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CHAPTER II.
MEASURES TAKEN IN THE MOFUSSIL.
SECTION I.
Provision of Disinfectants, Inspecting Staff, &c.
Dr. J. Lowson of the Colonial Service, and Surgeon-Major Reade and
Surgeon-Captains Beveridge and Borradaile of the Army Medical Service, all of
whom had had experience of the plague in Hongkong, were sent out from England
by the Secretary of State, and arrived in Bombay in the last week in February.
The two junior officers, Surgeon-Captains Borradaile and Beveridge, were sent to
Karachi and Poona, respectively, to assist the Commissioner in Sind in
were* attached to the General Department of the Secretariat, which was manag-
ing plague operations under the direct control of His Excellency the Governor.
The part taken by the latter two officers (who were styled Joint Plague Com-
missioners) in plague administration in. the Mofussil, included giving advice
regarding disinfectants, preparing a memorandum for general information and
instruction regarding plague, making local inspections and giving detailed
advice.
2. As regards disinfectants, inquiries were made at the suggestion of
fectants in all districts in the Presidency : disinfectants were obtained from all
local Governments in India who had any to spare : large purchases were made,
specially for Poona City, in the Bombay market, and the Secretary of State was
requested by telegram to immediately despatch to India 10 tons of perchloride
of mercury (corrosive sublimate) and 5,000 gallons of crude carbolic acid. The
Executive Engineer, Presidency, was constituted storekeeper for disinfectants,
and officers were authorized to indent therefor on him. He was required to
obtain the permission of Government in the General Department for the supply
of disinfectants other than these specially authorized, or for the supply of any
disinfectants to officers other than these generally authorized by Government.
3. The general information and advice on plague, prepared by the Joint
Plague Commissioners, and widely circulated by Government to their officers, is
given below :
It should be thoroughly understood that while this embodies general principles advo-
cated by the Joint Plague Commissioners, considerable discretion must be used in applying
them to particular localities, and that whereas a certain rule may be found useful in some
places, it might be totally unsuitable for application to others.
(1).—PrEVENTIVE MEASURES.
These are mainly the ordinary dictates of sanitation.
(a) Drains and sewers should be thoroughly flushed with a strong stream of water.
Do not use disinfectants for this purpose ; it is merely wasting them.
(b) The death-rate must be closely watched. An increased death-rate must be looked
upon with suspicion, unless there are local circumstances which can account for it. Surprise
visits might be made to houses in which there are known cases of illness. An increased
death-rate necessitates strict investigation.
(c) In cases of death, where a suspicion exists that it may be due to plague, the body
should be examined by a doctor or medical subordinate. In towns where there is an
available medical staff, all bodies should be examined. This examination is most important
as conveying the earliest information of the importation of the disease.
Notification of death should be made compulsory ; and as fur as possible the cause of
death also.
All cases of sudden fever, swelling of glands in neck, armpits, or groins, cough with
pain and oppression of chest should be reported at once to the authorities. Notification
should be made compulsory, and means taken to let the inhabitants know it is compulsory.
(d) In towns and villages rats undoubtedly convey the disease from house to house and
from district to district. Means should therefore be taken to destroy as many us possible;
the danger arising from their presence should be pointed out to the inhabitants, All dead
rats should be burnt. When dead ruts are found in an uninfected district, they should be