§ LORD REAYasked the Under Secretary of State for India whether any recent information had been obtained from the Bombay Government with reference to protective inoculation against the bubonic fever; and whether any retired members of the Indian Civil Service were to be temporarily employed in India. He stated that he had followed with some anxiety the development of sickness and famine in the Bombay Presidency, with the Government of which he had himself been so recently connected. He had seen with great satisfaction the admirable way in which Lord Sandhurst, by personal exertion and by other means, had dealt with the two-fold calamity which had befallen the Presidency. On the 18th of January Professor Haffkine, who had been employed on bacteriological research in Bombay, announced that he had found a prophylactic lymph or vaccine, with which he made, first of all, an experiment on himself, and which he believed had since been made on others. Since then Lord Lister, on January the 20th, at Belfast, called attention to the importance of the anti-toxic serum which had been discovered by Dr. Yersin in the Pasteur Institute. After Lord Lister made his speech on January the 20th, M. Roux, a man of European reputation in this matter and one of the most eminent disciples of Pasteur, and well 384 known through his research with reference to diphtheric serum, gave some most interesting details with reference to the discovery of Dr. Yersin on the 26th of January in the Academy of Medicine in Paris. In 1894 Dr. Yersin was sent by the French Minister for the Colonies to Hongkong, where this disease prevailed at the time, and he there discovered the microbe. It was discovered at the same time by M. Kitasato. Further experiments were thereupon made at the Pasteur Institute, which led to the discovery of the serum, which, like the diphtheric serum, was taken from the horse. This serum was not only a prophylactic, but it also had curative effects. From experiments made on animals, it was clear that its protective virtue was even greater than its curative value. The next step taken by the French Government was to establish a Pasteur Institute at Nha-trang, in Annam. When the disease broke out again at Hongkong, in January 1896, the Institute was not sufficiently advanced to lend any serum; but on June the 10th Dr. Yersin proceeded to Hong-kong with a few bottles, to which were added 80 bottles sent from the Paris Institute. The disease was then dying out at Hongkong. Dr. Yersin then left for Canton, and there the first experiment was made with the serum. A startling result was obtained. A young Chinese, aged 18, who was inoculated on the 26th at five o'clock in the afternoon, at six o'clock, and at nine o'clock, had recoverd the next morning at six o'clock. Dr. Yersin went on to Amoy on July the 1st, but he left serum behind him, and two other cases were attended with complete recovery. At Amoy Dr. Yersin treated 23 patients. In the course of ten days only two died out of the 23 patients, and those two fatal cases were partly due to the fact that the patients were not treated in the first stages of the disease, but after having been ill five days; however two others who had also been ill for five days recovered. Taking the three patients at Canton and the 25 at Amoy, with two deaths on the 28 cases treated, a mortality was obtained of 7.6 per cent., instead of 80 per cent., which was the normal death-rate of the disease fixed by M. Roux. Those facts were certainly worthy of very serious consideration, and 385 he hoped that no effort would be spared to obtain the serum, either from the Pasteur Institute or from Nha-trang. He saw that the matter had not escaped the notice of the Bombay Government, because in a letter from the municipal commissioner to the standing committee of the municipality a hope was expressed that he would be in possession of the serum this month—or rather that Dr. Yersin would be able to have some ready this month. Perhaps the noble Earl could give some information. He could not leave this subject without paying a tribute of sincere respect to the memory of the Principal of the Grant Medical College in Bombay, the late Dr. Manser, who fell a victim to the disease, and of whose eminent services he was personally cognizant. With regard to the second Question, any one who knew the zeal and the devotion to duty of the Indian Civil Service would agree that there was very considerable risk that the members of this service might overwork themselves, and at all events in certain districts where there was great pressure by reason of the relief works it might be very desirable to give some additional strength to the establishments. Among retired Indian officials there were those who had declared themselves ready to go and assist their brethren in India, and he trusted that no hesitation would be felt by the Government of India to mobilize those reserve forces, which, under the exceptional circumstances now prevailing, might be used effectually and without in any way dislocating existing arrangements.
THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (The EARL of ONSLOW)in reply, said the experiments referred to had not escaped the attention of the Government in Bombay, and M. Yersin had been commissioned by that Government to procure serum for use in Bombay, and he was expected to return to the city about the end of the month or the beginning of next provided with a sufficient quantity of it. The prophylactic vaccine which Professor Haffkine had discovered was likely to prove extremely valuable also. He learnt that on January 2nd Professor Haffkine wrote that 21 animals had been immunised and that 386 he was looking forward to making trial of the new process. He also asked that 40 horses should be purchased to provide a further supply of serum—a request which the municipal commissioner at once took steps to carry out. With reference to the experiments conducted up to the present time the India Office, were informed that 512 inoculations in all had taken place, and that no attacks were reported except two in the gaol; and, speaking generally, the Government of Bombay considered that inoculation appeared to afford considerable protection, but sufficient time had not yet elapsed to estimate the degree of protection or how long it would continue. With regard to the second Question no retired Indian Civil servants had as yet been sent out to India, but the India Office would be prepared to receive the names of any who were willing to volunteer for this service. It did not rest with the India Office to determine whether or not they should be sent out, but their names should be telegraphed to the Viceroy, and if in the exercise of his discretion he thought their services could be made available no doubt he would act accordingly. The energy and activity which had been exhibited by Lord Sandhurst and the Government of Bombay in combating both the plague and the famine were warmly appreciated by Her Majesty's Government. [Cheers.] It might interest the House to hear the contents of a telegram which had just been put into his hands and which gave the latest information concerning the progress of the plague:—
Deaths from all causes in Bombay city for week ended February 12th, 1,835. Reported plague deaths, 813. Plague has been to some extent cheeked where first prevalent. Mandvi now almost free from disease. In Bombay city general tendency to extend north continues. House-to-house visitation active; 218 dwellings condemned as uninhabitable; 31 recommended for alterations; tiles removed from 3,141; earth floors dug up in 581 and 2,277 limewashed; 171 vacated; and 35 have been destroyed by fire during past week. Under Epidemic Diseases Act Government have empowered Municipal Commissioner of his own authority and without reference to the magistrate (1) to prohibit use of dwellings unfit for habitation; (2) to require abatement of overcrowding; (3) to require vacation of buildings and premises for cleansing and disinfecting; (4) to forcibly enter deserted 387 buildings and cleanse and disinfect them; (5) to remove earth of floors; (6) to cut off water connections; (7) to demolish whole or part of building's unfit for habitation; (8) to destroy clothing, &c. Arrangements have been made for emptying all outgoing trains at stations outside Bombay and for strict medical inspection of all passengers. One indigenous case occurred in Poona cantonment, where conservancy and cleansing operations had been greatly improved and every precaution taken. In Poona city increase fron 43 to 47 cases during week, but concentrated in certain quarters, and hitherto no tendency to spread observed; general cleansing disinfecting operations active; infected houses vacated, disinfected, and opened to sun and air; segregation camp for inmates ready, but not willingly resorted to; they prefer leaving Poona. Difficulty in inducing declaration of cases and removal to hospital. In Coorla cases diminished; in Bandora, Bhiwandi, and also in rest of Thana district cases increased; in Surat district local cases reported from two villages. Possibilities of extension of plague to new localities very carefully watched and all local officers on alert. Karachi.—Correct number plague deaths for week ended February 12th, 269; February 5th, 297; January 29th, 181; January 22nd, 206. Mortality chiefly concentrated in poorest Mahomedan quarter, and there some difficulty found in detecting cases. Mahomedan officials at work among them. 600 Mahomedans gone into health camp; infected huts burnt or pulled down. Hindu health camp doing well; evacuation of infected houses enforced and reoccupation not allowed. No indigenous cases in Sind outside Karachi. Extensive powers given to all district officers under Epidemic Diseases Act.