320 Measures to prevent the [CHAP. X.
Minor stations in
charge of hospi-
tal assistants.
Inspection of
passengers
alighting and
changing trains.
Minor stations in
charge of officers
of the Vaccina-
tion Department.
Other wayside
stations.
Inspection
circles.
Staff.
them catches the plague, he is removed to the hospital. Upon the
death of a patient the persons who have been in attendance on him
are detained under observation for a further period of ten days. The
corpse is disposed of under the orders of the medical officer. At
minor stations in charge of hospital assistants the railway authorities
are directed to allow sufficient time for the hospital assistant to
examine the passengers who alight, and those who change car-
riages for the purpose of proceeding by another train. The arrange-
ments for detaining suspected and declared cases, and other matters,
are the same as in the case of the major inspection stations.
At the other minor inspection stations officers of the Vaccination
Department are posted to assist the station master in watching
passengers. If at any of these stations a person travelling from
the direction of the infected area is found to be suffering from
plague, the station master is directed to arrange for his removal to
the observation shed and for his detention there until he can be
inspected by a medical officer. Any person desiring to accompany
the sufferer is permitted to do so. The station master was directed
to report the circumstances to the medical and district authorities,
and the subsequent procedure is the same as at other inspection
stations. At wayside stations, where no inspection officer is
posted, persons suspected to be suffering from plague are permitted
to proceed to the nearest station where a temporary hospital has
been provided, the station master telegraphing to that station the
details of the case, the name of the sick person, and the number of
the carriage. If the person alights at the wayside station, he
is removed to some isolated place, and the circumstances are
immediately reported to the nearest police station and to the dis-
trict and medical authorities. Temporary hospitals, segregation
shelter, and accommodation for the companions of the sick have been
provided at each of the inspection stations at which officers of the
Medical or Vaccination Department were posted. For the proper
supervision of the general arrangements the railway system within
the limits of the province is divided into three circles, to each of
which an inspecting medical officer is appointed. It is the duty
of each medical inspector to travel frequently over the lines of railway
included in his circle and to make surprise visits at least once a
week to the principal stations. He is specially directed to examine
the method adopted for the inspection of passengers, and the arrange-
ments made to provide observation sheds, temporary hospitals, and
segregation huts or tents. The Government of the North-Western
Provinces and Oudh reported on the 5th of April that 11 commis-
sioned medical officers, 9 assistant surgeons, and 15 hospital