115
populated city like Hyderabad. Their chief recommendations were the introduction of an efficient
drainage system, the demolition of insanitary dwellings, the opening up of the more crowded
quarters by broad streets, the improvement of the conservancy arrangements, and the provision
of a pure and plentiful water-supply. A special memorandum was added, in which recom-
mendations were made for the improvement of public and private latrines. On receiving these
memoranda, the Committee called upon Divisional Officers to submit suggestions as to the re-
quirements of their several charges in respect of public latrines and the localities most suitable
for their erection. They were also required to express their opinions regarding the adequacy of
the conservancy arrangements in their divisions. These suggestions and opinions having been
collected, the Collector, as President of the Plague Committee, drew up a note, in which he first
drew attention to the un satisfactory state of the Municipal finances and to the fact that the
Municipality was already committed to the introduction of a new system of water-supply, and
advised the formation of a special Committee, consisting of the President of the Municipality,
the Civil Surgeon of Hyderabad, the Executive Engineer, Fuleli Canals, and four prominent
members of the Municipal Board, for the purpose of drawing up a clearly defined project for the
improvement of the sanitation of the city on the lines indicated by the Medical officers above
mentioned, and preparing an estimate of the cost of carrying out the scheme finally advocated
by them. He further urged that, pending the result of this enquiry, it was of the utmost
urgency to give immediate effect to the recommendations of the Medical officers regarding the
supply of latrines and the proper removal of night-soil from private latrines. It was estimated
that the measures to be undertaken would involve an immediate outlay of Rs. 18,000, and this
sum the Municipality was enjoined to raise in the open market in accordance with the provisions
of Act XII of 1897. The Municipality was further to be called upon to appoint, in terms of
clause 10, Section 27 of Act II of 1884, a Committee to exercise control over sanitary matters.
Such Committee was to be empowered to take action under Sections 53, 54, 55, 56, 58, 59 and
62 of Act VI of 1873 and under clauses (a), (b) and (c)' of Section 33 of Act II of 1884. A
fina) recommendation was to the effect that an amendment should be made in the rules govern-
ing the Municipality so as to give the Sanitary Committee full control over the conservancy
establishment. These proposals of mine were accepted by the Plague Committee, and the
Municipality have been called upon to take action conformably thereto.
History
and
description
of
the
various
segregation
camps
in
Hyderabad
and
Gidu.
32. Having given an outline of the history of the epidemic in the city and the action
taken to ccmbat it, I now proceed to discuss in detail the most
important of the measures adopted. Chief of these were the
isolation
of the sick and the segregation of the su
carry out these measures, four camps, under the direct supervision of Surgeon-Captain Jones,
were established as follow :
(1) Health Camp (Hyderabad).
(2) Detention Camp'(Hyderabad).
(3) Health Camp (Gidu).
(4) Residential Camp (Mukhi Sukhramdas' garden).
At the time that Surgeon-Captain Jones took over charge of the above camps, viz., 24th
March, the plague was just commencing to be epidemic. The camps were inadequately equipped
and the arrangements defective. The total number of huts was only about forty, twenty of which
constituted the health camp. With the rapid spread of the plague the enlargement of the
camps was pushed on with all speed, but nevertheless, at times, their accommodation was severely
taxed. When at last the work was completed, the epidemic had already entered upon its period
of decline.
Hyderabad Health Camp.
33. To take the camps in detail, the health camp first calls for notice as being the largest
and most important. It was extremely favourably situated from
a sanitary point of view on the open ground to the south of the
Central Jail. It was reserved for the accommodation of the inmates of houses adjoining infected
houses. The dates of its opening and closing were, respectively, the 22nd February and the
20th May, during which interval there were 759 admissions. Eight cases of plague occurred,
but no deaths. Accommodation was at first provided in the shape of 23 spacious huts, consisting
of two rooms with a courtyard, containing a privy, cook-house and wash-house. As the
epidemic increased, additional huts of a cheaper kind were built, which, with the advent of the
hot weather, were improved by the addition of extra matting to the roof and in some cases by
mud roofing. Huts were also provided for the European soldiers, the police guard, the store
room and office, and camp servants. Being surrounded by a high thorn fence, a police guard
consisting of a Naik and five constables proved sufficient. The establishment varied with the
requirements of the moment. Its full complement consisted of the following :—
2 European soldiers.
1 Modi.
1 Medical student.
3 Peons.
2 Munshis.
2 Bhistis.
1 Bania.
2 Dhobis.
5 Sweepers.
Supplies were provided by a Bania, who hold provisions to the inmates of the camp at fixed
rates. At first all occupants were fed free of cost, but after the 18th April this was die-
continued, and only the indigent were rationed on the following scale: —
Adults
...
....
... 3 annas per diem.
Children
...
...
... 2 annas per diem.