PLAGUE IN BANDER IN THE SURAT DISTRICT.
Report to the Collector of Surat, by Mr. C. N. Seddon, I. C. S.,
Assistant Collector, in charge Chorasi Division.
I have the honour to make the following brief report on the Bander
Plague. The first cases seem to have occurred last January. The disease
was apparently "brought from Bombay in a the Gaikwádi village of Varia v, where
a good number of cases occurred. About 28th January I found that there had
been some plague deaths at Rander. The municipality thereupon appointed a
sub-committee to take steps against the disease and voted Rs. 500 for expenses.
Application was made to the Commissioner, N. D., for powers under
Section 73 of Act VI of 1873.
An isolated bungalow was adapted for
segregation purposes. Arrangements were made to watch the entrances to the
town and the railway station of Amroli.
I was then transferred to the Olpád Division and Mr. Rand took over
charge. Early in February allegations were made that indigenous plague cases
were occurring. Mr. Rand made personal inquiries and the allegations were
found to be true. The Pátil was severely reprimanded. By this time the Epidemic
Diseases Act had become law. A European Inspector of Sanitation on Rs. 100
and three Pársis were appointed and a fresh site was chosen for a segregation
camp. Mr. Rand being transferred to Poona, I took over charge again on 16th
February. On 17th February a special general meeting of the municipality
was held. The Plague Committee was authorized to spend the whole of the
available balance. On 19th February I encamped at Bander and remained
there till 20th May.
At this time cases had occurred almost entirely in three streets—Bhandari,
Pákhali and Párekh Falias. Houses in which plague cases were known to have
occurred were disinfected. The roof was partly removed and the earth floor
was dug up and carted away. Bamboos and all kacha parts of the structure
were also removed and burnt. The whole house was then thoroughly white-
washed and the floor was sprinkled with carbolie powder. Except for the floor,
the digging up of which I abandoned, this was the system of disinfection which
was carried out almost to the end of plague, operations. As after disinfection
all houses were left open for a month, the two cleansers really employed were
the sun and fresh air. Disinfection in this way is very effective. But it is
also extremely destructive and is not one which I should now adopt. Fear of
damage to his house tempts a man to conceal. It is, however, clear that it was
the only system which I could then properly adopt, for it would never have
done to have experimented in the dark while the plague was in proximity to the
filthy city of Surat.
Segregation was insisted on. There was never any real difficulty in carrying
it out. The site selected in Mr. Rand's time contained a little bungalow, and
three separate municipal sheds were also erected. The site and bungalow were
most kindly given free by Mr. Mahammad Kasim Bharucha, a Bora Munici-
pal Commissioner.
Separate committees were allowed to build sheds for
themselves within the limits of the segregation camp. High caste Hindus,
Pársis and Mussalmáns did so. All patients were allowed to have their own
doctors if they liked. If, however, they preferred it, they could call in the
Government Hospital Assistant or the Assistant Surgeon, Mr. Chunilal F. Dalal,
L. M. & S. This latter gentleman's services were secured by the municipality.
He was in charge of the segregation camp and he also did a good deal of other
work. I shall have more to say about the doctors later on.
To the rule that all plague patients should be brought to this segregation
camp, one exception was made. The Mussalmans were allowed to build a separate
shed apart for pardánishin women, the arrangements in which were subject to my
approval. Both there and at the main camp proper arrangements for water,
attendance, cleaning and guarding were made. With each sick person two attend-
ants were allowed. The same two persons had to stay where they were till
death or convalesence occurred. Their clothes were then thoroughly disinfected
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