12
work at the Plague Hospital or keeping himself informed of the exact state of
the town.
15. Mr. V. H. Shikhare, the President of the Municipality and Huzur
Deputy Collector, was assiduous in his attention to the requirements of the
situation and daily patrolled the town. His health obliged him to take a
month's privilege leave just before the time when the Bombay staff began their
work in Albg.
16. The Mmlatdrs of Alibg and Panvel, Messrs. Maruti Sakharam
Vinekar and Balkrisbna Babaji Sane, the Head Karkun of Panvel, Mr. Yesh-
wantrao Ranadive, and the Mahlkari of Uran, Mr. Gopal D. Nigudkar, all
rendered efficient service.
17. I am indebted for much help to Mr. Brooke, my Assistant, who issued
carefully compiled instructions in Panvel and Uran with regard to the methods of
disinfection of affected premises, the arrangements for the disposal of the dead
and other necessary observances, and exercised a vigilant supervision over the
progress of the disease within the limits of his charge.
18. The visitation of the plague has brought forward very prominently
the want of telegraphic communication with Panvel and Uran; the one is the
head-quarters of a Tluka, and the other of a Mahal in which are stationed the
Government Distilleries, a source of a revenue amounting, I believe, to about
30 lakhs. At a time when communications were urgently needed, and inform-
ation required between both these places and Albg as well as Bombay, the
greatest inconvenience was experienced from this cause. A Telegraph Office
exists at Pen, a distance of some 20 miles only from Panvel.
19. But I venture to think that the deepest need which has been brought
to light by this epidemic is that of a larger and more easily accessible supply of
medical officers, both superior and subordinate. Dispensaries had been sanc-
tioned both at Roha and at Karjat this year. The latter especially is a crying
want. But neither could be established owing to the want of medical officers.
Doubtless the resources of Government in this department were severely taxed,
owing to the famine requirements above ghats as well as to the plague. But
whatever may be the cause, there is no doubt that the difficulty created by the
want of medical aid was forcibly illustrated by the advent of the plague. And
in connection with this subject, I would respectfully place before Government
the claims of a district such as Kolba, to the permanent services of a commis-
sioned medical officer as a Civil Surgeon. Apart from the convenience of the
European officers stationed here, who with their families in the monsoon are
very much cut off from communication with Bombay, it must be borne in mind
that the district, which in old times had only the dispensary at Pen on the one
side and that at Mahd on the other, has of late years been much increased in
area by the addition of the tlukas of Panvel and Karjat. The Panvel Tluka
carries with it the two dispensaries of Panvel and Uran. The supervision and
inspection of all these dispensaries, as well as of the two to be placed in the
future at Karjat and Roha, will constitute a duty which may well be assigned to
a superior controlling medical administrative officer, and taken off the hands of
the officer in charge of the Civil Hospital Head-quarters, which must neces-
sarily be left without its doctor when he is absent on his tours of inspection. I
submit that these considerations which carry weight in normal times are very
much strengthened by the position which may now be fairly regarded as estab-
lished, that the present arrangement of an Assistant Surgeon in charge of the
Civil Dispensary is not sufficient to meet an emergency.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
E. GRAY,
Collector.