Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-10-23
BUBONIC PLAGUE SCARE ASSUMES
AN ALARMING PHASE.
ANTI-JEW RIOTS POSSIBLE
PAPERS ACCUSE JEWISH DOCTORS
OF IMPORTING PLAGUE.
Five Cases Now Under Treatment and
Hundreds of People Have been
Exposed to the Infection
Grave Fears of an
-. Epidemic.

VIENNA, Oct. 22-The outbreak of bu-
bonlc plague, due TO the experiments IN
Professor Nothgale's meteorological estab-
lishment in-the cultivation OF the plague
bacillus, has spread terror throughout the
Austrian capital. Five cases, in addition
TO that Of the late Herr Barisch, the as
sistant in the establishment, who con-
tracted the bubonic plague while cultivating
the bacillus, have now occurred. They are
two nurses in the laboratory, another of
the assistants, Herr Barischs wife. and
DR.. Mueller, the physician who attended
Herr Barisch. The last sacraments of the
Roman Catholic church were administered
to the, latter and to one of the nurses by
priest, through window of the plague
cells
DIR. Mueller was considered an authority
on the plague, having been to Bombey for
the purpose of studying 1t on the spot,
and he survived all the dangers there.
The disease at Vienna has assumed a
pneumonia form. There are no boils, but
each case is accompanied by high fever
and blood splitting. Extraordinary precau-
tions nave now been taken to prevent an
epidemic. The plague patients lie in an
isolated building, attended by DR.. Pooch, a
volunteer physician, and by sisters of char
lty. Iney are surrounded by q rope, across
which nobody is allowed to pass. Dr. Pooch
writes the prescriptions and fastens them
to the window pane. The doctors outside
read them and have them made up. Then
the prescriptions are placed on the window
ledge, from whence they are removed by
those inside. Food is conveyed to the
patients and their attendants by sisters of
charity The nurses furnish accounts by
telephone Of all changes in the patients
condition.
Every person who has come in contact
with Herr Barsch. principally the hospital
attendants, has been isolated. Some of them
resisted, and others tried to escape, but
were captured and all were locked up. 1t
Is reared that the precautions were taken
too late. Herr Barsch was i'll for three
days before he saw doctor. during which
time he lived with his wife, and visited
wineshops.
The wife, who has not developed sus-
picious symptoms, visited friends, rode in
public omnibuses, and came in contact
with dozens of persons at her husbands
funeral. The excitement in medical circles
Is tremendous The well known chemist,
Professor Hofrotz Luding, has made pa
thetic speech, during which he expressed
the hope that the doctors of Vienna will
prove themselves equal to all emergencies.
This reveals the fact that it is the opin-
tai that the plague is likely to spread in
that city. Another significant indication of
this apprehension is found in the fact that
a temporary hospital, consisting: of several
detached sheds. was hastily erected, during
the past night, beyond the infectious hos
pital One hundred men worked by torch
light there, in order TO complete it as
quickly as possible.
A painful feature of the viennese situ-
alton is the unscrupulous attitude of the
anti-Semitic newspapers. which are accus-
ing the Jewish doctors of bringing the
plague to Vienna. 1t is feared that this
appeal to the worst passions of the mob will
lead to plague riots against the Jews If
the disease spreads