The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-11-20
THEY FEAR THE BATS
Bubonic Plague Steamer Not
Allowed to Dock. =
IT is BEING DISlNFECTED
Examinations Show That the Patients
Probably Havs the Dreaded
Scourge-Departmen TAX
ing No Chances. ~sr

New York, Nov. 19.--The steamer j.
from Santos, Brazil, with the captain
and cook i'll with suspected bubonic
plague, has been disinfected as far es
possible without discharge Of cargo.
The patients are at Swineburne island,
and there is no change in their contli-
ton. 7..
Deputy Health Officer Sanborn says
the crew will be kept on board the
steamer until tomorrow, when the
agents will supply new crew. The
crew will be removed to Hoffman ISL
and and retained for observation for 10
days. There has been no further devel-
opments among them. After the re-
moval of the crew the cargo-coffee in
sacks-wiil be discharged into lighters.
The sacks will be emptied into old re-
ceptacles and then subjected to steam
disinfection on board the James w.
Wadsworth. After the discharge Of the
cargo the hold will be disinfected.
DIR. Fitzpatrick, the meteorological
| making cultures of matters taken from
the patients. The results Of his exam
nations will determine the question of
the discharge Of the cargo.
DR.. Hermann M. Biggs. bacterioldgist
Of the health department, gave out this
statement to-Gay regarding DIR. Parks
examination of the supposed bubonic
plague patients. .u-.
",Ibe ARCHAEOLOGICAL examinations
thus far made by DR.. Park show APP
| pareatly thas the contents of the brok-
| en- down buhos do not contain any liv-
| ing germs 1t is possible. however, that
| some may develop in the cultures.
"Microscopical examinations of the
| pus are rather negative These mega
4 tive results are such as might be ex-
1 pe1ted in the plague at the stage Of
/ the disease presented in these men, and
! would be very unusual in other condi-
| tons They therefore afford some con-
| ffrmatory evidence as to the existence
OF the plague"
DIR. Biggs said he had little doubt
| that the two patients supposed to have
the disease are now almost we'll. The
meteorological examinations will be
| continued SO long as the patients of
| the infected ship present the oppor-
| tunity. This is the first time the physi-
clans of this city have had an oppor-
tunity to study the disease directly.
Up to this time they have depended
upon foreign medical reports, which
are not always authentic. Health Com
missioner Cosby said that he had no
doubt the ship is thoroughly disinfect-
ed But even so. 1t would not be per-
] nlEteI 10 come TO the CITY Inc leaiCh
/ department will take no chances, he
said.
In forbidding the docking of the chip
or her approach to any wharf. the au-
thorities have been actuated by the fear
that the rats which infest the vessel
will get ashore and carry the germs
If the disease proves to be the bubonie
plague, with them.
Experience with the bubonic plague
in foreign countries shows that the raj
is potent factor in the spread of the
disease. it being affected by the bubonic
bacillus in similar way to man. In
Nothnage's laboratory in Vienna. sew
eral years ago., one of the assistants
| developed the plague from contamina.
| ton from a rat into which he had in,
oculated the disease.
The health authorities have not yet
decided ON the mode of disinfectior
that shall be employed to rid the vesse
n of the vermin. but the disinfection
whatever form it may assume, will bs
of the most thorough character.