PLAGUE RELAPSES.
There is a general hope, it is almost needless to say, that we shall have 110 more plague in Bombay next cold season. Unfortunately it is not altogether likely that such good fortune will for the history of the Hongkong lesson to us, that we must epidemic expect one reminder before we are rid of more than this fell disease. The new scheme for the im-
be met
with, is
provement fresh
a
of
Bombay will,
roads, particularly
into
110
doubt, open
parts
which
out
are not
August
PLAGUE RELAPSES?WOUNDED AT SEA.
1898.]
the sea-breeze, and new buildings are to be erected on parts not yet built upon. But this is not enough, if we are to wholesale destruction of the get rid of reached at
present by
plague;
ignorance
295
and laziness of the
inhabitants, it now the purposes of a latrine for the women and children, and sometimes for males also. In the case of the room being occupied by a sick person, this nani is constantly used for the disposal of excreta, and the consequence is that a most serves
abominable huts in different parts of the cit}7, and also the demolition of many buildings of a abominable smell comes from it which must The more pucka kind is absolutely necessary. retard the convalescence of a sick greatly authorities appear either not to fully appreciate and interfere with the health of the person, this doctrine, or else have scruples about carryinmates generally. It will not be by any ing it out?it has been urged from time to time, means easy to prevent this perversion of the use some particularly good articles have appeared in of the nani even if proper latrines are provided. the daily papers and also in the Lancet?this The want of control in sanitary matters is very last has been very full and to the point; they visible in Bombay; rubbish is thrown here, there have not minced matters, and a very complete and everywhere, just as the people wander description of Bombay both past and present lias hither and thither on the roads, abandoning appeared in print. If the steps recommended in the footpaths at their own sweet will, so they these letters were carried out, nothing would be apparently do what they like in matters sanitary more satisfactory. So far as we can see, no steps and we fear it will be a very long time indeed have yet been taken to provide accommodation before Bombay can be placed in such a condition for the poor in large, airy and good buildings; as not to furnish a suitable soil for the cultivation before any destruction of huts can take place this of disease germs. must certainly be done. When a short time ago a few huts were burnt down, quite an outcry was raised against the barbarity of such a procedure, although there certainly could not have been much difficulty in finding house room elsewhere in the then partially empty state of Bombay ; but with Bombay full of people matters are
different, house accommodation be
are
placed,
human
it will
many houses the letters TJ. H. signifying that they are unfit for
be noticed that H.
must first of all
provided. Passing through Bombay on
habitation;
but it
by
no means
follows
the contrary, empty; "Jackdaw of are as full as and like the ever, they Rheims" no one " seems one penn}7 the worse."
that these houses
are
These letters bear
testimony
on
to the failure of the
municipal authorities to carry out their plans to completion ; the official whose work it was to destroy these habitations was apparently afraid to
proceed
damages. is
an
further lest he should have to pay was and is wanted in Bombay
What
autocrat who
fully by
his
own
dispose of these matters authority, and if the laws are can
not sufficient at pi'esent for the purpose, he should be fully upheld by new laws made with that object.
One of the greatest difficulties in the construction of new buildings will be the nani; this was originally merely a small cut off space
from the rest of the room .provided with facilities for but
owing
to
by
a
low wall and
working
purposes,
deficient latrine accommodation,
There is a general hope, it is almost needless to say, that we shall have 110 more plague in Bombay next cold season. Unfortunately it is not altogether likely that such good fortune will for the history of the Hongkong lesson to us, that we must epidemic expect one reminder before we are rid of more than this fell disease. The new scheme for the im-
be met
with, is
provement fresh
a
of
Bombay will,
roads, particularly
into
110
doubt, open
parts
which
out
are not
August
PLAGUE RELAPSES?WOUNDED AT SEA.
1898.]
the sea-breeze, and new buildings are to be erected on parts not yet built upon. But this is not enough, if we are to wholesale destruction of the get rid of reached at
present by
plague;
ignorance
295
and laziness of the
inhabitants, it now the purposes of a latrine for the women and children, and sometimes for males also. In the case of the room being occupied by a sick person, this nani is constantly used for the disposal of excreta, and the consequence is that a most serves
abominable huts in different parts of the cit}7, and also the demolition of many buildings of a abominable smell comes from it which must The more pucka kind is absolutely necessary. retard the convalescence of a sick greatly authorities appear either not to fully appreciate and interfere with the health of the person, this doctrine, or else have scruples about carryinmates generally. It will not be by any ing it out?it has been urged from time to time, means easy to prevent this perversion of the use some particularly good articles have appeared in of the nani even if proper latrines are provided. the daily papers and also in the Lancet?this The want of control in sanitary matters is very last has been very full and to the point; they visible in Bombay; rubbish is thrown here, there have not minced matters, and a very complete and everywhere, just as the people wander description of Bombay both past and present lias hither and thither on the roads, abandoning appeared in print. If the steps recommended in the footpaths at their own sweet will, so they these letters were carried out, nothing would be apparently do what they like in matters sanitary more satisfactory. So far as we can see, no steps and we fear it will be a very long time indeed have yet been taken to provide accommodation before Bombay can be placed in such a condition for the poor in large, airy and good buildings; as not to furnish a suitable soil for the cultivation before any destruction of huts can take place this of disease germs. must certainly be done. When a short time ago a few huts were burnt down, quite an outcry was raised against the barbarity of such a procedure, although there certainly could not have been much difficulty in finding house room elsewhere in the then partially empty state of Bombay ; but with Bombay full of people matters are
different, house accommodation be
are
placed,
human
it will
many houses the letters TJ. H. signifying that they are unfit for
be noticed that H.
must first of all
provided. Passing through Bombay on
habitation;
but it
by
no means
follows
the contrary, empty; "Jackdaw of are as full as and like the ever, they Rheims" no one " seems one penn}7 the worse."
that these houses
are
These letters bear
testimony
on
to the failure of the
municipal authorities to carry out their plans to completion ; the official whose work it was to destroy these habitations was apparently afraid to
proceed
damages. is
an
further lest he should have to pay was and is wanted in Bombay
What
autocrat who
fully by
his
own
dispose of these matters authority, and if the laws are can
not sufficient at pi'esent for the purpose, he should be fully upheld by new laws made with that object.
One of the greatest difficulties in the construction of new buildings will be the nani; this was originally merely a small cut off space
from the rest of the room .provided with facilities for but
owing
to
by
a
low wall and
working
purposes,
deficient latrine accommodation,
