34 [Plague Agency.
Government officials of the medical and police departments and
in especial to the advisability of enlisting to the utmost pos-
sible extent volunteer agency to assist in carrying out plague
measures. Whenever practicable, public and private hospitals
and camps may be placed in charge of native practitioners.
Police officers should hold no inquiry into suspicious cases of
plague. Small representative committees of the inhabitants
may be appointed in various parts of a city to co-operate
with the authorities and to bring to their notice matters
requiring attention or inquiry.
5. As far as circumstances permit, Hindus should be
employed in those parts of a city where Hindus predominate,
and Muhammadans where Muhammadans are in a majority.
Officers of all grades should use the greatest courtesy and
consideration to the people, and should interfere as little as
possible with their habits, feelings and religious prejudices.
6. Where subordinate native agency is used, it is abso-
lutely necessary that Europeans should be appointed as
supervisors over small and convenient units.
7. The following procedure should be adopted in obtain-
ing the services of military officers for plague duty:-
I. A Local Government or Administration requiring
an officer or officers for plague duty will apply to the Govern-
ment of India, in the Home department, detailing the number
of officers required, and where and when they should be
ordered to join. Such applications shall always be accom-
panied by an intimation whether the officer should bring horses
with him.
II. The Government of India will then address the
Adjutant-General in India, who will issue instructions under
the orders of the Commander-in-Chief to one or more Com-
mands to supply the officers wanted, the Government of India
being at the same time informed of the instructions issued.
III. On learning from the Adjutant-General's depart-
ment from what Command the officers asked for will be
supplied, the Government of India will inform the Local
Government or Administration concerned, and all further
correspondence in reference to the individual officers detailed
by Commands, or their replacement, should they for any
reason revert to military duty, will be conducted between the
Local Government or Administration and the Lieutenant-
General Commanding.