The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-11

1t Defes Medical Skill Now as 1t Did
Centuries Ago.
New York Tribune.

New York Tribune.
Although Hong Kong and Shanghai are
many thousands of miles distant from Amer
lea. yet the traffic between these two ports
and the United States is so extensive, both
as regards passengers and merchandise, that
the news OF an outbreak there of that most
terrible of all pestilences. known as 1.-THE
black DEATH" must necessarily be a matter
OF concern to this country. Past experience
has shown that this scourge, which is far
more deadly than cholera, typhus or any of
its kindred plaques, invariably follows the
trade routes The adoption of precautionary
ton OF the plague is, therefore, imperative
upon the sanitary authorities of the United
states, all the more so as medical science
has shown itself Just as power,ess in these
modern times TO cope with this mysterious
disease as Ii has been in bygone ages. True
the physicians have been able to diagnose
It's symptoms; but its origin, it's causes, as
well as the remedies by means of which II
can be defeated are all as yet sealed book
the secret of which has until now set AT
naugnt the researches even of the greatest
psychologists of the age
Not that the opportunity for investigation
Of the m ene the
in Asia have been devastated by
the pestilence. while about five years
ago there was an outbreak in Hong
to drive off more than two-thirds
Of the surviving Chinese population from the
OF arresting the terrible ravages of the dis
ease 1t disappeared as suddenly as Ii had
eome.this being a popularity of 'the black
suddenly in Ashoad. in Persia swooping
down on the district Ike a pestilentiai ST
ban bang an. d9w n animals ami sIs well
vanished as suddenly as II had arrived, leav.
ing no trace of its visitation but the corpses
the loss of more than 10 per cent of its
inhabitants.
What has hitherto rendered scientific in
vestigation 80 difficult is the frightful rapid
ity with which death is followed by decom-
position. The latter supervenes after an In
terval OF only few minutes, thus rendering
1t is the same with animals with human
beings. The symptoms are identical In life
and decomposition is as quick after death
ing being-even upon the very birds of the
air-and IL has been noticed in ancient as
Wei as In mo5ern times that the brute crea-
Thus. the arrival OF "the black death in
any district of Asia is invariably announced
by the sudden appearance upon the surface
Of the soil OF hordes of rats. mice and other
burrowing animals, which fall dead after
performing a few extraordinary gyrations
Dogs, cats and smaller animals are the
next TO succumb, then cattle and horses, and
finally men, women AMI children.
The symptoms Of "the black death" which
has now broken ont in Hong.Kons and
ages certain districts of Asia. are Amos
Identical with those which, according to the
%Sch urSBs the eat
| fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. slight
fever. rapidly increasing. constitutes the
| first stage: intense thirst follows as wei
as uncomfortable heat, accompanied by at
| tacks of shivering The arteries become
| tense, and g.anduiar swellings of a bu
| bonic character appear in the armpits, tn,
neck and in other parts Of the body. Thes,
| vary In size from that OF hens egg Il
that a mans fist Commissions supervene
| Suddenly the extremities become stiff ant
| cold. and In from ten to twenty minutes tn,
/ patient sinks into comatose condition
which speedily ends in death AS soon a.
the latter has taken place, large black bulla.
form on the body and spread over its entir
/ surface. decomposition following at once
The entire duration of the attack lasts from
/ to i7'agine that in modern times the psagu
he's ceased TO assail Europeans. for durini
the las. outbreak at Kong-Kong larg
THE black death was first heard O
| in Europe II 1877, when. after devastatin,
large districts Of Asia it was brought {
conveyed from the Bosporous by ship I,
the various ports Of the Mediterranean: IT.
the entire population was destroyed whil
| In Venice over 100 900 people or about sew
| en-ten-hs OF the population. said I,
| have died. In Genoa scarcely a seventh
| OF the inhabitants survived while those VIII,
/ desire to know how II ragged in the othe
| cities of Italy need only turn TO the graphi
| descriptions given IL by Boccaccio and Pet
i rarch. AZ Sienna the erection Of the ca
thedral was stopped by the plague, an
1 has never been resumed TO this day. From
Italy the scourge made It's way 4
| France. 10 England. TO Germany and L
| Spain. and Is said TO have been carried L
4 Scandinavia by ship which left Londol
| IN the summer Of 1349. The whole of tn
| crew died Of the plague, and the ship. afte
| floating aimlessly about for a long time
was cast ashore at Bergen. the infectio,
| soon spreading all Norway and Swe
| den. Even Iceland did not escape, Will
| remote Scandinavian colonies in Greenlan,
| were SO obliterated that their very site
| were utterly forgotten Whether from thi
| point the black death" was carried on
| ward by wandering tribes Of Esuuimaux
and thus finally reached and devastated thi
| country. viii never be known, bit such
/ course Is conceivable and migbc accoun
/ for the entire disappearance OF those Zee
| lendic and scandinavian colonies witch ar
said 10 have exited along the coast Of Main
/ for two or three centuries prior to the dis
| covery OF America by Columbus.
Europe was subjected to three more vista
| lions OF the black deati" before the grea
| pestilence OF Ices. OF which Pepys gives s
| detailed portrayal In his diary; and II
London 10 this day there remain many me
| mentoes or the plague In the shape OF greer
plats In the center OF the most populate,
| districts. which mark the spot where thou
| sands OF corpses were buried along with ton
OF quicxline In deep pits. Few American
go 10 London without paving a visit TO tn
Tattersalls In Knightsbridge. and II may I'm
already been called TO their attention. tina
the BIT Of green lawn facing the entrance o
| Tattersails marks the locality Of one OF tn
n. oIx lroI