stations arrangements for collecting
this information should be made through the agency either of the Railway Police
or of special karkuns to be employed by the Municipalities or Local Boards
concerned.
13. Lists of the stations at which this, duty could, be performed by the
railway staff, and of those where special arrangements would be required, were
at the same time circulated to the District officers.
14. Further, in April, at the suggestion of the Government of India the
disinfection of the baggage of railway passengers was ordered at the stations of
Hotgi, Bhusawal and Ruk. Arrangements for such disinfection had previously
been made by the local authorities at Ahmedabad.
New measures for Railway inspection in Sind·
On February 6th Government telegraphed to the Commissioner in Sind to
arrange for a platform inspection of individuals by a Commissioned Medical
Officer.
"It is considered essential that medical inspection of passengers in trains coming from
the direction of infected districts shall be complete, and this can only be effected by the
removal of the passengers to the platform and by holding an individual inspection
there by Medical officer. Regulations should provide for this. India suggest Karachi as one
of the places for inspection. Commissioned Officers required for inspection
"
On receipt of this telegram, the Principal Medical Officer in Sind ordered
the Civil Surgeon and the Medical Officer of the North-Western Railway to
inspect carefully and individually every railway passenger leaving Karachi, and
to do this on the platform of the cantonment station.
The same officers at Sukkur were similarly ordered to personally conduct a
platform inspection of all railway passengers from Karáchi. The question of
having a platform inspection at Ruk, the junction for Beluchistan, was deferred
for the time, as no Commissioned Officer was .available, and at Ruk, Shikárpur and
Jacobabad, Hospital Assistants were already conducting inspections. It was
suggested that Dádu, where there was a roomy platform, would be a better place
for a platform inspection than Ruk. Two more Commissioned Officers were
required for this work.