The sun., 1899-04-16

In the former Instance they were kept under
close observation for q period OF not less than
twenty-four hours. and then, II no definite
plague symptoms appeared. allowed to proceed
on their journey. H. however. the patient was
actually plague stricken when removed from
the train. another plan was followed. The car
! riage from which lie had been taken was
| emptied OF all It's passengers. uncoupled from
| the rest OF tho train. passed onto siding and
| there subjected to process OF com plete disin-
| fection and was not allowed to be taken again
J into use until this had been satisfactorily ac-
compished. The affected passenger was asked
| " he had any relatives in the train and II this
| were so one OF them was permitted to stay with
/ him In the camp until he recovered or died.
| On arrival at the plague camp the patients
/ name. age. caste and address. together with
the address OF nearest relative. were taken and
! registered. Any money or vnluables he pos
sessed we're handed over to the police pindddr
in my presence. and the latter gave receipt
| for them. The patient was then taken to
plague hut, and there made q thorough ex-
animation Of his condition and gave orders az
to the particular line OF treatment to be fol-
lowed in his case. There were always two hos
ptal assistants on duty day and night in the
camp. and it is impossible to speak too highly
OF the Interest and devotion to their work that
they displayed. Twice q day. at IL A. NJ. and
7P. NJ. made a complete round OF the camp.
seeing every patient and demonstrating to the
hospital assistants such points In the various
cases as called for special comment. Recog-
niZng from the first the fact that the disease
appeared to be most quickly propagated In
confined spaces and where ventilation was
either absent or defective. I made 1t a rule that
each patient should have as much cubic space
as the accommodation OF the camp permitted
Thus. II there we're but six patients they were
IT,. L,,N, ~ l.l l.,A -
Ia to this arrangement ascribe the gratifying
! result that during the five months / was In
| charge OF the camp there was not single In
stance OF plague among the hospital assistants.
, camp attendants or relatives OF the plague
, stricken who stayed with them.
The treatment OF the plague patients was on
the whole very simple. and resolved itself prin-
| cpay into aoviating tho pain. combating
the fever. and maintaining the patients
strength as far possible. paying particular
| attention to the condition OF the heart and aid
! ing its action where necessary by the free use
Of stimulants hypodermic injections OF strych-
/ nine. &c: for experience soon taught one that
| in the simplest form OF plague. where the hu-
| boes we're either icmoral or axillarv death was
| usually the result OF sudden cardiac failure.
| Not much was done in the way Of local treat
| ment beyond painting painful buboes with
| glycerine of belladonna and incising those in
which suppuration had occurred. In some
| OF the first cases the treatment was ndopted OF
| injecting the buboes at an early stage with
| carbolic acid and iodine. but as no definitely
| good results we're noted from this it was soon
| abandoned. Inoculation with prophvlactic
serum was not resorted to- and would indeed.
have been for all practical purposes. useless.
as only such patients came into our hands as
were already stricken with the plague.
In cases which proved fatal the corpse was re-
moved to a small hut which served as a NOR
| tuary. stripped OF its clothes and washed with q
| strong solution OF carbolic. Its ultimate dis
| posa differed according as to whether the sub
| ject was Hindoo or Mahommedan In the
| former instance IL was burned: In tho latter
buried in layer OF auicklime not less than nine
| feet below the surface Of the ground. In both
cases all the patients clothing was destroyed by
| fire. and his relatives. II any. were not allowed
/ to take his effects. such as Jewelry or cooking
utensils. until they had been disinfected by
| boiling in strong antseptc solution. The
| relatives or friends who had remained in at
tendance were not permitted to leave tho camp
| until they had had a carbolic BATH and all their
| clothes were dsinfected and they were fur
| ther submitted to n rigorous examination be-
fore they proceeded on their journey. their
| name caste and destination being registered
for future reference II required
| 1t was interesting to note the widely differ
| ing motives which prompted relatives or
| friends to remain In the camp in attendance on
the patients. In many instances. so far as
could be Judged. affection pure and simple was
the determining cause. and this was noticeably
the case when the patients we're children or
young wives. I we'll remember one case In
which the patient was young woman OF the
sweeper caste. Her husband tended her with
| a devotion and tenderness which have never
seen surpassed. At the most critical period
| OF her illness-the plague was ofthe pneumonia
type in this instance, and both her lungs were
affected-he flung himself at my feet when !
entered the plague hut. and said in a tone oi
the most piteous entreaty: Save her. o pro-
tector Of the poorl She is all have" Thanks
principally to her husbands unwearying care
she did recover though for more than three
days her condition appeared hopeless and
was hourly expecting to hear OF her DEATH
Another patient. a blacksmith by trade. was
nursed throughout the whole Of his iness-sx
wecks-by friend who was In no way related
TO him. but watched over him with a skill
sympathy and unse1shness that would have
done credit to n trained nurse. This case was
an exceedingly interesting one from a profes.
sional point OF view. in that the cerebral symp.
toms were very severe. The patient was quite
comatose when removed from the train and re.
NAMED so Tor thlrty-siX hours. After progress
ing favorably for week. he nearly died Of
heart failure. and was only kept alive by hypo
dermic injections OF strychnine. Then. wher
he was fairly out OF danger. he suddenly devel
oped motor aphasia and was unable to speak
There was something terribly pathetic In the
spectacle OF this big fellow-for he was q mar
OF exceptional physique-tryinG his utmost tc
reply to my morning greeting. the tears roll
ing silently down his cheeks as he strove II
vain to school his lips and tongue to the
utterance OF his thoughts. He was una
BILE to speak for seventeen days. but OF
the morning OF the eighteenth day. instead o
noddng an affirmative in reply to my question
OF "Pahle SO achcha no 2" care you better 2'0
he made q tremendous effort and. though h,
slurred the words greatly. answered. "Achcha
sahib!" He was SO overjoyed at finding tina
the power OF speech was returning to him tina
he stood for few seconds like a man dazed
and then. colapsing on to his bed. he cried liz,
q child for Joy After this his recovery wa
most rapid. and in ten days he was BILE to speal