The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-30
THE MOVEMENT OF THE PLAGUE.

I
The alarm that was felt in Europe a
few weeks ago when the bubonic plague
was announced in Alexandria, Egypt. APP
pears TO have died out. u was thought
that it would reach Europe, and there was
a great deal OF discussion as to the sani-
tary regulations which should be adopted
as protection against IT,
It Is not known whether any cases Of
the disease have appeared in Alexandria
within the last two or three weeks. as
there has been no mention of it in the
dispatches It is assumed that if there
have been cases recently no mention has
been made of them because Of the feel
ing OF certainty that there would be no
epidemic this summer.
The very best authorities say that il
the plague does not show signs of becou-
ing epidemic before June Is, there is no
probability of it's becoming epidemic that
year. The impression seems to be that
very hot weather has the effect of making
the plague germ dormant. In Bombay,
two years ago the plague made its appear
ance in September. and last year il be-
came epidemic in October. The people of
that city expect a visitation from it this
year in November. Why IT should come a
month later each year no one IS able to
explain.
But because the cases which appeared
in Alexandria in the early part of last May
didn't develop into an epidemic 1t doesn't
follow that there will not be an epidemic
of the disease in chat city next year. Some
of the experts in the disease are very APP
prehensive that Alexandria will be severe
ly afflicted with 1t and that it will make
its wey to Europe
1t is believed that the best way to guard
against it is to enforce strict sanitary reg
ulations Siil. such regulations, enforced
against the vigorous protests of the peo-
pie. had no effect in staying the disease
in Bombay. Nevertheless extensive drain
age improvements are being made in tina;
city with the hope of getting rid OF it.
This country will be fortunate if few
cases of the disease do not reach 1t on
vessels returning from Manila. AS far as
known, there are no indications of the
plague in the Philippines. but there are
plenty of them at Hong Kong. When
Admiral Dewey was there on his way
home. the sailors of the Olympia were
not permitted the freedom of the entire
city because OF the existence of the
plague. The disease is a treacherous one
A few scattering cases of it may appear
in city during the period of a month or
more, and then apparently disappear al
together. All at once, however, it may
blaze UP and become epidemic on large
scale.
There is no cure for it as far as known,
and the majority of those attacked die,
1t is claimed that a serum has been dis
covered which is a preventive, but ex-
periments have not gone far enough yet
to justify the statement that the serum is
to be relied upon absolutely. II may do
all that 1t is claimed it will, but it has
not yet been fully accepted by the medl-
cal profession.
1t was alleged when the first cases ap-
peared in Alexandria that they had been
brought to the city by Mecca pilgrims, but
subsequent investigation showed that the
first Mecca pilgrims didn't arrive until
two days after the appearance of the first
plague cases. There win be uneasiness in
Alexandria until it is known whether the
cases which have appeared there will be
followed by epidemic.