2
then called), and in impressing on all Municipalities, especially those on the
Railway, their responsibilities in the matter, sanctioned, in anticipation, the
adoption of the following measures under Section 73 of the District Municipal
Act, 1876:—-
(a) Measures for the compulsory removal of persons suffering from
plague to special hospitals.
(b) Measures for the disinfection of goods and luggage arriving from
Bombay.
(c) Measures for the destruction or disinfection of infected articles,
and for dispensing with the notices of entry into house required by certain
sections of the Act.
The conferment of these powers was at once communicated to the Muni-
cipalities of Thána, Bándra, Kurla, Kalyán and Bassein, and the " absolute
necessity " of having special hospitals for the plague was insisted on in the
forwarding memorandum.
6. Thus by the middle of October, before the plague had obtained any
foothold in the district, all the chief Municipalities except Bhiwndi had re-
ceived ample warning, and had received powers which though not fully sufficient,
inasmuch as compulsory examination of travellers by road or rail was not in-
cluded, were nevertheless such as would have enabled Municipalities deter-
mined to exclude the plague, and not too fearful of the turbulent Pársi or Bania
who threatens a suit " in the High Court " as the penalty of feeling his pulse,
to have kept the pestilence at arm's length for a considerable period. If the
plague obtained an early entrance into nearly all of these places it was because
the municipal committees were almost everywhere averse to taking any action,
however necessary or legal, which would offend the susceptibilities of the people
and were indifferent about taking any action at all. At places like Thána and
Kalyán, where there were energetic official Presidents or Vice-Présidents, much
was done by those officers ; but at places like Bassein and Bhiwndi, where the
resident head of the municipal executive was a non-official Vice-President,
nothing was done. As a general rule on the appearance of the plague the muni-
cipal committees virtually dissolved themselves by the night of the majority.
So far from the Municipalities proving in any way competent to deal with the
plague, it may be said that in many places the plague put an end to municipal
administration even before Government by the issue of the Plague Rules under
the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, superseded the remnants of those bodies by its
own Plague authorities.
7. On the 22nd October copy of a telegram from the Judicial Depart-
ment, No. 237—M., was received in this office, forbidding the examination or
detention at stations of persons who showed no signs of sickness. The telegram
was couched in judicial language which terrified the Hospital Assistants and
others appointed for the inspection of travellers, and, I fear, prevented the deten-
tion of any but the most pronounced cases of plague, until the publication of
the Plague Bules.
8. By the end of October the following arrangements had been made in
the chief towns :—
Thána.—(1). The Municipality had voted Rs. 1,000 for expenses.
(2). Two Hospital Assistants provided by the Surgeon-Gen eral had
been put on the Railway stations and the Police were co-operating with
them.
(3). A plague hospital had been erected outside the town.
Bándra.—(1). The Municipality had voted Rs. 1,200 for expenses,
(2). A Hospital Assistant on Rs. 50 had been engaged, apparently to
watch the station.
(3). A plague hospital had been erected and special committee ap-
pointed.
Kurla.—(1). The Municipality had voted Rs. 500 for expenses.