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The new ambulances gave  the greatest satisfaction, and the - patients appeal-oil
pleased to be put into them. From one house a patient was removed with great
difficulty through having to he carried down a staircase in a blanket. As each patient
was removed, the place in which he lived was disinfected.
Some of the houses inspected were so dark inside that lamps were indispensable.
Disinfection.
As soon as a plague patient was removed the Disinfecting
Inspector or his Sub-Inspector came on the scene with a supply of
perchloride of mercury, hot lime and other disinfectants, with pumps,
mops, brushes, buckets, tubs, &c.
All rags, bedding and clothes belonging to the patient, as well
as articles likely to have been infected and of little value, were removed
and immediately burned in the street ; the disinfection then proceeded
and was carried out as laid down in the following rules for the Inform-
ation of District Medical Officers :-
(a) All rags, bedding, clothes, etc., belonging to persons affected,
as well as all kutchra found in infected places, to be care-
fully removed and immediately burned.
(b) The infected place shall then be washed down thoroughly
with a solution of perchloride of mercury in the proportion
of 4 oz. to 30 gals. of clean water in a wooden tub or
bucket, a mop being used for all parts within reach, and a
wooden hand-pump for all parts beyond reach. In the
use of perchloride of mercury, it must be remembered
that it is a virulent poison. In dissolving it, a little com-
mon salt should be used.
(c)    For the general treatment  of the   building  the  measures
hitherto adopted by the Health Department will continue
as usual.
(d)    Sub-Divisional Medical  Officers  will see that this work  is
thoroughly done, as the checking of the spread  of the
disease depends upon it.
(e)    Immediately on the drying up of the disinfected place, lime-
washing with quicklime laid on hot should proceed.
(f) Re-occupation of places so treated not to be permitted with-
out the sanction of the District Medical Officer.
(g)    Disinfect the moree, nahani, privies and traps,  scraping
   such places as are likely to retain filth.
(h)    Open out the roofs so as to admit light and air thoroughly.
The above rules not being deemed sufficient, the Committee early
in April considered it advisable to supplement them with a further and
more complete set, a copy of which is given below :-
"The Committee have noticed on occasions, when house-to-house
visitation has been proceeding, that sufficient care is not taken in regard
to the disinfection of rooms and houses from which plague cases have