The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-07-30

Drought the unpleasant news that
plague rats" had been found dead at
Port Elizabeth. AS Is is now known that
these animals are more susceptible TO
the plague infection than cats are To diph-
liberia, and their death preceded the out
breaks at Hong Kong and in Bombay. the
news is serious. The Japanese doctors
employed by their government NO report
on the outbreaks OF bubonic plague at
Hong Kong agree that the rat harbors
the disease and tranHmits IL 10 human
beings, says a writer IN the London Spec
IA tor.
They recommend that In the interests OF
public health the creatures shall, If pos
sible, be exterminated advice which Is
more easily given than acted upon. Even
Japanese men-of-war harbor these pests
I'm numbers, and the brown rat is said 20
be established inland in the islands as
we'll as at the ports. In South Africa IL
is now Indigenous, being carried TO all the
sea coast towns in cargo and grain ships,
though owing to the numbers OF small
carnivora I'm the up-country districts and
the absence OF corn crops In any great
extent, II Is not plentiful away from the
seaboard. But H. the disease becomes
established there owing 10 rat contagion
it's extension by the vast and abnormal
traffic now going on with the northern
provinces is only too probable.
There can be no doubt that the plague
rat is a danger TO the world at large. IL
Is more than probable that IL Is response
bile for the wide distribution of the pest-
lence. and its appearance in improbable
and isolated places. Indian coolies, who
now go out 10 work on indenture in dis
tant and tropical British possessions, may
have taken IL 10 Cape Town. But the
outbreak in an island like Mauritius, sur
rounded by the Indian ocean, looks very
much like q case of rat-carried plague.
and the sickening OF Lascsr sailors on
board ship. and other Instances, like that
lately recorded as spontaneous" In one
OF the inland Cape Colony towns, are
probably due 10 the same cause "Spon-
taneous' I'm this sense means that ths
person affected has not been In contact
with any human sufferer from the dis
ease. or his effects. But the contagion
may all the time have been present in
the same house and communicated TO ar
ticles OF food and dress by the vermin
which infest the ship. house or hospital.
No more dangerous or unfortunate coinci-
dence could be imagined In the history
OF disease than that the most dreaded OF
all pestilences is communicable TO and
by the most common and increasing OF
the larger creatures parasitic on human
industry and trade. one which finds nat
ursl home In the great insanitary cities
OF the east. and on the ships which go
and conSe from there TO every port.
Quarantine is useless against infection
unless the ships themselves are prohib-
tied from coming 10 the quays.
II would be beyond the genius even
of the inventor or the rat-proof ratings
at the Zoo" to devise means by which
creatures which can swim as well as
water-voles. and can conceal themselves
in the most unpromising surroundings
81. sl,oK. fnxx Va "
can be kept from landing. 1t is part of
the regular and professional business OF
rats 10 find means OF access to desirable
but difficult places and they show an
equally demonical ingenuity In getting
themselves smuggled into these and also
out of tight corners" IL was supposed
that iron ships lying out in the water
away from quays would be uncimable by
them. But they enter by dropping down
with the tide, II the boat Is any distance
from shore, and climbing up by ropes,
attached boats or anything commune
eating with the decks. Their ingenuity
when they wish TO reach the shore is
put to less severe test.
But some of the means taken. though
possibly only accidentally successful. sug-
gest an intellectual predominance over
most less criminal animals. A case or
empty bottles was lately rowed ashore
with other "ullages" from the mess OF n
man-of-war. In the boat went also
small fox-terrier. The bottles were only
laid on a little straw, and In shallow
case, holding only one layer. The terrier
made a dead-set at the box. the lid OF
which was opened by one of the passen-
gers in the gig 10 see whe ther there was
a rat I'm IT, Not one rat but half dozen
were slowed away between the bottles,
scarcely covered with straw. and an inn
promptu rat hunt in the boat ensued,
with incidents worthy OF the pen of Mar
ryat when dealing with Peter Simple's
experiences of going in charge of boats
crews with stores TO Portsmouth Hard
Their presence there may have been an
accident But IL looked much as though
the rats knew that that particular box
was going ashore, and had prepared TO
take advantage of the 'lift' so offered.
At the same time II is not creditable 10
civIhzation that SO noisome and mischiev-
Gus a pest should flourish unchecked.
even where there were no such intimate
connection between the rat and deadly
disease. There is no place for the Great
ure I'm properly ordered houses. The rat,
as 'commensalistio" with man. to use the
scientific phrase or parasites on human
food and lodging, is an anachronism. IL is
a relic OF medieval hlthiness. In a good.
well-built modern house such creature
is unknown. Dirt and disorder and waste
are it's congenial surroundings Modern
buildings In brick and iron, with concrete
floors and ceilings. are no place for them
They flourish In badly made drains, round
pig sites. slaughter houses and wherever
filth and garbage accumulate.
Damage to cargoes by rats Is, We be-
lieve not recoverable. and rightly So
from marine insurance companies. The
multiplication OF rats is almost entirely
due to human agency. or rather. TO hu-
man neglect. If there were no waste pro-
ducts left for them 10 devour there would
be no such formidable numbers OF the
pest. They are by no means on the in
crease I'm this country generally, though
there are years when they flourish extern
sively I'm the rural districts. owing TO
dry summers, which suit their young and
numerous families. The year 1895 was a
noted rat year. In 1898 and 1899 there was
a plague OF the creatures In the open and
cultivated parts Of Norfolk. They are