The Evening dispatch. [volume] (Provo, City, Utah) 1891-1895, 1894-07-21
THE BLACK DEATH IN CHINA
Fears That rs VIII Sweep over Easter,
Asia Before 1t Disappears.

Fears That fs VIII Sweep over Eastern
Asia Before 1t Disappears.
"Black death, that mysterious dis
ease which has been creating such havoc
among the natives at Canton, seems
destined to sweep over eastern Asia.
Hong Kong has been attacked by this
insidious and fatal enemy, and already
hundreds have succumbed to it. The
colony is almost shut off from communi-
cation, save by telegraph, with other
Asiatic ports, and every effort is being
made to check the spread of the plague.
Strict quarantine regulations have been
made, and outgoing steamers on oriental
lines carry neither freight nor passen.
gers.
But the germs Of the disease seem to
be in the air, for latest news is that
deaths by the plague have, already oc.
CURED in Japan. The natives are panic
stricken
The plague made its appearance in
Hong-Kong about May 10, when many
dead rats were found in the streets.
This is the first sign the disease makes.
Usually other animals arestricken before
human beings are affected. The spread
of the disease was most rapid In few
days the victims claimed numbered
nearly 30 daily. 1t was even more fatal
there than in Canton, fully so per cent
of those seized dying in about 4S hours.
One cause that led to this result was
that there had been no rainfall for
long period, and all streams and sources
of drainage were foul. Vigorous steps
were taken to secure artificial flushing
Of all drains. and thorough cleansing
of the entire city, was had, but there
was no decrease until about the goth,
when several heavy rain storms &C
Cured.
Health officers made house to house |
canvass of the district of the city where |
the disease seemed to center, and all |
sick persons We're removed to the Hygeia,
the hospital ship in the harbor. The
dead were taken in charge by. the, same
officials and buried at once in place
selected.
When the disease was at its worst,
the deaths in the hospitals numbered
about 80 daily. In some cases whole
families were exterminated in a few
days. Europeans seem to be almost
proof against the disease, although in
some cases their surroundings were the
same as those of the Chinese. An excep
ton to this is the death of several Por-
tuguese in Hong Kong.
The cause of the strange malady is a
mystery, but it is undoubtedly filth
disease. A physician who had large ex-
perience with the ttack plague in Pax
hoi some years ago said in an interview
that it was due to foul smells. The
plaques symptoms, as described already,
are as follows: With or without pre-
monitory warning ip the shape of chill
there is sudden fever rising to 105 de-
grees or over. There is much headache
md cerebral disturbance, accompanied
oy stupor. In from II to "a hours a CLAN
lular swelling occurs in the neck, arm.
pit or groin, rapidly charging to the
Iize of fowls egg. 1t is hard and ex-
,eedingly tender. With or without a
iecline of the fever the patient sinks
leeper into cond) iton of coma and
lies usually at the end of 4S hours or
ooner. He declared that animals were
Effected first, because the germs were
lear the ground.
Native reports from Canton say that
he epidemic is somewhat decreasing
here, but many new cases are still re.
'orted. It is said that fish are also
tricken, and fishermen in some dis
riots have been forced to cease opera =
ions San Francisco Chronicle.
The papers round about keep poking 7
un at our Dutch coroner, but we wish
o at least say for him that he under
lands the flexibility required in west
IN Kansas oath. At the Carl Merry in
uest he swore witnesses with this rangy
ormula, "You do scholemly schware
OF you will dell de troot, de holy troot
nd nodting like it. Hays City Sen
mel 1870 ~ Jki Jsth