The evening times., 1899-09-06

pean edition publishes the following Oporfo
despatch from DR.. Arantes Pereira, director
OF The Pasteur Institute at oporto, relative
to the epidemic in that city. The telegram
is under date of Monday last:
oporto. in Portuguese Porto, is the second
city in Portugal, and if Lisbon is the eapi-
tai. opcrto is the capital of the north.
The city is situated on the right bank of
the River Douro. On the opposite side is
the villa Nova de Gayor. remarkable for
its large stores. wherein port wine is pre-
pared for expectation. Its population today
amounts to about $4,000 Inhabitants. the
greater part OF whom consist of working
men and tradesmen.
The essentially Industrial character Of the
city has caused IL TO be known as the Man
chester of Portugal The principal indus
tries are weaving. goldsmith's work, and
ceramics. but at present these industries
are prevented from assuming greater de-
yeippment because OF the financial crisis
which sent down the rate of exchange and
put premium OF 20 per cent on gold. This
fortunately is not SO high now. The pound
sterling which before the crisis was worth
4,5eo reis, was as high as 1900 reis to 5000
reis. Today the price is $500 reis.
Although 0porto is an industrial city, its
reputation comes from its exports of the
generous wine that bears its name. This
expectation suffered much from the dis
ease that attacked the vines OF the Douro
provinces of the north OF Portugal, and
which has greatly diminished the produc-
tiOn of the wine.
The vineyards are now beginning to be
planted with American vines. on which
are grated native descriptions.
The American vine has been selected on
account Of its magnificent resistance to
the phyllexera. oporto not only exports
wine, but oranges, onions. preserves. cattle,
beans. cork etc. Its commerce with Brazil,
Africa and England is very large.
The most important part of the city
(the new parD is built according to prin-
cipies of modern science, but there are still
quarters OF the old part (the quarter OF La
Sc in particularly where the streets are mar
row and very far from clean. The new
part is pretty in places. IL contains fine
squares, good gardens wide, and clean
streets. In short ii is a modern city.
The old part consists almost entirely of
alleys, irregularly paved and its unciean-
illness IS due to the bad habits of its in
habitants, who are workmen and porters.
Ii should also be remembered that the
sewers of the city are Of the most imper-
feet kind, and / believe that the great NOR
tally is due essentially TO the fact thai
the soil is saturated with contamination
One cause which contributes largely to
the mortality of the city is the irregular
iiy of the temperature. There is very
cften difference of II degrees oentigrade
between the maximum and minimum in
the temperature of the day.
Where the Plague Broke Out.
Having made known to you the city OF
oporto. l will now send you particulars OF
the epidemic raging in Oporto. 1t broke
out at the beginning of June. in Fonte
Taurine Street, near the river
Gresario Blanco, a Spaniard, forty
seven years of age, by occupation a por-
4 ter. was the first victim. He had been an
invalid some time, but continued work to
June ). After the days work was over he
returned home melancholy and tottering.
On arriving at his house he went to a
room, and when sought for he was discov-
cred dead. One of his companions. who
was at his funeral on the following day,
was seized with illness and taken to the
| hospital The illness began with shiytrlng
| fits. intense fever t3S.5 degrees, cent?
! gradep, athena and buboes. In the same
house and in adjacent houses there were
other cases. and in nearly all of them il
WAS asceItained that they were due 10 di-
| rect contact
The disease came TO crisis on the third
or fourth day, when the patient collapsed
and died. or entered on period OF rapid
eonvalescence.
La Fonte Taurine Street up to August 29
thirty seven cases OF the malady were re-
ported, but there were only fourteen
deaths. After the cases mentioned the dis
ease appeared at isolated points in the city,
but always with remarkable slowness For
thirteen days not one cure on the average
occurred. Psychological researches have
already been made, and it is said that the
! bacillus of kitGsato- Yersin (speeific ba-
cillus of the plague) has been discovered
in the buboes and in the pus of the sup
purations. The analysis has been entrust-
ed to the municipal physician, Prof Ri
cardo Jorge, who is a truly scientific man,
but unfortunately none of his reports has
been published yet.
As soon as the epidemic was known. pro-
phylactic measures were adopted. The rail-
way stations were occupied by doctors. who
were ordered TO inspect departing travellers.
and steps were taken to improve the sani-
tary conditions OF the city. Fortunately
there has been no case so far in any other
part of the kingdom.
The government was alarmed at the fear
which prevailed in the capital, and unfor-
tunately established a sanitary Gordon
round the city. but this measure became
known before IL was put into execution,
and more than 10000 people fed, fearing
not the plague but the scarcity of food
which was inevitable, and which was al
ready being felt. No serious argument can
be invoked in defence of this action of
the government. for even the Venice con-
Fention gave up land quarantines. COM
mercial establishments were closed today.
and il is probable that the factories Will
close tomorrow and not open again until
the Gordon is withdrawn.
But before that there will be popular
rising
Doubt of @Bubonic" Plague.
Many people, and even medical centre
res" have described cases which they have
seen or treated since 1896, and which much
resemble those which have just been de-
scribed and row diagnosed as bubonic
plague. / dare not at the present moment
affirm that we are in the presence of an
epidemic of the bubonic plague, and the
reason is that ] have seen what happened
in the case of the choleraic Yibrion, which
shortly after its discovery was described
as the specific agent of cholera and as pos
! sessing well-defined biological character
istics by which it could be diagnosed with
certainty.
A few years later there appeared vi
brions which presented the same charac-
teristics as Kochs vibrion. and it was even
necessary to seek other characteristics in
order 10 diagnose the true choleraic vi
brion.
In the group of these choleiform vibrions
We have one which is national-the Pes
tana vrbrion-which caused the epidemic
at Lisbon, though with Insignificant NOR