The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-02-22
AUSTRALIAN
| PLAGUE NEWS
General Improvement
of Situation.
PRECAUTIONS At SYDNEY
Conference of Premiers--Re From
Noumea--ACtion of
Queensland.

ADELAIDE, Feb. There have |
been no fresh developments in con- |
nection with the bubonic plague here,
and the hospital has been practically
declared open again.
SYDNEY, Feb. IA suspicious case
of illness, believed to be bubonic
plague, has been under observation in
Sydney since Saturday. A man named
Arthur Payne, aged 35, a carter en-
ployed at the Central wharf, and re-
siding at Dawes Point, complained of
being unwell last Friday, and of hav-
ing severe pains in his stomach. This
was attributed to the warm weather,
but the next day he became delirious,
and he has been under observation
ever since. 1t was decided today, in
order to have the man more complete
ly under observation, to take him to
the quarantine station.
The premises in which the man re-
sided were Immediately disinfected,
and anything which might carry in
fection ordered to be destroyed.
DR.. Thompson, the president of the
Board of Health, states that Payne and
his family were quarantined ~ his
suggestion, in order to be on thS elIe
side. At the same time he admits that
If the medical men had not been on the
outlook for the disease, it is PROBABLE
that such action would not have been
| taken.
1t was reported this morning that
the members of the Payne family are
all well at the quarantine station. The
! patient was removed to the hospital
| Immediately on arrival. He left the
launch apparently very weak, and is
now reported to have large lump in
the groin.
Precautions at Sydney.
Further precautions have been TAX
en- by disinfecting Payne's premises
and surroundings. The Board of
Health ascertained today that Payne
and his family had been visited by
certain of their friends within the past
few days, and it was considered de-
sirable, in order to leave no stone un-
turned to stamp out the plague, that
these persons should also be quaran-
tined. This was done. The names OF
these persons are: Mrs. Holmes
(mother Of Mrs. Payne). and her
daughter, Mary Ann Holmes; Mrs.
Mary Ann Smith, and Harold Holmes,
aged grandson of Mrs. Holmes) :
None of these people showed the slight
est trace of disease, and their removal
to the quarantine station was simply
carried ont as an extra precautlon
against the spread of infection. Ihey
/, are all residents of the neighborhood
, of Dawes Point. Ferry lane, near
Dawes Point, from which the supposed
, case of bubonic plague was removed
: to the quarantine station yesterday,
) bore somewhat deserted appearance
: today. All but those persons who had
3 business in the immediate vicinity OF
: Payne's residence had considered 1t
advisable to give the house when had
, been occupied by the Payne family as
wide a berth as possible. A strlc'
! watch is kept on the premises by con-
! stables, who are relieved every toui
4 hours, all night and day.
Whether Payne is really buoonlC
: plague patient or not cannot be den'
3 nitely ascertained from the health au'
thorities, who are extremely retlcen
: regarding the matter. 1t is not sup
posed that any case of plague has beer
introduced either from South Austria
I la Ut NEW OdlSuOOld. 1t lo IdthNl 49,
missed that rats escaping from som'
J vessels arriving here from Maurltiu'
: brought the plague ashore, and lhat /
: has been communicated to Payne IRON
a flea or some other insect when na'
first been in contact with an injected
rat. The health authorities eYldentl.
have some theory which takes into ac
s count rats as a means of spreadln|
Q the plague, as they have resolved l
Il solicit the cooperation of the men en-
T gagged in connection with shipping Il
Informing them of any noteWorth
circumstances relative to heavy NOR
U tality among rats, or any dlsposllio
among these vermin to desert one DIS
trict for another.
Premiers' Conference.
r SYDNEY, Feb. 1.-At the Premler'
Conference today, attention was give
to the bubonic plague and the meas
Ii ures which should be adopted for cor
ling with any outbreak which might oC
II ,ur. It was resolved. in respect OF an
Ao6