Ill
A list of the officers engaged on
this duty is attached.
Divisional Officers when engaged in house-to-house visitation for the purpose of detecting'
concealed cases. Detailed instructions were issued to disinfecting
officers for the purpose of securing as much uniformity as possible
in the method of carrying on operations and ensuring the smooth
working of the somewhat complex machinery which had been set in motion.
House-to-house
visitation for the purpose of detecting concealed cases was instituted, the orders being to the
effect that, so far as possible, every house in a division should be examined once a week. Owing
to the pressure of work, however, and the limited establishments at the disposal of Divisional.
Officers, it was frequently found impossible to fully comply with these orders.
Opening of segregation camps
and hospital.
Enlistment of extra police.
Arrangements for the deposit of
valuables.
18. On the 23rd March, a private health camp, established by Mukhi Sukhramdas for
the benefit of his caste fellows, was opened in the neighbourhood
of the Fuleli and placed, together with the health and detention
camps at Hyderabad and the health camp at Gidu, under the
immediate superintendence of Surgeon-Captain Jones, A. M. S.,
who was temporarily transferred from Military duty for the
purpose. On the 24th, the General Plague Hospital was opened
under the supervision of Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel Henderson, Civil Surgeon of Hyderabad, the
Government High School building having been selected for the purpose. At the same time,
the leading members of the Hindu community combined, at the instance of Mr. Dayaram
Gidumal, the Sessions Judge of Shikárpur, to establish a Hindu Pancháyati Hospital. The site
selected was the Native General Library and an adjoining school-building.
Among other
measures taken towards the close of March, were the enlistment of 96 extra police constables
for duty in connection with the plague throughout the district and the entertainment by the
Municipality of 16 extra constables for duty in the town. Out of the former body, 78 were
posted in and around Hyderabad, thus making a total of 94 extra constables engaged on plague
duty within municipal limits. These men were chiefly employed in connection with the medical
inspection posts, the various segregation camps, both public and private, and the cremation and
burial grounds ; also, for the reinforcement of existing police posts and the patrolling of the
numerous quarters of the town which had been partially or wholly vacated, and in which the
protection of private property would otherwise have been insufficiently provided for. In this
connection, it may be well to mention that, as soon as the general exodus from the town set in,
arrangements were made for the safe storing of valuables which their owners were unable to
carry off with them. These valuables, consisting almost entirely of iron safes and chests, were
deposited on payment of a fee of Re. 1 in the rooms usually occupied by the warders of the Civil
jail, and were under the care of the Názir of the Civil Court. The public availed itself to a
considerable extent of these facilities for safeguarding their property.
The epidemic reaches its culmi-
nating point.
Operations actively pushed on.
19. It will be seen that, by the end of March, the organization for combating the plague
in Hyderabad was fairly complete. For a few days it seemed as
though there might after all be a possibility of arresting the
progress of the plague altogether, especially as during the last
week in March there was a distinct lull, the number of cases
decreasing to 37 as compared with 46 for the previous week. Nevertheless, the efforts of the
disinfecting staff were not for a moment relaxed, whilst the construction of plague huts was
pushed on with the utmost speed, and fortunately so, for during the first week in April the
pestilence attained alarmin g proportions, the number of cases being nearly double of the previous
highest returns. The culminating point was reached in the second week in April, when the
number of cases amounted to no less than 131. The highest daily total of cases was recorded on
the 10th April, the number being 23, exactly equal, curiously enough, to the maximum number
of deaths which was recorded on the 12th -April. Whether this sudden outburst was due to
the rain which fell on the 2nd April, or whether it was merely a natural phase of the
epidemic, is a point on which I do not feel competent to express an opinion.
Inspection of grain godowns and
its results.
Moitality among rats, cats and
dogs.
20. To revert to the subject of protective measures, it may be mentioned that during· the
early part of April special attention was devoted to the inspection
and disinfection of grain godowns. This was in consequence of
the medically expressed opinion that a fruitful source of infection
lay in the rats, which succumbed to the plague in enormous
numbers. Naturally, their bodies were most frequently found in
the vicinity of grain stores. Accordingly, Mr. J. C. Pringle, I. C. S , was deputed to syste-
matically inspect and clean up all grain godowns and bakeries in the city, being assisted in his
duties by a Native official, well acquainted with the geography of the town, and four British
privates and non-commissioned officers of the garrison. At the same time, arrangements were
made by the Municipality for disinfecting grain declared infected by inspecting officers, by
thorough exposure to the sun and air. Mr. Pringle completed his special duties on the 26th April,
submitting a full and detailed report, in which he condemned a considerable number of shops as
unfit for the storage, of grain, and advanced certain recommendations based on the experience
gained during the discharge of his duties. In pursuance of these recommendations, instructions
were issued to Divisional Officers, in which special stress was laid on the necessity for preventing
the storage of grain by burial in places where it was particularly accessible to infection by rats.
While on this point, it may not be amiss to note one of the most curious features of the
epidemic in Hyderabad, namely, the manner in which the disease affected the rats with
which the city swarms. It was the exception to open a vacated house without finding the
floor strewn with the dead bodies of these animals, Fortunately quite contrary to their