The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-02-17
PLAGUE DATA
Surgeon Gen. Wyman's
Pamphlet.
Extracts From a Monograph on the
Nature and Treatment of the
Bubonic Scourge.

lie IOiIONlHS 81 z pun l4OhS VI 49,
pamphlet about the bubonic plague
which has been issued by the United
States Government over the signature
of Surgeon General Wyman:
Factors in the Spread of Disease.
There are two features of this dis
ease which are matters for serious con-
sideration. so far as the United States
is concerned: One is the ambulant,
or walking form, or pests minor, In
which the symptoms are mild, the pa
tents not being confined TO bed. Iney
may be afflicted for period of from
ten to thirty days before the symp-
toms have developed which call atten-
ton to the disease, and 1t may then
develop into the violent form. Inc
other feature is the possibility OF in
fected rats on a vessel, a matter requlr-
ing the keenest vigilance on the part
of the quarantine officer to determine.
The rat is beyond doubt largely
responsible for the spread of plague
from one area of an infected district
to another, but it is entirely possible
that he may also convey 1t to greater
distances. The rat is VIGOROUSLY a
T..
ed his habits have noted that at irreg-
ular but frequently repeated periods
he shows decidedly migratory tenden-
cles. The enormous number Of rats
which infest cargo vessels Is a matter
of common knowledge among those
who deal with this class of vessels at
our quarantine stations. There is on
record an instance in which after the
sulphur fumigation of a cargo steamer
of about $500 tons there were removed
| from the holds of the ship 16 ordinary
deck buckets of dead rats. A moments
| thought will show what a terrible mass
of infectious material the ship would
have furnished if the plague had ever
| been introduced aboard by a single
| plague-infected rat.
From the foregoing lines it may be
readily understood how the malady
may be transmitted from one country
| to another by travel and commerce
either overland or by sea. As with
| cholera, the chief element connected
with its spread from India to other por-
tions of Asia and into Europe and Afri
ca are the religious pilgrimages. Pill
grims from infected districts visit the
shrines, which are also visited by pe0
pie from non-infected districts, who
carry back with them the germs of The
| disease.
Distinction.
The disinfectants principally recon-
mended are corrosive sublimate, car
.bolic acid, sulphate Of copper; chloride
of lime, freshly prepared; milk o
lime,1 freshly prepared.
Inc solution of corrosive sublimat,
will be employed in strength of pc
1000, with the addition of 2 parts pc
LOO of common salt or hydrochlori
acid.
Carbolic acid will be employed in
strength of per 100.
Solutions of sulphate of copper AM
chloride of lime will be in a strength
of per 100-i. e., so grams per liter
and milk OF lime 20 per 100, or 200 pc
liter.
Washing of the face and hands, us
the sublimate solution, 1000.
Rinsing of the mouth, use solution
Of hydrochloric acid, Al 900, or 4 gram
of acid to / liter of water.
Dejections.-All objections of pa
tients (vomited matter, fecal matter
etc. are to be Immediately disinfecte
with either the solution of sulphate G
copper, chloride of lime, or the mil
of lime. The milk of lime is particu
larly recommended if freshly prepared
A small quantity of one of these solu
lions should be placed in the bedpa
or other vessel before being used b
the patient.
If these dejecta are thrown into wa
ter-closets or latrines, these should
disinfected by one of the solutions q
least once in each day.
Dressings.-The dressings of bubOe
ard ulcers should be promptly burned
Body linen.-Soiled body linen ma
a he treated by one of two methods
, (a) BY being plae in a disinfec'
ing apparatus. Contaminated clothin
3 net stained with blood, pus, or fect
q mater may be placed directly IN tn
apparatus; stained linen should renal
for an hour in corrosive-sublimate {
carbolic-acid solution. Failure to e.
ercise this precaution will result in II
delibly fixing the stains after steamini
OBJ A simple, economical, and col
venient method of disinfection consist
in immersing the linen to be dish
o fected in carbolic or sublimate sol'
: ton for an hour. None of the article
enumerated above should be washed
the running water of a stream.
Clothing.-The clothing of patien
and nurses is disinfected by steam
: by immersion in boiling water for on
. half hour.
q If for any reason both of these met
q DDS are inapplicable, the clothing ma
be disinfected by sulphur dioxlde
the method to be subsequently d
o scribed.
Q Furniture, bedding, mattresses, ETC.
y Furniture should be washed or dist
d fected by one of the disinfecting sol
}, tons; bedding and mattresses by stea
}. or by immersion in boiling water, c
failing one of these methods, should
destroyed by fire.
% CSrpses should at once be wrapp
A very active milk OF lime is pr
~wnu