The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-05-08
LONDON AND THE PLAGUE.
THREE INFECTED CASES HAVE
BEEN MET.
Rigorous System NJ ships and Crews
determination ~ Rats-Rats the Pre-
cursors and Vehicles of Plague.

"The normal precautions taken by the
Port OF London Sanitary Authority"
says Dr. Cullinridge, port ply sician IN
chief, ARE quite sufficient To prevent
the introduction or spread of plague"
and confirmation Of this Is TO be- found
i'm the half-yearly report, which has
just been Issued. Among the special
instructions with regard to the board
ing of ships are two. one of which Cm-
powers local medical officers Of health
to examine a suspected ship Wheeler
she has already been examined OF not,
and another of which impresses upon all
boarding officers the necessity of giving
every possible help and information to
the medical officer of health with res
pect to ships incoming from designat-
ed countries.
The following statement with regard
to the movements of the plague are in
teresting: I'm India it is still epidemic
in Bombay-though in other parts IL
has markedly declined. In Maurltus
the disease is active and shows little
/ signs of abatement. a recent report
states that ii has appeared in New CAL
| edonia. Egypt, Morocco, Hongkong, Re
union, German East Africa Gold Coast
and Delagoa have all suffered more or
! less"
The outbreak at Oporto has naturally
excited much attention in other Euro
! pean countries on account of the short
ness of the passage, and Dr. Collin
| gridge points out that the existence of
plague in that port was concealed for at
! least a fortnight after its outbreak on
August IA last, in direct opposition TO
| the terms of the International Conven-
ton. Though cases have occurred there
! continuously during the last four
months, there has not at present been
! any active outburst and the total num-
Der Of cases recorded to the end of the
year was only 2S2, of which about one
third ended fatally
Only three infected" cases have been
dealt with in England. The steamship
Eastbourne, from Alexandria, reported
two cases of illness which were "suspic-
! ious" and these were isolated in the
Port Sanitary Hospital; the steamship
Peninsular from Bombay, landed case
of plague at Plymouth, and on her ar
rival in London the passengers were IN
spected, their addresses taken, the
clothing of the native crew disinfected
and all the crew daily inspected while
the vessel was in port. Similar precau-
lions were taken with the steamship
Ballarat, from Calcutta, which had
landed a suspicious case at Plymouth
Summing up, DR.. Collingridge repeats
that the system of medical inspection
at Gravesend and Sheerness obviates
the necessity for any extraordinary pre-
cautions being taken All the owners
of ships have agreed to rigorous sys-
tenn of inspection, and consequently al
practicable precautions are taken with
as little delay or interference with com
merce as possible. The owners of YES
sells from infected ports or countries
We're at the same time asked to arrange
for the destruction and capture, as fal
as possible, of all rats found on board
the rat being the precursor and vehicle
of the plague. This has been system
attically carried out.-London Graphic