NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
40
Serial
number
of batch.
I ...
II ...
Ill ...
IV ...
Description of "batch.
Central Asians
Afghans ...
Puniàbis ...
Bengalis
Serial
number
of
country
or
district.
1
1
1
2
3
1
Name of country
or district.
Bokhara
Total ...
Kandhàr
Total ...
Peshawar
Bannoo
Rampur
Total ...
Rangpur
...
Total ...
Grand Total ...
NUMBER ax
Hen.
11
11
3
3
2
9
....
11
2
2
27
Women.
...
...
...
...
. · ·
...
1
1
...
...
1
Children
...
...
...
...
. »
...
...
...
...
...
Infants
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
··
Total.
11
11
3
3
2
9
1
12
2
2
28
Arrangements were made, as had been done in the case of the first batch of
pilgrims, for refunding to them the cost of their tickets to Jedda and also for
refunding to those of them who were British subjects the fares from their
homes to Bombay. Nothing particularly noteworthy occurred during their stay
in the camp, except that one of the pilgrims was found on the morning of the
14th to be suffering from high fever and was segregated. Fortunately, however,
it did not turn out to be a case of plague, and there having been no further sick-
ness in the camp, the period of quarantine expired on the 21st March. On the
22nd Mr. Stewart reported that they had all left by train that morning in
good health and spirits after having been disinfected. The camp, being no
longer required for quarantine or other purposes, was subsequently dismantled.
13. The total expenditure in connection with it is reported by the Collector
to ha,ve been Us. 13,368-12-8, as detailed below ;
Conveyance
Supplies
Lighting
Labour
Postage and elegrams
Medical
Materials
Fares and bhatta
Contingencies
*
•
Total ...
Rs.
a.
1δ5 1
5,370 15
328 2
366 13
441 4
48 6
2,322 12
4,326 10
8 10
13,368 12
P·
0
9
7
3
0
5
9
11
0
s
But besides this, there was 'considerable extra expenditure incurred by Gov-
ernment in connection with the removal of the pilgrims from Bombay to the
camp, payment of refunds, &c.
SECTION 8.
Sketch of Plague Ad<winistratio.n in Karachi in December 1896. and
January 1897.
1. The population of Karachi is approximately 100,000. It was the first
large city to be affected with plague after Bombay. Plague was discovered
in. the middle of December, and spread slowly in that month but rapidly in
January,
53
APPENDIX B.
(Summary by Surgeon-Major STREET of the action taken by him in Bombay
City, vide Section 1, paragraph 12.)
On the 23rd January I reported myself to the Secretary to Government, General
Department, and received my instructions. On the same day I called on the Municipal Commis-
sioner and also saw the Health Officer, Bombay Municipality. The next day I commenced
making a daily round in the city with various officers of the Municipality to make myself
acquainted with the work which was being done in connection with the plague. I also put
myself into communication with various officers and made myself acquainted with their views
regarding the disease. On the 8th February I addressed the Municipal Commissioner in my
No. 2 of that date and forwarded a copy of the same to Government which was embodied in
Government Resolution No. 915-385-P. of 1897.
I continued to make daily inspections and to see and consult with the Municipal Commis-
sioner. I brought various matters to his notice and gave my opinion on subjects referred by him
to me and also accompanied him on inspections in the city and. island.
I also almost daily saw the Health Officer. I discussed matters with him and brought to
his notice things which had come under my observation during my inspections and also offered
suggestions on various points.
I also saw various other officers of the municipality as occasion required.
At the time of my relinquishing my duties in connection with the municipality, I was en-
gaged with both the Municipal Commissioner and Health Officer in connection with the Notifi-
cation No. 22S-P, dated 10th February 1897.
During the whole time of my work in connection with the municipality I was in constant
personal communication with the Secretary to Government, General Department.
2. Under instructions from Government I inspected and reported on the Arthur Road
Hospital.
I brought to the notice of the Municipal Commissioner the state of the Hospital, and ad-
vised what should be done. I made frequent visits to it myself to see that the necessary work,
&c., was done and on some occasions spent some time there pointing out and seeing remedied
defects in sanitary matters and general management, and saw various municipal officials in
connection with getting the improvement, &c., carried out.
At the request of the Municipal Commissioner I saw General Gatacre, C.B., on several oc-
casions in connection with the opening of the Parel Hospital and made arrangements with him
and with the Medical Officer, Arthur Road Hospital, for the transfer and the sending of patients
to the hospital.
At the request of the Municipal Commissioner I sat on a commit tee to report on the Grant
Road burial ground.
3. According to my instructions I inspected and scrutinized and reported on the means
adopted to inspect people leaving Bombay by road, sea and rail. A few days after my arrival
in Bombay the control and supervision of the inspection of passengers leaving Bombay by lail-
way was made over to me.
Β 1135—U
84
February, in which month also a medical inspection of arrivals by sea was
commenced. Guards were posted night and day at the entrances to the town to
detain for medical examination all persons who appeared to be ill.
11. The Portuguese Settlement of Daman was attacked with plague in
this month, and the Párdi Táluka of Surat, which adjoins it, was exposed to the
risk of infection. The village system is strong in Gujarat and the idea of keep-
ing all strangers from an infected place out of the village site was not new to the
people here. In February the Commissioner, N. D., Mr. Lely, did his best to stir
them up to resist the influx of all people from infected places and keep them at
a distance for some time till danger of an outbreak had disappeared. The
headman of the town of Párdi responded well to this appeal, and, exposed
though the town was to infection from various quarters, the efforts made
were entirely successful in keeping out the disease. The same spirit was
encouraged in the villages, and it had the effect of preventing the fugitives
from Bulsár crowding into and infecting this táluka. Even in the Bulsár Táluka
much was done to minimise the danger to which the state of Bulsár city
exposed the villages. In February the Collector issued an order to all Patels to
prevent plague-stricken persons from entering their villages, and either isolate
them in huts in the fields, if there was no hospital within reasonable distance,
or send them to hospital.
88
15. The accompanying table shows the decline of the plague week by week
after the date of the appointment of the Committee :—
Week ending.
2ndMarch
9th
„
16th
„
23rd
„
80th
„
6 th April
13th
„
20th
„
27th
„
4th May
11th „
18th „
25th „
1st June ...
Total Mortality
from all causes.
1,484
1,326
1,258
1,139
1,141
1,007
970
836
671
638
558
547
541
500
Average
Mortality.
546
544
534
539
544
559
572
614.
625
606
599
602
581
546
Difference.
1,371
782
724
600
597
448
398
222
46
32
. ..
...
...
...
16. The figures of the actual excess of the total mortality over the average
do not by themselves give an entirely accurate idea of the plague morality. On
2nd March when the Committee were appointed, the population of the city
was only about 467,000 ; whereas the figures for average mortality are based
on the census population of 821,000. If account were taken of the re-
duced population, the normal mortality would be found to be considerably less
than that shown in column 3 of the above statement, and the difference there-
fore between the actual and the normal figures would be greater than that
shown in column 4. In the absence of any other epidemic in the city, this
difference may be said to represent approximately the plague mortality in
the city. In view of the constantly changing figures of population an accurate
estimate of this difference cannot be made, but a rough calculation shows that
the deaths from plague from September 1896 down to the end of June were
between 25,000 and 30,000.
Use of the Military by the Committee.
17. The chief use to which the military were put in Bombay was to act as
ward servants, and to accompany the parties engaged on house-to-house inspection.
Pew British troops were employed in Bombay, partly because the European garri-
son of the city is very small, and partly because the Native Justices gave valuable
assistance in house-to-house visitation. Three British officers, 6 non-commis-
sioned officers and 20 men only were employed, and these, with the exception of
lé men in the Colaba ward of the city, were not engaged in house-to-house
visitation, but in inspecting and supervising other work. 537 native troops
were employed, and 29 non-commissioned officers with 11 native and 4 British
officers. The relations between the military and the people were from first to
last of a friendly nature.
18. The extensive house-to-house searches personally conducted by the
members of the Plague Committee in the earlier stages of its existence were
supported by the presence of large numbers of troops, both native and British.
These were not employed to conduct the searches, but simply to prevent the
possiblity of a breach of the peace. Their presence undoubtedly exercised
a wholesome influence on the mob, and made it clear that no resistance would
be tolerated.
19. A full report by the Bombay Plague Committee is being separately
published,
107
7. Regarding the mortality from plague and the exodus of the population
the following paragraphs are extracted from the report of the Commissioner in
Sind :—
Week ending 10th December 1S9G
" 17th
"
"
" 24th
"
"
"
31st
"
"
"
7th
January 1897
" 34th
" 21st
"
"
" 28th " "
" 4th February 1897
" 11th "
"
" 18th " "
" 20th "
"
" 4th March 1897 ...
" 11th "
"
" 18th "
" 25th "
"
...
" 1st April 1897
" 8th "
"
" 15th " "
" 22nd " "
" 29th "
"
" 6th May 1897
" 13th " "
" 20 th " "
" 27th " "
" 3rd June 1897
" 10th " " ...
" 17th " "
" 21th " " ....
Total Plague deaths.
1
9
21
88
.. 103
.. 159
.. 200
.. 181
.. 295
262
2/ill/9
217
197
207
189
188
192
172
115
17
86
63
... 52
23
20
29
7
1
2
" On the 1st, 2nd and 3rd February there
was a sudden accession of plague cases. From
the 28th January, the daily figures had been
rising, but on these- three days the number
rose to 59, 49 and 56 respectively — a record
never subsequently reached. In fact, the
epidemic in the first week in February attained
its climax, and thereafter, though the out-
breaks in new quarters partially obscured the
fact, the disease gradually abated, as the
marginally noted figures taken from Dr. Kaka's
reports show. Or, taken by months, the
mortality, was as follows, recollecting that
February is the shortest month :
In December 1896
" January 1897
" February "
" March "
" April "
" May "
" June "
" July
"
... 59 deaths from plague.
... 743
... 9/ill/5
... 864
... 538
... 167
...
23
... 9
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
The movements of the population corresponded with these figures. The exodus by
road, and specially to encampments or villages in the neighbourhood, was considerable, but
figures are not available. The numbers entering and leaving Karachi by rail and sea are
known, and the net difference between arrivals and departures is as follows :
In December
" January
" February
" March
"April
" May
" June
Population of 1891.
1806
...
...98,195 ...
1897
...
... " ...
"
...
...
" ...
"
...
...
" ...
"
...
...
"
...
"
...
... "
...
"
....
...
"
...
Net difference between
arrivals and
departures.
- 3,233
- 11017
- 9,461
- 4,232
+ 1,951
+ 5,733
+ 4,405
Remaining population.
94,972
83,925
74,464
70,232
72,183
77,916
82,321
leaving· a net loss at the end of June of nearly 18,000 people. The full table is given in
Appendix B. As already stated, the figures for 1801 are much below the true population."
SECTION 4.
The Plague Committee for Hyderabad (Sind).
1. This city contains a population of approximately 60,000. The history
of the operations of the Plague Committee and of the measures taken before its
formation is clearly told in a report drafted by Mr. Rieu. I.C. S., under the
directions of Mr. Steele, Collector of Hyderabad and President of the Plague
Committee Paragraphs 3—47 of this report are quoted below :—
120
they would secretly convey the patient to any vacant house in the city and there leave him to
his fate. In this way they avoided segregation and other inconveniences to which they would
otherwise have been subjected. In other cases the inmates of a house in which a person had
been attacked with the disease would make good their escape before the arrival of the authorities
on the scene."
2. The following table of indigenous cases of plague and deaths from plague
in Hyderabad is extracted from the report of the Commissioner :—
Week ending.
5th March
12th „
19th „
26th „
2nd April
9th „
16th „
23rd „
30th „
7th May
14th „
21st „
28th „
4th June
••
...
a •
• •
• .
. .
..
• •
,
• .
•
•
» .
.
,,
..
• t
.
..
Cases.
3
5
42
40
33
117
119
75
49
37
13
8
1
2
544
Deaths.
2
4
29
27
25
58
104
68
40
32
12
8
2
2
413
SECTION 5.
The Sukkur-Rohri Plague Committee.
(a) Sukkur before the appointment of the Plague Committee.
1. The Municipal city of Sukkur, which ordinarily has a population of
about 29,000, consists of two clearly defined quarters known as Old Sukkur
and New Sukkur respectively. The latter is sub-divided into New Sukkur proper
and Gharibabad. Between Old Sukkur and New Sukkur lies the European
quarters.
2. The first known imported case occurred in New Sukkur on February
12th. The removal to hospital of the woman attacked caused consternation, and
within a fortnight 10,000 people are said to have left the city. Up to March
15th only 29 cases are believed to have occurred, but the disease then began to
spread rapidly. The measures at first adopted for repressing it were frustrated
by the concealment of cases, and house-to-house visitation was therefore intro-
duced by the Collector and Civil Surgeon towards the end of March. At the
first visit a censas was taken of the occupants of every inhabited house and the
names of all occupants were entered in a book. These names were called out at
every subsequent visit, and the absentees had to be accounted for, or traced if
they had left the city. Two hospitals and a segregation camp were erected.
(b) Rohri before the appointment of the Plague Committee.
3. Rohri is a town with a population of about 10,000 on the other side of the
Indus, and joined to Sukkur by a bridge. A few cases of plague were imported
from Sukkur, but no local cases are believed to have occurred before the forma-
tion of the Sukkur-Rohri Plague Committee. The measures adopted at an
early stage consisted of cleaning the town and watching the railway station,
the ferries and the bridge. The bridge was closed to traffic at the end of
March,
146
ping booking from certain railway stations in or near highly infected areas,
except under special passes, was successfully adopted by the Commissioner on
several occasions in anticipation of sanction.
The measures taken by local authorities in Sind and in certain portions,
either highly infected or specially liable to infection, of the Presidency proper,
are sketched in some detail in the collection of reports which forms Part III of
this compilation.
PART III.
(SELECTED REPORTS BY GOVERNMENT OFFICERS).
2
from bubonic fever. There was high temperature and a bubo. The same
evening the patient was removed from Rampart Road, Bandar Quarter, to a
house in Maoji Street, Ranchor Quarter, where next morning he died. Thus
early began that removal from place to place which to the last was difficult to
deal with.
The Acting Commissioner directed definite medical inquiry; but on the
18th he received the Health Officer's report dated the 12th, which left no doubt
that the disease had broken out in Karachi, and the facts narrated below were
reported to Government.
An old servant of the firm of Radhakishn Tejbhandas & Co. died on the
11th December after, it was said, a 12-days' illness. Another servant of the
firm, aged 28, also living in the Old Town Quarter, was seen by the Health
Officer on the 11th and found to have a temperature of 103° and swellings in
both groins. In a house close by, in which four persons had died in the course
of a few days, including a child seen by the Health Officer on the 11th, another
child, aged 5 years, was found sick. On the morning of the 12th, the Health
Officer took the Deputy Sanitary Commissioner, Sind Registration District, to
view the cases.
On the 19th December, at their usual weekly Meeting, the Medical Board
declared plague epidemic in Karachi. Their report reached the Acting Com-
missioner on the 22nd, and was the same day communicated to Government
by telegram, and the Principal Medical Officer was asked for daily reports of
attacks and deaths.
These facts leave little doubt that, from the beginning of December 1896,
the disease had got a footing in Karachi. There was nothing in the mortality
statistics to indicate the presence of the disease :—
Week ending
6th October 1896
13th
"
20th "
27th
"
3rd November
10th
"
17th "
24th "
1st December
8th "
15th "
22nd "
DEATH FROM ALL
Total.
83
51
61
59
54
59
72
74
80
85
86
104
Daily
Average.
12
7
9
8
8
8
10
11
11
12
12
15
AVERAGE DEATHS OF
5 YEAES ENDING
1895.
Total.
65
56
58
58
62
65
69
67
70
81
82
102
Daily
Average.
9
8
8
8
9
9
10
10
10
12
12
15
The usual deaths amongst cases classed "imported" are wanting in the
history of the introduction of plague into Karachi. Since October, there had been
numerous arrivals from Bombay in Karachi. The Health Officer states that there
was medical examination of passengers on board healthy vessels, but there was
nothing to prevent persons slightly affected with the disease walking ashore.
The Quarantine Hules had failed to protect Karachi, and it was useless to
maintain them. The question was mooted by the Principal Medical Officer
in his letter to the Commissioner in Sind, dated 4th January 1S97, and was
brought to the notice of the Government of India a little later by Messrs.
Mackinnon, Mackenzie & Co.
The Municipality were in favour of more stringency, by imposing 10 days'
dentention on all arrivals, and the Principal Medical Officer and the majority of
the Managing Committee of the Chamber of Commerce were in favour of
maintaining the existing rules. After carefully considering these questions,
the Acting Commissioner informed Government that the disease was thoroughly
7
(b) That a house evacuated should not be re-occupied until its interior
had been thoroughly cleansed, disinfected and white-washed, and
that these measures should be extended as widely as possible.
(c) That permission to re-occupy a place not fit for habitation should
be refused.
(d) That over-crowding should be prevented.
(e) That a Commissioned Medical Officer should inspect Railway pas-
senger traffic from Karachi.
The sequel proved that the first suggestion would have established the suc-
cess of the Nasarpuri Health Gamp experiment. Other camps, however, have
conclusively proved what immediate results follow a camp managed as Dr.
Cleghorn suggested under medical supervision. The disease was attacking new
quarters, and it required the whole strength of the officers available, and Dr.
Arnim was soon engaged with many others in a hand-to-hand struggle with
the pestilence at its worst.
Week ending 10th December 1896
" 17th
"
"
"
24th " "
"
31st
"
"
"
7th
January 1897
" 14th " "
" 21st
"
"
" 28th " "
" 4th February 1897
" 11th " "
" 18th " "
" 25th " "
" 4th March 1897
" 11th " "
" 18th
"
"
"
25th "
"
"
1st April 1897
"
8th " "
" 15th " "
" 22nd " "
" 29th " "
" 6th May 1897
" 13th " "
"
20th " "
" 27th " "
"
3rd June 1897
" 10th " "
"
17th " "
"
24th " "
In December 1896
In January 1897
In February "
In March "
In April
"
In May "
In June
"
In July
"
Total plague deaths.
1
9
21
23
159
200
181
295
269
239
217
197
207
189
188
192
172
115
127
86
65
52
23
20
29
7
1
2
On the 1st, 2nd and 3rd
February, there was a sudden
accession of plague cases. Prom
the 28th January, the daily figures
had been rising, but on these three
days the number rose to 59, 49
and 56, respectively, — a record
never subsequently reached. In
fact, the epidemic in the first
week in February
attained
its climax, and thereafter,
though the outbreaks in new
quarters partially obscured the
fact, the disease gradually abated,
as the marginally noted figures,
taken from Dr. Kaka's reports,
show. Or, taken by months.
the mortality was as follows,
recollecting that February is
the shortest month : —
59 deaths from plague.
743
"
"
995
"
"
864 " "
538 " "
167 " "
23
"
"
9
"
"
The movements of the population corresponded with these figures. The
exodus by road, and specially to encampments or villages in the neighbour-
hood, was considerable, but figures are not available. The numbers entering
and leaving Karachi by rail, and sea are known, and the net difference between
arrivals and departures is as follows :—
Population of 1891.
In December 1896...98,195
" January 1897
do.
" February
"
do.
" March
"
do.
" April
"
do.
" May
"
do.
" June
"
do.
Net difference between
arrivals and
departures.
- 3,223
- 11,047
- 9,461
- 4,232
+ 1,951
+ 5,733
+ 4,405
Remaining
population.
94,972
83,925
74,464
70,232
72,183
77,916
82,321