58o POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



kets, and these, when filled, are carried on the heads of scavengers 

 to certain designated places and the contents dumped into the 

 sewers. It may be of interest to note, in passing, that these scav- 

 engers seem to be largely immune to the plague and all other in- 

 fectious diseases. 



This is a brief description of the sanitary condition of the city 

 into which the bubonic plague found its way nearly three years ago. 

 How long is it likely to remain? Before attempting to answer this 

 question we might ask what means have been employed to eradi- 

 cate the disease. On October 6, 1896, the municipal health com- 

 missioner issued an order to the effect that all cases of the plague 

 were to be segregated, their houses disinfected, by force if neces- 

 sary, and their sick to be taken to the hospital. Health inspectors 

 visited all parts of the city, and carefully went through the great 

 tenement houses looking for those sick with the plague. When 

 such were found they were immediately sent to a hospital. Later, 

 four camps were prepared, with facilities for accommodating about 

 twenty thousand people. An attempt was made to transfer all the 

 residents from a certain section of the city to these camps, and 

 detain them there while their residences were being disinfected. 

 After this had been done these people were allowed to return to 

 their homes, and another twenty thousand were taken to the camps. 

 This attempt, however, was never fully carried out. A high-caste 

 Hindoo prefers death at any time to association with one of in- 

 ferior caste. Every attempt at segregation of the sick led to more 

 or less disturbance; and finally, in March, 1898, serious riots re- 

 sulted. These were begun by Mohammedans, who followed a med- 

 ical ofiicer to the hospital and burned the building and hospital sup- 

 plies. A plague inspector and three English soldiers Avere stoned 

 to death. Since the riots attempts at segregation of the sick have 

 been practically abandoned. Numerous hospitals have been pro- 

 vided, in order that those differing in religion or in caste might be 

 cared for at different places. Under certain restrictions those sick 

 with the plague are allowed to remain in their homes. It will be 

 seen from these statements that it is not probable that the plague 

 will be driven by human agency out of Bombay. The Hindoos 

 believe that when the plague finds its way into a city it will remain 

 for six years. The probabilities are that this belief will be strength- 

 ened by the history of the present epidemic in Bombay. Nothing 

 short of an extensive conflagration, destroying a large part of the 

 city, can thoroughly disinfect this place, in which the plague has 

 already dwelt for nearly three years. I think, therefore, that we 

 must conclude that it is quite certain that for several years yet 

 Bombay will remain an infected city. 



i 



