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Dharavi Hospital.
PRIVATE HOSPITAL No. 25.
Dharavi Hospital was a private institution built by owners of tanneries for
their employes on the waste land between the Dharavi tanneries and Mahim
Railway Station. It consisted of two wards capable of holding about ten beds
each and some necessary out-houses. The staff consisted of one Medical Officer,
Dr. Rajabally M. Putei, L. M. & s., one resident compounder, one non-resident
Eurasian day-nurse, one resident Mahratta night-nurse, five ward-boys, one
chuprassi, one cook, and two sweepers.
The hospital was used solely for plague cases and suspects found among
the employes at the Dharavi tanneries. It was opened on the 5th of April and
closed on the 31st of May 1897. There were 76 admissions, of whom 37 died and
39 recovered. The institution admirably answered the purpose it was intended for,
as the plague which was raging in Dharavi soon disappeared when the cases were
isolated by being sent to this little hospital. The above-mentioned four hospitals
were all in charge of Surgeon-Captain W. E. Jennings, M.B., District Medical
Officer for No. 10 District.
Forms of Plague.
Two forms of plague noticed-
1. Glandular.
2. Non-glandular.
Types or Clinical Headings.
A. Nervous-
Symptoms :
1. High fever.
2. Sudden unconsciousness.
3. Delirium.
B. Typhoid-
Symptoms :
1. No hyper-paresis.
2. Raised temperature (103).
3. Weak and atonic pulse.
4. Coated tongue.
5. Diarrha.
6. Muttering delirium.
C. Pneumonic-
Very contagious. Always fatal ; duration two to five days.
D. Convulsive-
Chiefly children under 15.
Symptoms :
1. Albuminuria.
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