119
personally supervising the organization during its early stage, contributed largely to defraying
the cost of the undertaking. The Hindu Panchayati Hospital, as it was designated, was opened on
the 19th March and closed on the 15th June. The site, which was selected by the Civil Surgeon,
was that occupied by the Native Library and a school building. Both Avère situated in the same
enclosure, and answered the purpose of a Plague Hospital admirably. The out-houses were not
sufficient for the large staff of menial servants entertained, but this defect was made good by the
erection of huts and a good kacha built house to serve the purpose of an office and store room.
The buildings were capable of accommodating 50 patients. The want of a convalescent ward
was much felt, as the hospital was most deservedly popular. With the consent of the Committee
of the Countess of Dufferin Hospital for Women, that building was handed over to the Hindu
Hospital as a convalescent ward and thus supplied all that was necessary. The establishment was
on the same scale as that of the General Plague Hospital with the exception that only two nurses
The names of those who came
forward to assist will be found in
Appendix H.
were entertained. This was amply compensated for by the
constant attention and careful nursing of a baud of volunteers.
Among these, the Reverend D. A. Canney, Miss Piggott, of the
Church of England Zenana Mission, Messrs. Pribdas, Lekhraj
Sahibsing and Kundanmal rendered conspicuous service.
The number of patients admitted to the hospital was 190. Of these, 67 were discharged cured,
giving a percentage of 41-71. As in the General Hospital, however, a considerable number of
cases, in this case 27, terminated fatally almost immediately after admission. If these be taken
into account, the percentage of cures was 35 8. These highly satisfactory results were in a
large measure due to the assistance given by Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel Henderson, who paid
daily visits to the hospital and undertook its medical supervision.
Compensation for the destruc-
tion of property and the Plague
Relief Fund,
46. The awarding of compensation for infected property destroyed and the distribution of
relief to necessitous persons, in consideration of the hardships to
which they were exposed owing to the necessity for the adoption
of drastic measures for the extirpation of the disease at all costs,
deserve some mention.
Instructions regarding the award of compensation were from time to time issued to the
Plague authorities. The necessity for showing the utmost consideration in dealing with indi-
vidual cases and for refraining as far as practicable from destroying property was impressed
upon them. They were directed to make an inventory of all property of any special value de-
stroyed by them. Under Rule 15 of the Plague Rules, ten respectable native gentlemen were
appointed to serve as 'Presidents of Panchs' for the purpose of assisting the plague authori-
ties in assessing valuable property. The Municipality undertook to grant compensation in ac-
cordance with the awards made. In some cases, funds were placed at the disposal of Divisional
Officers, but generally the latter gave compensation by issuing orders on the Municipality for
the sums awarded. In special cases, compensation was also granted by the Plague Committee.
The total amount so far awarded has only been Rs. 563-3-5, being distributed among twenty-
three persons. Payments were also made from the fund below mentioned.
About the end of March, it was decided at a meeting of the principal residents, both Euro-
pean and Native, presided over by Mr. Knight, I. C. S., that a General Relief Fund be raised.
About Rs. 1,500 were collected on the spot, a sum which was ultimately raised to nearly
Rs. 4,500. An Executive Committee was appointed for the organization of the relief, Surgeon-
Captain Jones acting as Chairmam. A sum of about Rs. 2,200 was distributed through the
medium of Divisional Officers and others. Indigent persons on being discharged from camps or
hospitals were given small sums of money to enable them to support themselves while still con-
valescent or to replace bedding and clothes that had been destroyed. It has been decided to
invest the balance in the Savings Bank in the name of the Collector and President, Plague
Relief Fund.
A separate fund was also raised by the Muhammadan community. It was originally in-
tended to provide for the construction of a residential camp for Muhammadaus, but, owing to a
disagreement as to the selection of a. site, the proposal fell to the ground. Relief to the poor
was given, and a sum of Rs. 300 disbursed towards the cost of maintaining the special nurses
engaged from Calcutta for attendance at the General Plague Hospital.
Concealment of cases and prose-
cutions under the Act.
47. The prevention of concealment of cases was naturally a subject to which considerable
attention was given. Un several occasions, search parties assist-
ed by the military unexpectedly raided certain quarters, notably
the Fulcli villages, Gidu, the Saciar Bazar and a few villages on
the outskirts of Hyderabad. On no occasion were any concealed cases detected; indeed there is
good reason for believing that, after the introduction of compulsory notification, there was re-
markably little active concealment of cases. The rear of infection made people generally anxious
to report cases occurring in their vicinity, and concealment was only practised to the extent of
causing a delay in the reporting of cases and rarely to the actual hiding or surreptitious disposal
of dead bodies, though one such case was brought to light, the body having been buried in the
compound of a factory not far from the Municipal Office !
A frequent practice, and one exceedingly hard to check, was that indulged in by the people
who had encamped themselves on the banks of the Fuleli. When a case occurred among them,