The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-12-18
CASE OF PLAGUE
IN SYDNEY PORT

| SYDNEY, Dec. 2.-On inquiry on Sat
urday it was ascertained that there
was nothing fresh with regard to the
case of bubonic plague that was d;scov-
cred here a fortnight or 50 ago. The
patient continues to improve. and is
doing as we'll as could be hoped.
In view. however, of the occurrence
OF one case the health authorities Of the
other Australian States have taken
steps to minimize the chances of the
disease being introduced there, A cHpy
of the regulations framed by the Cen
trail Board of Health in Western Aus
tralia has been forwarded to the Health
authorities here. They recite Lat all
vessels arriving from Sydney shall be
treated with a view to the destruction
of all rats on board, and that no ship
be allowed to lie at any wharf unless it
! IS separated from 1t by fender az least
four feet wide. In short, the regulations
there are similar in their purport to
those in force in this State.
! The ratcatching staff employed by
the Board of Health on Friday captured
! 127 rats while others who work for the
sake of the capitation fee captured 2S'
! Up to that date 3199 rats had l'een
caught and burned at the furnace pre-
vided for that purpose. On the same
day the number of premises Inspected
was los, and the inspectors report that
no serious defects were discovered in
any of them. In all 697 premises have
now received inspection Twelve YES
( sells were fumigated on Friday.
The Harbor Trust Commissioners are
also making efforts to minimize any like
lihood of rats remaining on the property
within their control. Their inspectors
have been instructed to make a tour OF
the wharfs. and copy of the report fur
nished TO the board Is sent to the lessees
| or occupier interested, with request
that where necessary attention shall be
given to works which require to be done.
1 1t Is intended that a vessel fitted with
! steam jet apparatus shall be set 10 work
at once for the purpose of steaming the
/ wharf structures, the utility of this
means of destruction having been dem
onstrated during the epidemic of last
year. The trust also gives prompt atten- /
/ ton to any communications from the
Board Of Health notifying that cleansing
| operations are necessary in any OF the
premises vested In the trust.
! Speaking OF plague precautions the !
Sydney Herald says ed,torially:
/ It is reassuring to learn that both the :
government and the municipal authori-
ties are alive to the Importance and ne !
cessity OF taking steps to cope at once
with the plague symptoms which have
declared themselves. We do not want |
, more than the one case of bubonic dis
ease already developed to emphasize the |
necessity for these precautionary meas
ures. cause of epidemic of this kind
requires TO be dealt with promptly, and .
In Its earliest stages. In the present in
stance there seems TO be no doubt that
rats are the source and medium OF in
lection, and, as will be seen by our ac-
count this morning OF municipal and par
liamentary measures taken it is in this
direction that precautionary and pre-
Nfhuve action IS to be directed |
me flushing and fumigation of the sew
trS mas been decided upon, on the author
lly or the Minister for Works and this
ueclSlon was announced to the Legisla-
tive Assembly by the Premier yesterday !
But IT is obvious enough that no meas
ure Of this kind Will be sufficient unless
the public cooperate. The citizens must
act on the mayors advice destroy rats
Wherever possible. keep their premises
Cream and generally assist the health Of
hcers In every possible way. The history
OF the plague visitation showed how com
ParauVely easy 1t Is to cope with diff
Guilty OF this kind If preventive measures
are taken in hand promptly and in ear
nest With that lesson of experience 70 ,
guide US, we have both precedent and en-
enlargement There IS no ground for
any special alarm. and so far we have
no specihc reason to dread an outbreak
VI Iie plague in severe form. But the
PoSslnllty Is always present and at any
Iate II provides a sufficiently strong ar
: oiiieht ior the putting in force of every
reasonable sanitary safeguard
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