Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1898-09-01
WHERE MEASLES IS FEARED.
The Frightful Mortality That Results
from the Disease In south
Pacific Islands.

There have been some cases of mea-
sells among the American soldiers now
at Manila, but that will not make any
difference to the army. 1t will go about |
itsduty and win occupy the Philippines
and any other Spanish archipelagoes
of the Pacific which it may seem good
to the administration to take charge
Of 1t would be a different matter if
the expedition was a pleasure cruise.
The first case of measles would
bring the cruise to an end, To vessel
with even a single case of this disease
there would not be port open in the
tropical Pacific.
With the communities of the tenn
perate zone measles is accepted and
tolerated as one of the many indigni
ties connected with childhood. If a
grown man has the fever and the rash
he becomes the source of mirth in
others, and is laughed at by his com
rades because he has not yet concluded
his infancy. Out in the Pacific measles
is no laughing matter, but is regarded
as health officials look upon cholera
and the plague, both because of its
high degree of contagiousness and the
large percentages of mortality among
its victims. The two competing lines
| of steamers between America and the
Australian continent grumble loudly
at being forced to manage their traffic
in accordance with a theory which
places measles in the same order of
quarantinable offenses as smallpox
More than once it has happened that
the steamers have been quarantined
at Honolulu or Suva or Apia, all be-
cause some baby has had this disorder.
In 1874, after the British govern
ment had annexed the FIJI islands, a
was vessel was detailed to take King
Cakoban and batch of high chiefs
on an educational cruise to show
them the magnitude of the British
empire as displayed at Sydney. I'm
fortunately the party on its return to
FIJI brought the contagion of measles.
| Thepest spread with terrifying rapid
ty from island to island, and attacked
all ages. There was only one medical
man in the group, and he could not be-
| gin to take care of the dangerous cases
in Levuka, and as for the hundreds OF
other islands away from 0valau the
only thing that could be done was to
send out word to the sufferers not to
lie in the water. But despite these
orders there was the one thing each
Fiiian felt that he must do when he had
measles, and as soon as the rash be-
gan to smart and grow hot the patients
hurried to the nearest stream or ever
to the beach and jumped into the
water. Result, what might have beer
expected; total mortality during the
epidemic $4,000; being nearly one il
every three of population. Remember
ing the introduction Of measles il
costs $50 for the first offense against
Fiiian quarantine laws.
Measles found its way into Tonga
despite all efforts to safeguard the
kingdom. The death rate was jus
about the same as in Fiji From TOngi
the contagiOn spread to Samoa. 1T
coming had been fOreseen ana tint
proper steps taken. The native pas
tors were supplied with medicines ant
instructed in their use. Best of all
every town was placarded with notice.
telling the people what they must no
do. It is Samoan nature to look upoi
"nusipepa," a public notice, as Al
American regards a keep off tn
grass" sign; he will be scrupulousl.
obedient to any printed paper heade'
in large letters ''silasila mai" (tak
notice. tackled upon tree. Here tn
sum OF the deaths was only 1000, o
one in fifteen.
At such cost as this the lesson ha
been learned well in the tropical Pa
cifc. One case Of measles closes ever
port TO anything short Of a militar
expedition.-N. Y. Sun.