The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1894-07-26
FOR YEARS
The Terrible Plague Has Ragged In
China
in the Spring Black Death nrolEe Oas Ia
OoasosA Thence Spread to Hong KoaS.
Whore IL Ragged With Panlo-
Breeding virulenoc.

WASHINGTON, July 23.-Surgeon Cen
| eral Wyman, of the Marine Hospital
! service. has received a report regarding
the plague" IN China from DR.. Stuart
| Eldrid2e, member Of the imperial
board Of health of Toxic and health
officer of the port Of Yokohama. Tho
plague, he says. has been known to be
present in the Yunnan district of South
crn China for at least fifteen years
past, at times epidemic in malignant
form. At the end of February last the
disease broke out in Canton, and al
most simultaneously was epidemic in
Pakhoi, port at the head Of the Gulf
of Tong King.
During March and April the epidemic
In Canton steadily increased until in
the latter mouth it had assumed
gigantic proportions. The authorities
of Hong Kong. the center of trade in
! the far east, l,alf a days journey from
Canton, and in consequence, in very
frequent communication Herewith,
utterly ignored the existence Of danger
even in their city, until in the first ten
days of May the plague broke out
violently and extensively in Hong
Kong.
Since its appearance in Hong Kong,
the epidemic, which is unquestionably
the genuine bubonic plague of the most
malignant type, has steadily increased,
until by the latest reliable advices.
the mortality is certainly over ono
| hundred per diem, and this despite the
| fact that at least one hundred thou
! sand Chinese and many Europeans
have evacuated the place-the former
IN many cases leaving on feeling the
first symptoms of the disease, in the
hope of dying in their native villages.
At least q dozen Europeans have been
| attacked, most of them succumbing.
From Canton and Hong Kong the
! disease Is spreading throughout the
neighboring country, and will, prob
ably, in short time appear in the
coast towns of China to the northward
of Hong Kong, for, partly from the
carelcSsnesS in such matters but too
prevalent among the English in the
cast, no effective quarantine has been
or is likely to be established at these
points
Several cases have already occurred
on the steamers trading from Hong
Kong to the Chinese ports, but, so far,
and this is encouraging, without seri-
Gus consequences, possibly on account
of prompt action on the part of the
ships surgeons.
A quarantine system has been put
into operation in Japan, largely under
Dr. Eldridge's advice and personal SUI
porvision, imposing on all ships from
the infected district q minimum deten.
, ton of nine days when all is well on
/ board, and the same in case of infec-
ton, dating from last death AS all
-, the steamship lines between Hong
Kong and Japan are themselves TAX
ing every prccaution, SO far but one
infected, vessel has reached q japanese
port. This was the Pacific Mail Steam
ship Co.'S Peru, on board of which,
while Ut sea between Hong Kong and
| Nagasahi. one of the Chinese firemen
died ct unmistakoble and malignant
plague, ON June +, after bnt twenty
four ho,xs' illness The surgeon OF
the ship acted in an exceptionally
prompt and intelligent manner. and
though the ship was quarantined at
Nngasalli for the term of nine days
after the death, no more cases occurred
on board.
IF may presume to advise says
DIR. Eldridge, Il would say that the
most stringent measures may need to
be taken to protect the United States.
particularly as regards certain classes
of goods from China likely to convey
infection, rags. old cotton, etc, and
also such manufactured articles as are
made in the little native workshops with
perhaps case of plague dying in the
, same room, such things as straw mat
ting, embroidcrics and every sort OF
textile fabric. SO long us the disease
Is kept out of Japan, so long will this
country be the best bulwarlS for the
United States against the importation
of the disease. Should it break out In
any part of Japan, shall see that you
have every information by cable. !"