The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-02-11

to send inspectors to foreign ports from
which infection could come and to in
spect cargo and passengers in the IN
terest of the health of this country.
This provision of the law has not vet
been put in operation, and probably will
not be until some definite cause from
real alarm shall arise.
DR.. Doty, the present health officer
of the port OF New York, does not ex-
press any fear that danger will arise
from the bubonic plague now raging
in India, but he is taking many pre-
cautions all the same. Much of his
time recently has been taken up expert
menting with new plans for disinfec-
ton. Former Port Health Officer Jen-
kins agrees with DR.. Doty that there
| is as yet 20 real cause for alarm. He
believes the bubonic plague to be in
fictitious and not contagious.
Il am of the opinion" he said when
| questioned, ''that the vitality of the
plague germs would die out before they
reached this country, even if they were
to get started on voyage hither. DR..
Koch told me two years ago that he
was sure Germany was forever safe
from black death.
with regard to quarantining the
ports of this country" he went on, 81
must say that am preiudiced in favor
of the state and not the national
system The New York city board of
health trains from IS to so young men
every year to handle infectious dis.
eases, and has at least 2CO men under
immediate control at all times. This
is much larger number than the ma
rine hospital service will have at it's
command, as things go now, in ten
years"
In 1892 the government sent man to
oversee DR.. Jenkins, but nothing was
done to change his methods II was
DIR. Jenkins, who discovered the cholera
at Hamburg. Hewas working at pretty
long range, but, by tracing the course
Of the disease through Germany. be
was able to say with certainty that the
disease must exist in Hamburg, and so
notified the authorities there. They de-
clared that it did not. but at last, by in
tervention of the state, authorities at
Washington were induced to make
close Investigations, which proved the
suspicious of DR.. Jenkins to be correct.
The doctor sent a man TO Hamburg to
study the situation. but because OF some
trouble with the United States consul,
the German government failed to allow
the man to do much. DR.. jenkins
criticises the provisions of the national
quarantine law, for sending men to
foreign ports, and believes that each
United States consul should have power
to appoint q local medical examiner,
who shall make regular reports as to
the health of the town. From these
reports the state department at
Washington could be kept constantly
posted.
The course the plague would travel
over in case it should visit tho United
States may be fairly predicted from
the routes taken by the cholera in times
past. Like the plague at this time, the
cholera has always started from India,
Its course being around the coast as
well as across the peninsula, to Bonn
bay; thence to and along the Pension
gulf and over the inland lines OF travel
TO the cities of Persia and across the
Caspian. The plague would also un-
3oubtedly travel the Red sea and
Mediterranean, follCwingthe main lines
Of travel to the chief European cities.
On reaching the Atlantic coast it would
.ake ship with the passengers and be
brought 10 the chief ports of the United
States, ifnot stamped out upon the ses-
coast here IL would then work its way
along the lines of rail and water ooIs-
uunications. So far Asiatic scorrges
have always travelled from east 20 west,
but, now that there is constant and reg
ular steam communication across the
Pacific, it might also travsl from west
TO east. IN these days, too, plague
might travel much faster than in oidsn
tines; but the chances for stopping IL
are almost irfizitclv better
Two wealthy Hebrews OF Ba gdad now
own 81 that remains ot the ancient
city q Babylon.