114
also the Musalman General Hospital in the Northbrook Gardens and
the Jullaha Hospital in Ripon Road. The Maratha Hospital was opened
about the end of January, and the Northbrook Garden Muslim Hospital
a little earlier. They were filled almost as soon as they were open,
and have continued well filled till after the close of April.
During the cursory examination of a large number of persons in
dimly lighted houses and chawls it was frequently impossible to say
at once if a case was Plague. In the best interests of the patient and
of the other inmates of the house, it was necessary to place such
persons under observation: and in all Government and in most private
hospitals separate accommodation was provided for these suspicious
fever cases.
The result of careful enquiry at the Hospitals shews that the
number of cases that were thus sent in, without sufficient reason,
amounted to only a fraction per cent. This is totally at variance with
the groundless statements circulated by certain persons of influence
and position, whose false accusations did incalculable harm. Yet in
spite of their adverse criticism, a large number of persons voluntarily
applied for admission to the Hospitals and few who were admitted
failed to shew their appreciation of all that was done for them.
Special Re-
ports.
The special reports which now follow are in almost every instance
only a very brief statistical record of the work done. This is in part
due to the fact that the Epidemic still (April) maintains a firm hold on
the city, and in part to the absence of any important advance in our
knowledge of the clinical, therapeutical, or pathological aspects of the
disease. During the height of the Epidemic the pressure of work in
the hospitals has been so heavy that any systematic research work has
been impossible.
In reference to the Government Hospitals, both Narielwadi and
Modikhana have been most unfortunate in having frequent changes
in their Medical Officers. This has greatly interfered with the produc-
tion of any detailed report. Arthur Road claims the largest number of
admissions, namely, 1,917 Plague cases in the past 9 months. But
during this epidemic the demands of routine work on Dr. Choksey,
himself in poor health from overwork, have been too incessant to
permit of his making a clinical report on the material to his hand,
such as he contributed with so much effect last year.
In this connection it is to be noted also with regret, that compara-
tively few of the Private Hospitals have kept any trustworthy record of
the cases treated in them.