Page:The Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi, vol. 2.djvu/212

 said voyage, the cleaning, ventilating, and disinfecting of the passengers’ quarters was strictly attended to, and upon arrival here the said appearer handed to the Health Officer of this port the usual documents as to the health of all on board and in reply to the said appearer’s enquiries, the Health Officer informed him that the said vessel would be placed in quarantine until 23 days had elapsed since leaving Bombay. On the 19th December, the said appearer signalled the shore: “I am getting short of water and must endeavour to get some.” Cleaning and disinfecting of ship strictly attended to.

On the 22nd December, the appearer again signalled the shore as follows: “Our days have expired, are we out of quarantine? Please consult Quarantine Officer, report we all well; thanks”, to which the following reply was received: “Length of quarantine not decided yet.” During each of these four days of quarantine, the said appearer’s vessel was cleaned and disinfected and quarantine regulations were strictly adhered to.

On the 23rd December, the following was signalled by the said appearer:

“Distressed for want of water, want grass for horses. Perfect health on board, inform owners, use every exertion to relieve us from quarantine”, to which a reply was received as follows: “From owners: condense water, hope to hear relief from quarantine this afternoon; send hay off tomorrow morning; have you a mail?”

On the 24th December, the Health Officer boarded, and ordered that all old mats, dirty rags and old clothes be burnt; that the holds were to be fumigated and whitewashed, and all clothes to be hung up and disinfected; that food stuff was to be kept from coming in contact with passengers, and all the passengers’ wearing apparel was to be dipped in carbolic acid, that the passengers themselves were to be washed in a weak solution of carbolic acid, and every effort was to be used to keep the vessel clear of sickness. He also said, the quarantine would be 11 days from this date. On the 25th December, a large quantity of passengers’ sleeping mats were burned; all passengers’ quarters, water-closets and urinals whitewashed and disinfected.

On the 26th December, the passengers were washed and their clothing apparel dipped in diluted carbolic acid. The following was signalled to the shore: “Distressed for want of water send at once, also fresh provisions and stuff, according to order of Quarantine Officer. Is there anything to prevent landing horses, Quarantine Officer having visited us. Perfect health on board, and Quarantine Officer’s orders being executed. Relieve us quickly, passengers much distressed at delay. Thanks.” On the 27th December, the appearer hoisted the signal: “Are you sending order of yesterday?”, in reply to which the following signal was displayed at the signal station: “Have arranged to supply water 9 a.m.