The morning call., 1894-09-08
THE PLAGUE IN CHINA.

Our dispatches from China now refer al
most exclusively 10 the war. Another
subject which is really very important is
the plague at Canton. That epidemic,
though checked at Hong-Kong by energetic
sanitary measures, was still raging along
the Pearl River when the last mails left
and it is difficult TO predict the cessation of
It's ravages. 1t seems that IL had been
raging for some months, If not years, in
Yunnan and Pak-Noi before it appeared
at Canton; bat as no foreigners had fallen
victims 1t attracted no notice in the outside
world. When it reached Hong-Kong alarm
spread. Some 450O sea-going steamers and
sailing ships, besides $4,000 junks, visit
that port every year, and it is surprising
that :hey have not spread the pestilenco
throughout Eastern Asia. The plaques
which history records seldom spared any
country in their path.
Some months ago DR.. Kitasato of Toxic,
who studied his profession under Koch of
Berlin. was deputed by the japanese Gov
ernment TO investigate the disease. de
has just made his report, which shows
that 1t is bacterial in its nature. He found
the characteristic bacillus in the blood,
lungs, liver and spleen of dead patients
huh III DlOUu VI luU66 lTSdtID6uls
IuoculatiOn with the bacillus caused death
in guinea pigs. rabbits and mice. though
pigeons escaped. This is as far as the
doctor goes. He recommends cleanliness
in streets and dwellings, and the sepulturs
OF the dead In graves ten feet deep,
strewn with quickllme. he does not sug-
gest that a curative process might be de-
vised by incubation with dilute decoc-
lion of the virus OF the bacilli, though this
will naturally suggest itself to medical
men who study his report.
1t is pitiful 10 read the report Of the
emotion reused at Peking by the news of
the plague. 1t appears from the North
China DdilV Ne,Us that when the Empress
Dowager heard of the plague she sent for
the Chief Imperial Astronomer. He con-
suited the stars and other guides, and re-
ported to her Majesty that the God of
Pestilence being dissatisfied with the peo-
pie OF Quan-tung had resolved 10 destroy
eighi-ienths of them by a plague. The
Empress, in sympathetic sorrow, inquired
how such a doom could be averted. The
Chief Astronomer returned the usual re-
ply-that the thing could only be done by
prayer and offerings. Relays of devout
believers were accordingly directed to pray
increasingly, and the shrine OF the cod was
loaded with presents of gold and jewels
and rich stuffs, whose transportation to
the deity the Astronomer Imperial kindly
took upon himself After a suitable delay
he repaired 20 her Majesty and stated that
he had at last made bargain with the
god. The divine edict that eight-tenths
must die, bavng been issued. could not be
revoked; but in view of.the penitence of
the Empress. and of the handsome dona-
tions he had received. he would commute
the sentence so that four-tenths of the
doomed should be human beings and four
tenths rats.
The contempt with which such a farce
will be received by the civilized world may
perhaps be mitigated by recalling certain
episodes in the history of our own ances-
tors.
Even at the present day many persons
in times of epidemics resort 20 nostrums.
set science at naught and mob the doctors.
But this is the work of ignorant people.
The governments of modern Chrstendom
know and do better. The Government of
China is now in this respect where the in
telligence OF the Western world was In the
ninth rather than the nineteenth century.