The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-10
rs EUROPE rHReAreMgo4
A Question Suggested the Presence Of Bu-
bonic Plague In vienns.

n question suggested the Presence OF Bu~
bonnie Plague In Vienna
The terror in Vienna which has fol-
lowed the outbreak of bubonic plague
there. and the deaths of five persons In
addition to that Of Herr Barisch. who
first contracted the disease from the
careless handling of germs under cult
walton In Professor Nothnagle's bac-
THEOLOGICAL labortory. 10 not without
foundation in the possibilities of the dis
ease. aside from the effectiveness in a
highly civilized community of modern
methods OF isolation and antiseptic
treatment. For the bubonic plague,
which still devastates India and other
Oriental countries. Is the same disease
which for centuries periodically devas-
tated Europe, appearing In England as
late as 1865 and only retiring from the
continent within the century. The earl
lest historical record OF what is be-
lieved to have been the bubonic plague
carries II back to 767 b. C..
In 446 A. ID. 1t invaded England, hard
ly leaving enough living to bury the
dead. according to old records. and In
the 18th century the whole world was
swept by the worst devastation that
has yer afflicted mankind. the black
death, which In its main features re-
sembled the modern bubonic plague.
and in spite OF certain differences, 10
believed to have been the same MS
ease. In Europe 90 1000. 900 persons died
OF II between 1347 and 1850, and in
Asia 25. 000. 900. Its last visitation In
England, the Great Plague" of Lon
don. in 1865, carried or s.. 500 persons.
In the seventeenth century a gradual
lessoning of the area in which the
plague was prevalent began. with
lessening frequency, too, in its out
breaks. In the eighteenth century IL
continued to retire, n In the first
third of this century II was confined
in Europe to European Turkey, ceas-
ing altogether in 1s41, with the excep-
ton of an outbreak in Cfs-Caucasian
Russia in 1879. which was regarded
as having the chief characteristics of
the plague. but only affected a limited
area.
Observations of the long intervals
between previous visftations have,
however. led some authorities to be-
lieve in the possibility OF a recurrence
Of the disease In epidemic form in
Europe. In general 1t is held that CIV
ilized conditions and the modern
methods of care for public health pre-
vent such a possibility.
The bubonic plague Is a contagious
fever, chiefly characterized by SWELL
ings. usually confined to the glands
of the groin. armpits and neck, blu in
violent cases occurring all over the
bohg hl1 aLNCi a "a ottNh VI
a dark color, thus giving the dis
ease it's title of black plague in some
OF its epidemics. In some cases ii
begins with s~wellfngs. followed by a
mild fever. with possible recover in
side of two weeks. In its most violent
form it is followed by death within
a few hours. preceded by a vomit of
blood n without the occurrence OF
the Characteristic swellings.
OF it's origin, methods of transmits
sion and cure little is known. 1t is
believed TO arise in closely crowded
communities living in a moist. heat
ed atmosphere in a condition of filth.
In sporadic cases IL is not believed
TO be transmissible. In its epidemic
form il follows close association with
the already infected. breathing the air
affected by their efluvia, and hand
ling their clothing. The disease Is
known to have been carried by rats,
an epidemic among them having been
followed by the plague among men.
This is said to have been the case In
the recent epidemic Of the bubonic
plague in India.