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patient might visit the ward, and afterwards could easily attend on him.
There was the further urgency of freeing the Fort from Plague.
One of the main hopes cherished by the Committee was to keep
Plague within limits, which would prevent the dislocation, or even
the disturbance of the general trade of the city. No evil could be more
fatal to trade than to allow the spread of Plague in the heart of the
city, where its entire business activity centres.
With these ends in view, an addlitional ward was built in the
Modikhana Hospital, and under the close personal attention of Mr. N. M.
wadia, C.I.E., and of Mr. M. m. Murzban, the ward was supplied with
every comfort and was at once filled. This was unfortunately destroyed by
the fire of February 21st. The patients were safely conveyed to the
Seth Sanitarium in the Fort, where, through the kindness of the
Trustees, they were allowed to remain for a few days till arrangements
were made for their comfort in Modikhana Camp. Two of the patients
were taken to the Parsi Hospital on Parel Road. Almost all the rest of
the patients returned to the Modikhana Camp, and about three weeks
later, when the Modikhana Hospital was re-built, by the generosity
of Bai Dinbai Nusserwanji Petit, the Parsi ward for acute cases,
together with wards for observation cases, for convalescents, and
for nursing friends, were all fully occupied, but since then Plague
among the Parsis of the Fort has nearly ceased, and since the beginning
of April the ward has never been full. Still, under the constant personal
care of Messrs. Wadia and Murzban, it has remained a great safety
and comfort.
It was not expected that Parsi families who are accustomed to houses
full of furniture and ornaments, would agree to camp in ordinary huts.
The Panchayat therefore built a costly type of hut, one for each family,
each having two living rooms, a cooking and a bathing room. These
huts on the Kennedy Sea-face were bespoken before they were finished.
With the exception of one case of Plague, the families who moved
into them have enjoyed unbroken health, and, many families would
at once move into camp if dwellings of a similar class were available.
Christais.
Goaneseo
Christians, that is, the mixed descendants of old Portuguese Settlers
either of Goa or of Bombay-Salsette, have suffered severely. They fared
badly during the first epidemic. During the second they fared worse.
In Cavel, in Girgaum, in Dhobi Talao, in Dukar Gully and Burrows'
Lane in Phanas-vadi the number of deaths, both among the poorer and
the richer Christians, has been grievous. Among these Christians one
main flow of infection came though the nurses and other servants in the
houses of rich Parsis. Many of these who contracted Plague during the
discharge of their duties had to leave their masters' houses and died