The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-07-06

connecting the two places. The employe
in question lived in a cabin beside me
tracks, On the 18th of November, 1913. the
British steamship j. W. Taylor, from Sah-
tos. arrived at the quarantine station OF
the port OF New York. with two cases OF
bubOnic plague on board, and naVlns lOst
one man at sea from the same disease.
Prompt measures were taken, and fortu-
nately no spread Of the disease occurred.
Experience In other parts OF the world
leads us 10 believe that even were the ols,
ease 10 be introduced here. its spread would
be very limited in those cities where the
sanitary conditions are good and wnere
precautions as 10 rhe isolation or patents
could be practiced. Cases in Vienna, re-
sulting from accidental incubation OF men
studying the disease in one of the laoora-
tories. were easily controlled. The same
ma be recorded Of a case introduced into
Trieste. Austria. No spread Of the disease
followed With the rigid application OF
sanitary science il seems extremely DOUBT
full If the plague Will ever secure a IAN
gerous foothOld in the United States, al
though frequent "scares, like the present
one, are likely.
TRIUMPHS IN TREATING PLAGUE.
This disease furnishes a striking ilustra-
ton of the advance Of modern medicine.
Not until 1894 did positive knowledge of its
true nature become known. Now, its cause,
it's method of propagation and the means
to prevent it's spread are matters of scien-
tiic certainty. 1t is TO Pasteur and his con-
temporary. Koch, in their establishment OF
bacteriology as a science. that credit is due
for the possibility of this discovery. and TO
a Japanese physician. DR.. Kitasato. a stu
dent in the laboratory Of Koch and Yersin,
and a pupil of the Pasteur institute, that
we are indebted for the discovery Itself.
When, in 1894, the plague was epidemic In
Hong-Kong. with hundreds dying daily,
great apprehension existed on the part of
japan, and accordingly, Drs. Kitasato and
Aoyama, with assistants. were commits
stoned by the Japanese government 10 visit
Hong-Kong and there study the disease.
the former to make archaeological investi-
clinical and pathological characteristics
The report of Kitasato, announcing the dis
covery Of the plague bacillus, was pub
lished by the University Of Toxic.
from different epidemics, and is estimated
at from 80 10 so per cent. 1t varies. how
ever, apparently according to nationalities.
From the official reports of the epidemic
in Hong-Kong In 1894. the death rate of the
several nationalities was as follows: Chi
so; Eurasians. 100; Europeans, 1872. The
small relative percentage of deaths among
Europeans is attributed to the European
blood and amina and TO their early treat
ment, and TO confidence in the European
medical attendants.
An interesting suggestion as to the cause
Of the prevalence of the disease among the
Indians and Chinese is offered by DR..
Charles w. Dahney, jr., formerly assistant
secretary OF agriculture, TO the effect that
it may be because these people are so badly
fed, living chiefly on rice and other grains,
which contain very little protein. AS COM
pared with wheat, oats, Indian corn, and
rye, by the protein standard, rice is poor
food. Additional credence may be given 70
this theory from the fact that the plague
SO often accompanies famine.