Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-11-13
The Plague in vienna.
(Nienna Letter.

The death Of the hospital attendant Ba-
risen from the plague has caused a con-
siderable sensation in Vienna. The facts
OF the case are briefly rs follows: Ba-
risch, who was an attendant at the
pathological institute attached to the
Central Hospital, and was considered ex-
ceptionally intelligent and fully conscious
OF the dangerous nature OF his work,
was intrusted with the cleaning and feed
Ing of the animals kept for the bacteria
logical study of the plague. He had.
however, refused last month to undergo
the new process of incubation, although
some favorable results had already been
obtained j was at the institute myself
this morning, and I cannot remember
having visited any hospital on the Con-
tinent that appeared cleaner and better
kept. Barisch was on night duty from
Friday to Saturday last. He was taken
suddenly III on Saturday morning. At
first il was thought that he had in
fluenza. one Of the medical practitioners
who treated him had been to Bombay
officially for the purpose of studying the
plague; he took a personal interest in
Barisch, and examined him to make sure
whether IL was influenza or not This
examination led him to suspect that it
was a case Of plague, a fact which. how
Tuesday. Barisch had been removed to
the clinical ward OF sac eminent physi-
clan, Professor Nothnagel, and was there
completely isolated from the other pa
tients. lie died on Tuesday evening.
Full particulars Of the case were at once
supplied to the authorities. and far
reaching precautions were taken to avoid
infection.
Work mas been carried on FOR over q
year in the so-called plague-room, or eX'
perimental laboratory, where the deceased
was employed, without the slightest acct
dent of any kind. During this period the
only persons allowed to enter the room
were the professor himself, DR.. Albrecht.
and his colleague, and the attendant,
Barisch. In the beginning, when expert
mepts were constantly being made, and
when the danger was much greater than
within the last couple of weeks, during
which practically no work was done.
Barisch's scrupulous observance of all the
necessary precautions left nothing 10 be
desired. He had latterly, perhaps, grown
less attentive. his sense Of danger hav-
ing probably become less keen through
familiarity. This is an influence from
which the doctors themselves are not quite
exempt. III probably accounts for the
fact that members Of the profession are
included among the victims of the few
accidents THAT have occurred I'm such labo-
ratories.
a circumstance of great Importance. as
throwing light on the probable mode Oh
infection in this instance was spontane-
ously communicated by Barischs wife.
When she first heard Of his Illness she
said 1t was most likely due to his having
caught u severe cold, as he had recently
on two occasions stayed out till an early
hour in the morning. returning home with
signs of having had too much 10 drink
AS a rule, Barisch was man of intel
ligence and energy, and he had gradually
acquired a considerable knowledge of
laboratory work, 50 that he was really
70 be regarded rather as an assistant
than a mere attendant. nights dis
spation, however, produced a marked eff
feet upon him. ON the following day he
no longer seemed TO be the same man,
and went about I'm a dazed condition.
There had latterly been little TO do in the
plague-room, which was accordingly
visited with less frequency by Professor
We.chselbaum and his assistants. Ba-
risch's duty, however, took him there
daily. He had to feed the animals ex-
perimented upon-nameiy, guinea-plgs.
rats. mice and rabbits-clean their
cages, and wash the floor. some
times twice IN the course of the
is impossible TO say when the infection
took place, as the period Of incubation
varies. out Of the thirty-odd test glasses
containing bacilli which were brought
from Bombay by Dr. Albrecht and his
colleague, DR.. Ghon, some were found in
the experiments TO be much more rapid
in their effects than others, the period
within which death Followed varying
from one to three days. The carcasses
OF these animals were first saturated
with corrosive sublimate for twenty-four
hours, and afterwards burned.
According to DR.. Albrecht, while the
extirpation of the glands affected may
save the life of the patient where the
seat OF the disease permits of a surgical
operation, the form Of the bubonic plague
to which Barisch succumbed has invari-
ably proved fatal in India. When, as in
his case. the lungs are attacked, there
Is no remedy. Nevertheless, as a forlorn
hope, his medical attendants sent FOR q
supply Of serum, which was not to be
had in Vienna. This was received on
Monday night, when an injection was
oF..lI l., 81