The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-08-04
TEE BUB0NIc PLAGUE.
Surgeon General yyy,nan Describes
the Disease.

Surgeon General wynan Describes
the Disease.
The bubonic plague, which is reported
to have broken out in London and which
is still feared on the Pacific Coast. is fully
described by Surgeon General Wyman in
monograph on the subject recently is
sued. The plague is the same disease shat
has been known in history as the Leyan-
tine Plague. the Oriental Plague, the Black
Plague and the Black Death It has ragged
repeatedly in Asia. Africa. and Europe in
the last eighteen centuries. Manettio, an
Egyptian historian. who lived at the be-
ginning Of the third century B. c., describ-
ed pfstiiences, supposed to have been the
bubonic plague, as having occurred in the
reign of the most ancient Egyptian kings
The plague prevailed in Athens 432- 1923
B. C. Thucydides has described it and
had the disease. Hippocrates too noted
it. Athens is said TO have lost more than
one-third Of its population in one cpl
demic. 1t appears te have been known
in Syria Egypt, and Libya during Tro-
jams reign early IN the Christian era.
The first we'll authenticated invasion
of Europe occurred about 543-546 the
pestilence appearing at Constantinople
and spreading to Italy and Gaul. The next
great inroad began about 1916 and pro-
ceeded from Tartary 10 the CFimea and
Sicily. whence it reached pretty well over
the Continent of Europe and across into
England. At irregular intervals for Dlo4
than three centuries. it swept this city
and that GIth appalling havoc, redp9edrfBg
again and again in the same spot
Among the most impressive death rec
crds OF that period are the following: 1927.
Dantzie so 0G0: 1866, Paris 40. GOO; 1870.
Moscow, ECO Geo; 1572 Lyons. 90, 0e0; 1876,
Venice, 10000; 1856, Naples, SOC. 600;
1664-G5, London S. 595.
The last item in the table gives the fig
ures in the London plague so prominent
IN English history. It is known that this
number of deaths was out of population
of 400, GOO, and that nearly one-thiTd Of the
denizens of the English capital fed from
the city ia fear OF death
In the eighteenth century the plague
prevailed extensively in Europe, the most
notable epidemic being in Marseilles in
1870, when from 0.G00 10 $1,000 persons
were carried of.
In 1921 it appeared in Toulon and spread
over Provence. Out of a population CT go
COO 81 G59 are said to have died. Sicily
was visited in 1743. at Messna. where the
mortality was between 10000 and 80 Coo
In III it broke out II Moscow and more
than $4,000 psFsons-neariy one-quaTter OF
the population-we carried off
During the sixteenth century China was
nearly dePopulatcd" with the plague, il
* said. while in the single year 1868 no
les sthan 600 coo lives were lost in Egypt.
The nineteenth century has been
marked bY a recession OF the plague toward
the East and it has scarcely been seen
again in Europe. except in the vicinity Of
he BosphoTus-
Ar Isolated epidemic appeared in Greece
IL 1928. Il appeared III Egypt between 1888
md 1915, the last year Witnessing the last
plague epidemic observed in that country
and marking its great eastward recession
There was On epidemic OF extreme sever
ity in Cairo in 1885. during which there
died number OF the inhabitants equal 10
the Whole adult male population.
IN 1870 Delmatia. il ISL ConstantiRople.
and in 1913 and 1914 the eastern part Of
Egypt were its western boundaries.
Since 1850 the western limit OF the plague
has been the Canary Islands. while its
eastern limit has been the Island Of For
nosa, OF the coast OF China. where it now
prevails Since 1850 the disease mas osciI-
lated. now east and now west. between the
Red Sea and the Pacific. IA China. India,
Arabia. Persia. Mesopotarnia. Russia. CAS-
plan Sea Afghanistan, and Tripaii- There
have been since 1886 but nineteen years
when it has not been recorded IN one or
the other Of these coGItries. The last cut
break CT the plague on European soil was
in 1878 and 1879 on the banks OF The Nolga.
As TO the plague belt, it may bs said
that since 1856 the disease has never
travelled further north than Astrakaan
iabout 40 degrees north), although within
the present century IL has Wis ted No.
COW Norway. Sweden. and latituies IS
far as so degrees north.
The plague broke out in virdiepJ
endemic form in 1893 in Tonkin aad
Hongkorg Within short time it
reached and laid firm hold OF Bonn
bar. Kurrachee. and Poonah. The plague
till maintains its grip in. these places,
as well as in Hongkong. 3moy, aLd F1.-
mosa It's march has been steadily west
ward.
After appearing At suez. Atexard a
and Port Said. it finally reached Europe.
In Wilma in October. 1898. occurrd tie
deaths of Herr Barisch and Dr. Muel g,
of the Nisuna meteorological Eztab ism
ment- -Four other persons were also at
tackled by the disease. but rscoyere5-
Last winter the plague broke out il
Manila, Honolulu, New CaIedo1il, New
South WAKES and n Oporto.
1t reached the Brazi!s last year. m k
ing its appearance II Santos IN Oc-Cber.
From Santos it was brought TO he very
doors of New York or board the British
steamship ]. ". Taylor which e-Tiy 81
on November IS, 1899. a. the QUARANTINE
station with two cases of bubonic plague
OF board. Owing 10 the adop. ion Of
prompt measure as to the ship. her
crew and cargo, no spread OF tae disease