The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-02-14

Granted that all were infected on
admission, it viii be seen that, of the
total number of cases given, 1.73 per
'cent occurred on the eleventh day;
that $50 per cent occurred as late as
the sixth day; that over per cent Oc-
Cured as late as the ninth day, or, in
other words, that fair proportion OF
the cases developed in a period which
exceeds the average duration of
transatlantic passage in these days of
fast ships. This point has an impor-
liant bearing on quarantine measures
| at ports OF arrival, for it does not bear
cut the theory that the period of incu-
baton is such that all cases which are
to occur win occur on the, voyage. !.
Plague il Conveyed in Merchandise.
Personal effects are easily disinfect-
led, but certain classes of merchandise
Eare so difficult and expensive to disin
fleet as to render the measure imprac--
ticable. Generally speaking, il is now
considered that new merchandise
PLAYS a comparatively small role in
the conveyance of contagious diseases,
yet when suspected il must be disln-
/ fected or forbidden entry until a time
has elapsed covering the natural life
OF the bacillus.
This is an important point for the
consideration of the quarantine or
health officer. That ii is not new one
| is demonstrated by the fact that IN
| 1916 the French Academy OF Medicine
lappointed a commission TO report upon
| the subject, and the findings OF the
/ fn1lnxrG
| There is no proof that merchandise
can transport plague outside Of the
epidemic foci," and the arguments upon
which this conclusion was based were
| (translation): I'm 1885 epidemic
plague prevailed at Alexandria among
the employees of all grades living in
the warehouses of the Egyptian Gov
eminent A great quantity of bales of
cotton, handled daily by laborers, were
shipped TO all the great ports OF Eu-
irope from January TO June-that is to
say. during the period of the epidemic
without a single case of plague re-
sulting In 1885. 81, 700 bales were car
rfed % England, &c, 812 TO Marseilles,
424 to Leghorn. $50 to Holland, 2,263
to Trieste, 80 to various ports. These
cotton bales, We repeat, did not con-
vey plague to anyone, although no pre-
caution was taken to disinfect them
They were compressed before being put
on board. and were then piled in as
Esmall space as possible. The matches
were closed, and the vessel left Alex
andria. OF the Is English vessels load
&c with cotton which left Alexandra
from the beginning of January to the
end of June, s had plague on board
but the cotton loaded in these vessels
was not more dangerous than that OF
noninfected vessels. We close, gentle
men. what We have to say with regard
to the transmissibility Of plague by
directing your attention to fact OF
great Importance, which is positively
and officially recognized Since 1T2C
not one of the porters employed at tht
lazaretto Of Marseilles in loading and
= handling merchandise has contracted
: plague"
SIR John Simon brought this report
to the attention Of the privy council in
England in 1875, and thus concluded
his report:
Under these circumstances. I evil
IDENTIFY have no facts which would justi-
fv me in stating il to be necessary for
the public safety that wool or other
| merchandise from Eastern places IL
fected with plague should be excluded
from this country
This IS strong statement in the
negative. hut recently the idea has
. again gained ground that merchandise
was source Of danger. The acting as
! sistant surgeon Of the United States
Marine Hospital Service at Yokohama
Japan. reports under date Of November
Is. 1893. as follows:
So far as investigation has progress
ed, no connection with the previou;
case at Hiroshima has been detected
or with the steamer which brought the
latter from FOrmosa. II is found. how
ever. that all the victims were engaged
in harding, or came in contact with