17
Health Camps.
Narielwadi and Modikhana were now turned into Health Camps and
Wari Bunder was devoted to Contacts. The work of emptying infected
and unwholesome houses was pushed on and entrusted to three Naval
Officers : Lieut. Mansergh, Lieut. Mason and Mr. Jenkin, with 20 Blue
Jackets. The household effects of the families sent to the camp were
packed into carts and carried to the camp at the charge of the Plague
Fund. This Naval contingent was most useful, and the camps at
Elphinstone Bridge, Connaught Road, and Narielwadi were filled.
In Kamathipura, where during both epidemics Plague secured a very
firm hold, Rao Saheb Ellapa Ballaram's successful camp on Foras
Road was increased by building huts for 500 additional inmates. With
this comfortable accommodation close at hand the Rao Saheb succeeded
in emptying a number of unwholesome houses in 15th Street. As has
been mentioned the inmates of the Health Camps are free to come and go
as they please. Except in isolated cases, where for special reasons the
moving was inconvenient, this camping was effected without opposition.
The people settled in their huts, improved greatly in health and re-
mained nearly free from Plague; and when their time in camp was
over, in many cases they either refused to move or moved with
reluctance.
Considering the progress of the Plague and the practically imprison-
ed condition of the 750,000 people of the city, Government came to the
conclusion that the scale on which Health Camps were being built was
insufficient. They were satisfied that, to prevent the risk of serious
calamity-either the increase in the virulence of the Plague due to the
overcrowding, or the flight of large numbers of the infected carrying
Plague over the presidency-sets of camps large enough to hold 40,000
to 50,000 people were required. On the 31st January a Government
Resolution was issued commenting on the dangers of the situation and
directing that sites for camps should be fixed in the Harbour Islands
and in Salsette.
The Committee considered the subject and found that the Harbour
Islands were unsuitable from want of water, but that in Salsette, within
easy distance of the Virar and Tansa mains, especially at Santa
Cruz, Kurla and Ghatkuper, convenient sites were available.
It was the opinion of the Committee that sites so far from
Bombay should in the first instance be offered to the rich and well-to-do.
Every effort was made to aid those who were willing to go, and to help
by arranging for the water-supply and for sanitation, and by building
or providing materials for huts. A Committee of influential natives was