The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-04-18
DIDNOT BURN ANY HOUSES.
HOW ALEXANDRIA FOUGHT THE
PLAGUE.
Simply Disinfected lodgings of Plague
Patients-Letter From Member of the
Sanitary Committee There.

The local Board of Health has re
Ceived an important statement from
the director general of the sanitary
committee of Alexandria, Egypt, giving
in detail the methods adopted there for
stamping out the bubonic plague at the
time of it's appearance in that city. The
statement is in reply to a letter from
Secretary Charles Wilcox asking for
information.
A most interesting point in the state
ment is that no houses were burned at
Alexandria, not even those occupied
by actual plague patients or infected
premises. Merely the floor mattings,
old rags and the like were destroyed,
and the buildings disinfected. The dir
ector general reports that this treat
ment was found to be most successful
and satisfactory.
The methods adopted by the govern
ment at the time of the appearance of
plague were similar to those of Honolu-
lu. Patients were taken to isolated
wards of the hospitals and there treat
ed. Persons Immediately connected
with them were taken to quarantine,
and there detained for seven days.
Males over 16 years of age were given
three piastres a day to compensate
them for the loss of wages.
Coming to the treatment of infected
premises the report contains the follow
ing interesting statement of proceed
ings:
The house where the case had occur
red was then thoroughly disinfected
by a gang of trained disinfectOrs by
means of a solution of 1-1000 perchlo
ride of mercury, after which a gang
of lime washers followed on and lime
washed the house throughout with a So
luton of lime freshly slaked. The mud
floors were strewn with quick lime, and
the houses were then closed until the
I nv ffNrg anf1 Of nj
establishment.
Carts were also sent around to re-
move the rubbish from inside the
houses. This included old grass mats,
soiled rags, cushions etc. which were
taken outside the city and burned, the
mats and cushions being replaced by
new ones at the expense of the govern
ment. 1t is worthy of note that no
second case of plague occurred in any
house which had been disinfected.
Whenever a succession of cases was re-
ported from any Quarter a systematic
cleaning of the whole quarter was un-
dertaken at once.
From May 20 tn to November I'd,
when the last case was notified, there
was a total of SO cases, As of which re-
covered, and 45 died. SiXty-five cases
occurred among natives, and % among
Europeans. Twenty-one cases died out
of hospital and were discovered only
dlltI OtdlU, Tic DOulGS Vi lllGSG pGO-
pie were buried with all due precau-
TONS and all sanitary measures were
| taken.
In combating the disease reliance was
| placed entirely on sanitary practical
measures and no attempt was made to
put into practice the prophylactic treat
ment with Haffxines serum. From the
statistics published by Mr.. Haffkine 1t
| appears to have been established be-
yond doubt that this serum endued TAX
ers with a certain limited power of
protection, though it must be admitted
| the degree and duration of the protec-
| ton are both alike unascertained.
From the limited experience had Of
the disease in Alexandria I cannot but
think that plague behaves in much the
same manner as other infectious dis
eases; that is, if the early cases are
not discovered, it assumes proper
lions which battle the efforts of the SAN
itary authorities to extinguish it; but If,
on the other hand, early notification
is received of the first cases occurring
in a community and stringent means
are at once taken, the disease may be
as effectually dealt with as smallpox
or scarlet fever.