13
on Mr. James, who designed all of them except the Málet Bandar ones. They
provided shelter and food for 5,324 suspects from the Inward Sea Inspections
alone during the four months April to July, and were managed so well that place
and contentment reigned within them.
In addition to the above two other camps were available, the Cutch Memon
and the Borah Observation Camps. The heads of these communities requested
that suspects of their respective castes should be sent to their own camps, and
the Plague Committee agreed to this. The concession, it may be added, was
the cause of much extra work to the inspecting staff ; and as any suspects who
were transferred to these private camps became more or less lost to sight, it is
questionable whether it should be granted on any future occasion under inden-
tical conditions.
30. Early in May began the rush from Cutch Mandvi, where the Plague
had assumed a virulence of type incomparably greater than anything Bombay
itself had experienced.
At first all arrivals with temperatures over normal were placed iti camp for
eight days' observation. Later on, however, the influx increased ; the danger to
the city from the possible entry of persons in whom an incubating disease
could not be detected became more apparent; and accordingly all passengers by
sea from Mandvi and neighbouring Cutch ports were on arrival placed under
what was practically a quarantine observation of eight days; and this continued
until the approaching South-West Monsoon put an end to sea communication
with ports in the Gulf of Cutch. The wisdom of this step was proved by an
incident of the first inrush from Cutch Mandvi. A perfectly healthy looking
arrival was placed on one side for temperature observation, not because in the
slightest degree did he seem ill or feverish, but owing to the fact that he had
come from a heavily infected place. His temperature having been proved to
be normal he was allowed into the city, and 36 hours afterwards complained of
illness and was found to be suffering from Plague. It is possible of course that
he may have become infected by his Bombay house which he had originally left
when Plague broke out in this city, but it is more probable that he became so
in Cutch Mandvi, and at the time of return to Bombay had the seeds of the
disease in him. In all some twelve hundred suspects from Cutch Mandvi were
accommodated in thè various observation camps ; and it says much for their
managing staff that these passengers, most of whom were well-to-do natives,
were perfectly satisfied with the treatment and accommodation provided. It
was in connection with this Cutch Mandvi traffic, and at an earlier date with
that from Karáchi, that actual Plague cases were discovered at the time of
arrival. Amongst passengers from the former place occurred an incident which
illustrates the suddenness with which Plague at times declares it?elf. A woman,
whose husband was in an advanced stage of the disease, asked, on the morning
of arrival, if she might accompany him to hospital. At the time she was ap-
parently in perfect health. Two hours later she was in high fever, almost
unconscious and an undoubted Plague case.
31 After the first fortnight of June the inward rush of passengers ceased
and the inspections from that time do not need detailed description. The staff
mentioned in paragraph 2 was reduced by the transfer of two Commissioned
Medical Officers to duty elsewhere, and the services of the medical students and
of one lady inspector were dispensed with. Towards the end of the month a
recrudescense of Plague occurred at Uran, and the observation camps again
became lively with suspects from that place. Late in July a pilgrim vessel
from Jeddah, where Plague existed at the time, arrived with 536 Hajis. These
pilgrims were feeble, filthy and famished looking, but free from any suspicion
of Plague. Under the regulations of the Venice Convention of 1897 it became
necessary to disinfect them and their clothes and luggage. This was done at
the Pilgrim shed by the Port Health Department under arrangements made by
the Plague Committee. The disinfection was most successfully carried out
chiefly by means of the Government Geneste Herscher Steam Disinfecting
Apparatus. A few lines record the facts : six days were necessary for the job ;
and a life-time would hardly suffice to efface the memories of the awful filth of
the clothing which had to be carefully sorted and examined. It may be added
s 1397—4