The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-06-19

San Francisco, June 1S.--The steamer
Selgic arrived today with fuller details
Of the black plague. now raging at
Hong Kong. When the vessel cleared,
the scare, the result of the first dis
closures of the epidemic's progress,
had subsidized considerably and it was
vafnly hoped the disease would soon be
STAMPED out.
&Re mortality statistics, however, re-
ve=aled the terribly fatal character of
the disease. Despite the operations of
THE sanitary staff and the police, as
sisted by the army medical staff corps,
and soldiers from the Shropshire regi-
nent, about 500 new cases had been
reported within a week and there mai
been 100 deaths.
Heavy rains about the middle Of May
were hailed as a. great blessing The
water supply had been nearly ex-
hauSted. The drains Of Hong Kong
We're filled with poisonous gases, the
: plague had been spreading in the most
y densaly populated part of the city.
and, to cap the climax, an outbreak Of
smallpox was dreaded
For a day or two the people thought
~%ae epidemic was losing its virulence.
! another favorable Indication appeared
TO be the cooperation Of the Chinese.
VINO We're said to be assisting in the
detection of cases and the removal of
patients TO the hospital. The rate of
mortality dropped temporarily
The sanitary authorities gained en-
enlargement, and while the rainwater
washed out some of thu public and
mouse drains, disinfectants were scat
tered about and infected houses were
Cleaned and whitewashed.
To Drive Out Evil Spirits.
The Chinese supplemented tia ssnf-
Ealy precautions with a vast amount
OF cracker firing, which they calcu-
lated would have a salutary effect bv
driving out the evil spirits, whom thew
regarded as responsible for the vista
zion of the plague
House-to-houSe visitation in search
OF victims Of the plague was kept up
by the police, but they were unable to
get through the crowded houses of the
INFECTED districts with sufficient celer-
1ty TO oVertake all the cases. Soldiers
A were consequently detailed to assist in
Prhe unpleasant task Increased Wig
tEance revealed a greater number of
patients.
The prevalence Of the disease create
d Rood zeal OF alarm in the different
shipping centers in communication wiz,
the port. Saignon and the other ports
Of the French colonies and Manila i'm
posed Quarantine upon all v,as:Ale ar
irving from Hong Kong.
SINGAPORE followed suit and the as
peets for the shipping interests were
L R&coming serious. The increased
FFfrulence and the discovery of =
J greater number Of cases arorsed the
pmlty OF the Chinese, who had :or a
short time appeared willing to c.l-cper-
ate with the authorities in bringing TO
light all known cases IF me plague.
This willingness diminished, proba bly,,
on account Of the neaTy lrC LC t;onal
mortality which accompanied the C.is-
ease. Attempts were made "a eyade
the inspection. Sick persons were re-
moved from house to house at The ap>
proach Of the police, houses we're barrt-
caded and in a few cases the officers
engaged in the disagreea.tle cuty were
stoned by the infuriaEed Chinese Ow-
AinE to these difficulties the epiI.mic
Ngalned renewed virulence
The rulnors that the plague had ap-
peared in Japan prove to be unfounded.
Holy Water as a Disinfectant.
FLEA.from Canton, where tie plague
ST Sill states that the deaths nov
- 90 a day. During March and
Aprll. hr4eY averaged 500 daily Al
though the fact that the black DEATH
was raging in Canton became Known
only about a month ago, it appears
that the disease started in as long ago
as last February and has been epidemic
ever since. The plague is spreading
TO the country districts about Canton
and 20 neighboring cities. About the
only measures taken in Canton - stay
the progress Of the disease. are those
adopted by the priests, who march
through the streets chanting incanta-
tions and sprinkling holy water.
A huge mask, representing a dragon s
head. Is also carried about the city, ac-
comDanied by a proGigious beating OF
Rongs and drums