The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-06

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tries. but within the last two years. for
the first time in the history of the world.
it has made it's appearance on the American
continent. In October, 1899, the plague broke
out in Santos. Brazil. There is some doubt
as to where it came from. 1t is supposed
to have been brought from Oporto, Portu-
gar although it may have been transmitted
from Rangoon by a rice laden ship or by a
ship from Tamatave, Mozambique. In July
and September preceding the discovery of
the plague there was an unexplained and
great mortality among the rats in Santos.
From Santos the disease extended to Sac
Paulo. In the following November the Brit
ish steamship j. w. Taylor, from Santos,
arrived in New York with two cases of bu-
bonic plague on board and having lost one
man at sea from the same disease. The
quarantine regulations were enforced and
fortunately no spread of the disease oc-
CURED. In the latter part of 1899 the plague
made its appearance in Honolulu, where it
had been previously introduced, but had
been suppressed before 1t had an oppor-
tunity TO spread extensively. In January
and February, 1901, a commission appointed
for the investigation of reputed cases OF
the plague in San Francisco made a
thorough examination and found thirty-one
cases of death from that cause in China
town. The disease is still supposed to ex-
list in Chinatown, although vigorous re-
p~ressive measures have been introduced to
stamp it out. During the past summer one
ship with a case of the plague on board
was subjected to the full force of the quar-
antine regulations in New York harbor.
Although Surgeon General Wyman is con-
hdent the sanitary conditions of the United
States would effectually forestall the spread
OF the plague in this country others who
have studied the subject hold a contrary
opinion. They contend that once under way
1t would spread and run like a prairie fire.
The determined international warfare
that Is being waged against this pestilence
can be fully appreciated only i'm the light
OF the havoc wrought by the black death
in times past. 1t is known by several
~names-bubonic plague, pests bubonica.
lavantine. Oriental and black plague and
black death"-and has existed in Africa,
Asia and Europe as far back as history
runs.
THE SYMPTOMS.
The symptoms and results are about the
same everywhere Usually, within four
days after exposure, the disease makes its
appearance in the individual. The patient
complains of high fever, a swelling of one
or more of the Emphatic glands and has
delirium early in the attack, though sell
dom violent. In fatal cases death usually
occurs at the height of the disease between
the second and eighth day, frequently
within forty-eight hours. The glands most
commonly affected are those Of the thigh
and groin, next OF the axilla, and some
times those of the neck. The swollen gland
nufnElu attain The Cf-o - q, 49,
unless death intervenes after five or six
days the gland may soften and be filled
with pus. In many cases Of the severer
type the bubo has not time to form, and
then there are hemorrhages from the mu-
cous membranes and beneath the skin.
which give a dark appearance to portions of
the skin and suggest the name black
death" Sometimes patients die without a
single gland being affected. All who take
the disease do not die. The death rate
varies with different nationalities The Of
fetal reports OF the epidemic in Hong-Kong
in 1894 show as follows: Chinese, 93.4 per
cent; Indians. n; Japanese, so; Kurasians,
100: Europeans, 1872. The small relative per-
centage OF deaths among Europeans is at
tributed to European blood and stamina
and to the early treatment and confidence
ia NAC 10AOPN1A AANNANa dANCAlIdlAs III
high rate of mortality in the original coun-
tries is said to be due TO the half-starved
condition Of the inhabitants and lack of
sanitary conditions.
II is this pestilence that prevailed
throughout Armenia. Asia Minor. Egypt.
northern Africa, China and nearly the
whole OF Europe in the fourteenth CEN
fury. Justus F.. C.. Hecker calculates that
100000 persOns-One-fourth the population
Of Europe--died during this awful epidemic.
During the same period China lost I3,O00,-
coo and unnumbered millions persisted in
Africa. Says one writer: These numbers
appeal 10 the imagination. Death was
everywhere. All animal life was threatened.
Rivers We're filled with corpses for which
none dared perform the rites of burial. In
other places they were cast by thousands
into huge pits made for their reception.
Death was on the sea. too. as on the land.
The imagination is quickened TO the reali-
zation of the terrible mortality by accounts
of ships without crews-the crews dead and