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in their own koors or clubs. There were doubtless other sources of
infection, and when human vahans or carriers were guarded against,
Plague rode in on a sick rat.
No one who has seen the working of Plague measures will withhold
respect and admiration from the conduct of the Christians. Whoever the
patient, and however well and dearly cared for at home, if the case
was declared Plague or suspicious, wife, daughter or son were willingly
sent to the hospital and all arrangements for Contacts and for disinfecting
were submitted to without a murmur. At first Christian patients were
sent to the Grant or Arthur Road public hospitals. In March a move-
ment was started by Dr. Da Gama to have a ward set apart for Christians,
so that the last rites might be ceremoniously performed in private. A
ward was allotted in the Narielwadi Hospital which, in spite of the great
decrease of the Plague, has ever since held a few patients. An
arrangement was made to open a Segregation Camp on the grounds of
the Ashburner Bungalow at Mazagon. Huts were built, but the
decline of the disease made their use unnecessary.
Bombay-Salsette
The second Christian community, the Bombay-Salsette Christians,
made proposals regarding a special hospital and segregation house, but
they took no action till the decline of the Plague made special
arrangements unnecessary.
Jews.
The Jews have passed through the Plague fairly unharmed. The
few rich European Jew patients have been received into the European
Plague Hospital; the poorer Baghdadi Jews have shown a courage and
devotion in sending their sick to the public hospitals which has earned
the thanks of the Plague Committee. With a little persuasion the bulk
of the people have conformed to all Plague rules. Apparently their
freedom from concealing cases and their readiness to have infected
places cleansed has benefited them. In late December and early
January, especially in Nagpada near Mastan Tank, many families of
Baghdad Jews suffered. Since the end of January, however severe
the epidemic has been in their neighbourhood, Jewish houses have been
safe. The local Beni-Israels, or Bombay-Konkan Jews, have had a
rather large proportion of cases. They have built an excellent camp-
hospital at the east end of the Connaught Road and have sent their
patients thither with good results. The Beni-Israels stand high in the
rank of communities whose behaviour throughout the Plague has been
honourable and helpful.
Chinese.
The small community of Chinese as a precaution built an excellent
hut hospital on Connaught Road; but as no Plague occurred among the
community, the hospital has not been used.