Evening journal., 1900-03-05
Ronoving a Body I'm Bombay),


extended to Constantinopie, where it Is
said 70 have caused the death OF 10000
persons In one day.
From the seventh to the fourteenth
century other cpidemics occurred, but
no one Of them could be compared with
the outbreak that ragged IN Europe the
middle Of the fourteenth century. It
Is said 10 have carried or % 200 900 per-
Sons in Europe, and its victims
throughout the whole world were es-
timated at 40000.OO0. which Is unques-
tionably the greatest havoc IN human
life ever mentioned in history.
During the great plague in London in
1865 nearly seventy thousand persons
We're carried of. The seventeenth CEN
tury marked its last appearance in
many European countries. such as
Denmark, Sweden and England. In
France its last appearance was from
1920 to 1922, when IL made eighty thou
sand victims in Marseilles and Prov
encc.
At the close Of the last century the
plague reached Egypt, Southeastern
Europe. the region Of the Danube.
Lower Austria an Southern Russia.
AT the beginning Of the present CEN
tury Il twice visited Constantinople,
and spread to the shores Of the Adri-
attic. But from 1S45 TO the present day,
/ with the exception OF a slight outbreak
in Russia. I'm 1877, and its recent ap-
pearance in Portugal. the great scourge
has been confined TO certain African
and Asiatic countries. But its tend
ency 10 expand. and the recent ravages
IL has wrought in India and China.
have kept the eyes Of the world fixed
in alarm upon It.
At first every attempt at sanitation
or segregation in Bombay encountered
resistance and aroused n hatred and
distrust exceeding even the terror of
the plague itself. Street tumults were
| frequent, the hospital was twice at
tackled by riotous mobs, and crowds
constantly collected around the ambu-
lance vans. which were stoned, and the
officers OF the health department were
often in danger Of their lives. The op-
position grew in violence until it cul-
minated IN the Poona murders.
But the aversion TO the absolutely
necessary measures Of isolation was
not the only difficulty which the reliev-
ing staff had 20 encounter. AS is well
established, the plague has a strong
partiality for small animals, especially
rodents. Whether the plague was OF
was not brought by ship rats from
Chinese ports, medical observation un.
mistakably pointed to the conclusion
that the rats I'm Bombay were widely
infected by the disease, and were
spreading it through the city. But the
Indian tenderness for animal life gave
rise TO an unexpected obstruction. Says
the Official report:-"AlI attempts "a
| Ftar
and picking up few sick pigeons al.
most raised a riot. The people would
not believe that the hopeless conditior
OF their own dark. damp, filthy over.
crowded houses was their real danger
Every form Of obstruction was resortec
to when the municipality attempted L
deal with their dwellings,. The ten.
ants refused to do anything. maiptain'
ing Il was the duty OF the landlords
The landlords were not to be found
and when the municipal authorities at
tempted to do the necessary work the.
had often 20 carry it out in the facl
OF hostile and violent crowds. Through
out the Executive was subjected TO
perfect storm of threats, abuse an,
protest from persons who deemed them
selves aggrieved from the measure
adopted TO protect them. why not le
us die of the plague was the common
cry. instead of interfering with ou
> customs?
Gradually these feelings of opposi
: tion TO sanitary restrictions have les
{. sened in Bombay and throughout
! great portion of India, for the peopl
have had a frightful object lesson, an
have come TO a partial understandin
that the English authorities are reall
. trying TO help them, and they hav
I seen the good results Of that help.
Light and air are an a high degre
o unfavorable TO the development of IN
y plague. In the open Cir It dries up an
withers. It loses its power OF infectio
in six days, and, generally speaking
the experiments tend TO show that il
), a short lived organism except unde
conditions specially adapted to It
!. wants.
There is no absolute specific know
: for the plague, though good result
: have been obtained from ProfessC
Haffhine's preventive serum. -rhe ger
eral means so far adopted for fghtin
the plague are sanitary pre-cautioi
skilled nursing. suitable feeding, an
4 the proper use OF antipyretics, an,
dynes and stimulants.