The Van Buren press., 1898-09-03
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 will 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 different matter il
the expedition was pleasure cruise.
The first case of measles would
bring the cruise to an end. To vessel
with even 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 it's
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 theory which
places measles in the same order of
nt IN nj in lala off
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, q
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.
The pest spread with terrifying rapidi-
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 0yalau tho
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
Fijian 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 even
to the beach and jumped into the
water. Result, what might have been
expected; total mortality during the
epidemic $4,000; being nearly one in
every three of population. Remember
ing the Introduction of measles 1t
costs 6 80 for the first offense against
Fijian quarantine laws.
Measles found its way into Tonga
despite all efforts TO safeguard the
Kingdom. The death rate was Just
about the same as in Fiji. From Tonga
the contagion spread to Samoa. Its
coming had been foreseen and the
proper steps taken. The native pas
tors were supplied with medicines and
instructed in their use. Best of all.
every town was placarded with notices
telling the people what they must not
do. 1t is Samoan nature to look upon
a "nusipepa," a public notice, as an
American regards a keep off the
grass" sign; he will be scrupulously
obedient 20 any printed paper headed
in large letters "silasila mai" (take
notice. tackled upon tree. Here the
sum of the deaths was only 1000, or
one in fifteen.
At such cost as this the lesson has
been learned well in the tropical Pa
cifc. One case Of measles closes every
port TO anything short of military
PNDeditiou N v Sun