'REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1907-1908' [‎10r] (18/137)

2907-l9°8-3
SUMMARY.
vii
More than 7,000 deaths occurred in the Presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent. last week, and there
js reason to fear that this appalling loss will increase in the months that lie
before us.
It is certain that this loss is preventive. It is possible to save tens of
thousands of lives; but no measures that Government can take will suffice
without the co-operation of the people themselves.
A heavy weight of responsibility thus rests upon all who direct the
newspapers which circulate amongst the masses. Their influence, if
employed in telling the truth to the people, can he the means of saving
many lives and of preventing widespread suffering.
I ask you to give me your confidence and to trust the conclusions to
which I have been led after studyingjffie plague question in England and
since my arrival in India.
There can he no doubt that improved sanitation will tend to mitigate
this scourge. It has proved effective in Europe where the plague is now
unable to take root; hut it requires long years and it cannot help us in our
present emergency.
There remain three measures in regard to which I have arrived at the
following definite conclusions :—
( 1 ) Evacuation is useful in some cases, and the more wealthy
classes escape danger because it is easy for them to move from infected
areas. They are able to take care of themselves and our duty lies
towards the poor. Eor them evacuation may entail inconvenience,
pecuniary loss, or actual suffering especially in cold or wet weather.
In cases where evacuation may he useful, Government will help the
people to provide shelter. In the case of large cities, evacuation may
be quite impracticable, and we cannot look to this measure to free the
Presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent. from plague.
( 2 ) Eat-destruction if it could be completely carried hut would
certainly stop the spread of the disease; but the Government is powerless
to do the work without interfering with the homes of the people. The
success of this method depends upon the people themselves and if they
are unwilling to destroy rats we must respect their feelings.
(3) Inoculation has been tried in many parts of India and in
Australia. It has already saved thousands of lives. I have seen the
manufacture of the fluid which is now so carefully conducted that
contamination seems impossible. If applied before the individual has
become infected, it is the greatest safeguard known to science, and the
protection lasts through the plague season. Many people have been
inoculated several times without any bad effects, and except a little
brief discomfort not greater than may he caused by vaccination, there
is nothing to fear. If all the people in infected areas would be
inoculated, the plague would quickly disappear throughout the
Presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent. . If the people will consent to it, the terrible loss of life
■which lies before us would be prevented. Of all possible measures,
inoculation is the easiest to carry out and the most certain and the
quickest in results.
I appeal to you to spread this knowledge among the people and to
co-operate with me in an earnest effort to save them from suflering and
death. The urgency is great, and the influence of the Press cannot be
used for a nobler objeet.’ ,