93
and in the case of Muhammadans and the higher caste Hindus no women should
be examined and no women's apartments entered except by a woman. The
letter continued :
" The most careful, thorough and earnest attempt must be made to work with and not
against the people. Mr. Padamji, the President of the Municipality, the Chairman of the
Managing Committee, Mr. Plunkett, and others can give you much information and pro-
bably much assistance. Lastly, His Excellency desires to suggest for your consideration
that you should take some of the leading natives into your confidence, and for example in
the evening of one day explain to them and ask their co-operation with the measures to be
taken the following day. They would be useful in explaining to the people the necessity
for segregation, and ample explanation is in his opinion essential. I am to explain that
His Excellency's meaning throughout is that you should use the natives, should try and
induce them to work with you and on behalf of Government. "
11. In ordinary times the Cantonment, the Suburban area and the City are
managed by separate bodies, though they are in reality only different parts of
the same town. For plague purposes it was advisable to place them under one
central organisation, or else, as the Collector had pointed out, the localities not
under the control of the Plague authorities would be inundated with fugitives
from the parts where the plague operations were being carried out. Accord-
ingly a Special Plague Committee was appointed by Government Resolution
No. 1272—765-p., dated 9th March, composed of the following gentlemen:
Mr. W. C. Rand, I. C. S.,—Chairman.
Lieutenant-Colonel C. R. Phillipps.
Surgeon-Captain W. W. O. Beveridge, A. M. S.
The scope of their duties, and the powers conferred on them for their execu-
tion,'are described in the following notification:
"In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of Section 2 of the Epidemic
Diseases Act, 1897, and of the powers in this behalf conferred by the Governor General in
Council under Section 2, sub-section (3), of the same Act, the Governor in Council is pleased
to direct as follows:—
1. The following gentlemen are constituted a Committee for the purpose of
carrying out, under the orders of Government, the measures to be taken to suppress and
prevent the spread of bubonic plague within the limits of the City and Suburban
Municipalities of Poona and the Poona Cantonment :
Mr. W. C, Rand, I. C. S.,—Chairman,
Lieutenant-Colonel C. E. Phillipps.
Surgeon-Captain W. W. O. Beveridge.
2. For the purposes of plague operations, the Committee shall exercise authority
and control over the whole establishments of the City and Suburban Municipalities of
Poona and the Poona Cantonment Committee. They may add to those establishments
to such extent as they think necessary and may remove from them any persons whom
they consider unfit for their posts.
3. The Committee may temporarily either rescind, suspend, alter or modify any
bye-law, rule or order already made or issued by either of the City and Suburban Muni-
cipalities of Poona or the Poona Cantonment Committee, or by any Committee appointed
by either of the said bodies, to such extent as they consider necessary or advisable in
order to suppress and prevent the spread of the plague.
4. The Committee may incur such expenditure out of the funds of the Municipali-
ties and the Cantonment Committee as they may consider necessary for the performance
of their duties, and in order that sufficient funds may be available for plague operations
they may control the expenditure of the Municipalities and the Cantonment Committee
on objects unconnected with the plague.
5. The Committee may cause any building or enclosure to be entered and searched
for the purpose of ascertaining whether any of the inmates or occupants are suffering
from the plague or whether any corpse is concealed therein, and may cause any persons
found therein to be examined in order to ascertain whether any of them are suffering
from the plague. They may further cause any person to be detained for medica
examination and segregate, in such place as they may appoint for the- purpose, any
person found or suspected, after examination by a Medical officer, to be suffering from
the plague.
6. If the Committee have reason to believe that any building is or has recently-
been occupied by a sufferer from the plague or that any death which has not been
B 1135—24—