The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-04
The Role of Insects In tho Propagation and
Treatment of Plague.

To THE EDITOR OF THE Sus-Sir: Dr. Man.
son explains that II an infected rat dies. II IL
eaten by other rats. or the feas infesting II
would transfer themselves to other rats and,
with them, plague bacilli. This explanation.
says Dr. Cassidy Of the Ontario Board OF
Health. offers reasonable theory OF the infec-
tiousness OF plague among rats. but leaves a
hiatus a. to the communication OF the disease
from rat to man. Needless TO say. In famine
times rats are eaten by men. IIIndus and Chi
nese. and. II plaguo-s stricken. may transfer that
disease to their hosts: but II Is strange that
the rat. which fees the com pan lon hip OF man.
should. when dying OF plague. communicate
his fieas TO the superior vertebrate. And yet so
II seems to be.
Ogato. n Japanese scientist. was the first to
observe the role played by feas In the propa-
cation OF plague. He discovered in the bodies
OF neas the bacillus Of plague and concluded
that the disease could be inoculated by
the bites OF these insects. A fact noted
by simond Is very interesting. great
number OF cases OF plague were observed
In persons who had been In contact with rats
and mice; but. on the other hand these con-
facts were harmless where the rats had been
dead twenty -four hours. Now II Is well known
that feas rapidly leave the bodies OF animals
after death. which explains their harmlessnes.
In the cases observed. Slmond crushed Geas
caught on rats or dogs sick with the plague
injected the resulting liquid into mice which
duly succumbed TO plague after an interval O.
from three to thirteen days Eight days disinfec-
tion Ia not enough Healthy rats bitten by sus-
pected fieas died Ave days after being bitten.
with all the characteristic symptoms OF plague
Nuittac doubts this method OF transmission OF
plague.
rat lTyphopsylla musculll is distinct genus
from the flea OF man (Pulex irritausl and
that Il has not yet been proved that 1t bites its
The ants which deyour rats dead from the
Plague and which do not catch Il LHankIne.
~ s 5S 81 ahnss ,
numbers. In view Of these facts, a. rat.
censasfcd 'fS%''S sanitary S % au; fSs,9as
n. 81 Ss o4sss ets: In
hsve been sent 70 study tLs plague at oporto the
ssHnitSry gordon IL operation around that city Is
Village about t@evs mes OUT E.
viii intensity the spread Of the plague, The
Gordon o. soldier. would DO more use fully on cm
Eioysd At +, oporto r. organ sas dspots for disIn-
sss houses and IN ''1 msiina 1 prS Sastn
ssn,SS. oS SpSr,o The %onS:s S.,s III
S:sC%: r. I'D :, e.;
uuu !UIoCtlOH 10 TeneWeU. again ana
again. without increasing IN intensity II will
be almost impossible 10 prevent tho contaminn-
ton OF other European clties with the plague.
because In many q them there are Thousands
live In the filthiest surroundings
In the cleanest OF cities. Inhabited by people
who practise personal and domestic cfeanli-
tion. the spread Of plague from man TO man may
be controlled. but II o plaRue-strlcken rat
city he would certainly infect the other rats and
the INHABITANTS rs well. lDr; j. J Cassidy
that the immunity NJ ants TO plague would
seem 10 show us q rational fragment for the
disease by formic ACID. internally, In the form
Buboes should he opened md washed with n
solution OF formc acid. Solution oi iormic acid
cargoes Of infected ships; their hcnds should
he washed with u. and even, ,disinfeotIon ~
formic acid. ALBERTS AsHNFAD M n