Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1900-05-28
THE BUB0NlC PLAGUE,
A Description Of the Disease and Its
Syn ptoms,
KILLS IN FIVE OR SIX DAYS.

The bubonic plague, a very malig-
nant kline OF contagious fever prevail
ing at certain times and places epidem-
icaily. characterized by buboes, or
swelling OF the Emphatic glands, by
carbuncies and petechiae. and not APP
parently furnishing any security
against its recurrence in the same in
dividual. For a history of the origin
OF the plague In the far east CChina)
and It's gradual spread. under the name
OF Black Death "a. W. through Asia
and Europe. in the 18th C.. the reader
as referred to Kecker's Epidemic of the
Middle Ages Qs44, published by the
%Sydenham society. Its true and per-
manent home seems TO be in the reg
ions bordering upon the Mediterranean.
At different periods Of fifteenth. six
tenth and seventeeth ceturles. IL Wis
tied western Europe. II last attacked
London and England almost generally
in the years 1868 to 1855: while 30 late
as 1873 IT destroyed nearly half the
population of Marseiles; and seventy
years afterwards prevailed in Russia
and Poland, since which time II has
been almost unknown i'm western Eu.
rope. II Is now limited chiefly to Egypt
Syria, Nnatolia, Greco and Turkey. oc'
%casionally extending northward to.
wards Russia and westward a. far al
Malta.
The disease usually commences will
a sensation OF intense WEAKNESS an(
fatigue, slight %shivering, ausea anC
sickness. confusion of ideas, giddiness
and pain in the loins. These symptoms
are rapidly followed by increased men
tai disturbance, with occasional stupo
and delirium, by alternate pallor ant
flushing Of the face. by suffusion Of tn,
eyes, and a feeling OF intense constric
ton in the region OF the heart. Dart
ing pains are felt in the groins, arm
pits and other parts OF the body, whicl
are soon followed by engagements o
the lympathic glands or buboes (whicI
sometimes appear on the first and sec
ond day. sometimes not till near tn
close Of the disease. and sometimes al
together absent) and by the formatio'
Of ~carbuncles on various parts Of tn
body. A the diseaes advances, tn
tongue becomes dry and brown, Will
the gums, teeth and lips are covere
with a dark fur. the bowels, at frs
constipated becomes relaxed, the stool
being dark. offensive and sometime
bloody. The power OF the will on tn
muscles is much impaired. and alto
gether the patient resembles a perso
under the influence Of intoxicatior
Throughout the disease there il NOR
or less tendency to %faintness; and Us
ually about the second or third da
petechial spots, livld patches Xix
bruises and dark stripes, (called vib
ces) appear IN the skin. especially /
severe cases. These disclorations al
owing to the extravasation OF bloc
and are often accompanied with ht
morrhagic discharges from the mucou
membranes. In fatal cases the pulls
becomes cold and clammy. blood ooz,
from the mucou surface, there
coma, or low delirium; and death o,
ours usually In Ave or six days: elti
er without a struggle or preceded b
commissions.
| Great difference of opinion exists 4
the cause OF plague. Some maintaI
{ that II is ~propagated exclusively by
, peculiar contagion; others, while a,
: hitting Its contagious nature, mali
tain that 1t may also be spontaneous
engendered by endemic or epidemic 4
fiuences, while others again reject {
%contagion view altogether. and asse
: that II originates exclusively In loo
= causes or epidemic influences. or the
e three Views, the great mass OF ev
p dence goes to show that the second
the correct one. Whatever may
the cause OF the disease. temperate
: appears to exert a considerable 4
iuence over Il. In tropical climat
: the disease is unknown, and the co
weather Of northern climates has be,
observed TO check its ravages. In E
o rope II has always been most fatal
the summer and autumn, especially
e September. Thus in the great plag
n of London in 1906 the deaths from I
plague We're, In June, $50; In July,
1923; in August. 2O.O46; in Septemb
'r 1890; in October. 1873; in Novemb
40; while in December they were |,
= than 1000.