The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-07-06
SPREAD OF THE PLAGUE
RATS AND FLEsS n NOW BE-
LIEyED TO BE ITS CARRIERS.
An international Movement for an
DETERMINATION of the Former Is
PossfbIe-Treatment of Plague.

"dcAllSloH LtltCl u NNN AtAA
It would not be surprising If an interna-
tional war were TO be opened upon the rat
because of his supposed relation TO the
spread of the bubonlc plague. similar TO
that which has been opened upon the mos
quito because Of his relation to malaria.
The kerosene oil remedy for mosquitoes. !
brought by DR.. l.. o. Howard In his now
celebrated pamphlet. has worked so well
that Il has been very generally adopted
Whole communities on Long Island have
banded together 10 drive out the pest. The
mayor OF Winchester. Va. has made this
the reform feature OF his administration
while the Marine Hospital Service has is
sued orders directing the employment OF
radical measures against the mosquito at
all Of It's stations. One after another Of the
government bureaus have taken the maNer
up. till It looks as If by concerted action
something might be done 10 relieve civili-
nation of the mosquito. In like manner it
looks as If the world might wage war
against the rat.
Japan has already proposed an irterna-
tional congress for the consideration of
this question. Particularly Is the extermin- !
alton desirable in the seaport cities, where
not only does the rat do the ordinary dam
sge to food supplies. but is besides a great
means of carrying infection such as that
OF the bubonic plague. Scientific men here
know Of no good service which the rat per-
forms In the economy OF nature, and they
think his determination would be highly
desirable. While this country has not yet Of
hcially received the Japanese proposal. sew
eral rather effective remedies for fighting
rats are known TO exist. There is a virus
producing a contagious disease among rats,
which does not affect other animals or hu-
man beings. Sulphur ~fumigation is also
very effective as a remedy. Wherever yes
sels nave been treated with TINS In yellow
mon for the troops to sweep up bucketfuls
of rats. Our quarantine regulations, which
recommend this measure, under the ehi-
cient m~anagemen of the Marine Hospital,
Service, require that the rats thus killed
shall not be handled, but direct that In
stead they be raked and shoveled up, and
that the workmen shall wear gloves. The
vermin are then burned.
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PLAGUE.
1t has been discovered that wherever
there is bubonic plague, the rats seem to
suffer from IL severely. In fact, the plague
Is often first detected by the presence of
dead rats, and occasions have been known
where the plague existed among rats, as
shown by psychological tests, some time
before IL affected human beings. According
to bulletins of the Imperial Health Office
of Germany the plague recently broke out
in Bassors, in Turkey. where three persons.
taken SICK WITH SUSPICIOUS symptoms, were
promptly isolated. In the houses of the
first two victims dead rats were then dis
covered. An assistant surgeon of our Ma
rine Hospital Service at Hong-Kong, where
there were 12s cases of plague with III
deaths from 1t In the week before he wrote,
reported that the disease was originally
contracted from vermin preying upon the
dead rats about the premises. The surgeon
Of the Marine Hospital Service at Yokoha-
ma writes under the date OF April Il: The
destruction OF rats is going on in all the
larger cities OF the empire. In OSAKA the
local sanitary association has supplemented
the efforts of the government. which pays
2s cents for each rat DESTROYED. by issuing
70 those receiving this reward a lottery
ticket which will, perhaps. entitle the hold
er 10 a prize. Tn result OF these measures
Is marked. 1t is reported that since April
1 10000 rats have been killed in this city
alone In Toxic the authorities have is
sued TO the lower classes nearly $4,000 i'm
proved rat traps"
The United States consul at Bristol, Eng
land. as long ago as Jan. 81, related that.
In pursuance to the established practice
concerning ships arriving from suspected
ports. the Rembrandt, from Smyrna. had
peen compelled TO tie up six feet from the
quay side. her hawsers were protected by
collars. the were raised at night,
and a Waterman stationed to observe the
dlscnarge OF the cargo, on behalf of the
sanitary authorities Of the port. On Jan.
y this Waterman discovered several dead
rats In the hold, and in their bodies the
plague germ was found. Thereupon an or
der was issued declaring that the ship was
injected with PIague. Similarly. the rules
- V1f 80 AAOCUAtdl wherever a.
a suspicion of plague exists, specify that
ships be not allowed to come up against
the dock or near enough for the rats to
come ashore. Then all the cargo has 10 be
brought i'm by lighters. and sulphur fumi-
gation Is applied at various stages of the
unloading. In fact, the public health re-
ports Of the United States, published by the
Marine Hospital Service. are full of fnfor-
nation derogatory 10 the reputation of
the rat. They indicate that HIS worst of
Tense is not deserving sinking ships, but
rather In carrying infectious diseases, and
particularly the plague. 1t is believed that
the rat himself does not directly convey
the scourge. but that upon a diseased or
dead animal accumulate fieas, which are
the real carriers.
SOME RECENT HISTORY.
Tn nineteenth century has been marked
by a recession OF the plague towards the
East. In 1915 it appeared in Italy, confined
10 a small district. An isolated epidemic
appeared in Greece in 1928. 1t appeared in
Egypt in 1915. that year witnessing the last
plague epidemic there. and marking it's
great e stward recession. Since 1850 the
disease has oscillated. now east and now
west. between the Red sea and the Pacific,
In China. India. Arabia, Persia. Mesopota-
mai. Russia, che Caspian sea. Afghanistan
and Tripoli. There have been since 1850 but
nineteen years when IL has not been re-
corded in one or the other of these coun-
tries: While comparatively isolated out
breaks OF plague have occurred. in Asiatic
- NNAAA' AAilfA OO0blC lldl IT,
would be any more extensive epidemics of
the disease. This hope was rudely dashed
by the appearance of the disease In 1898 in
epidemic form in Tonkin and Hong-Kong,
and within a short time afterwards in
Bombay, kurrachee and Poonah, In Brit
fish India.
In 49, II was deemed necessary by the
Chinese government 10 increase and main
tain the garrisons on the Manchurian
frontier. Frequent and intimate intercourse
betwee Longtcheu and Yun-Nan made
this an epidemic focus of the disease, since
the transportation OF stores and materials
was done by mule caravans. The time oc-
cupied In the trips was six DAYS. The dis
assumed epidemic proportions, and was
conveyed by means OF the crews and pas
fengers OF trading junks TO Canton and
Hong-Kong. where IL appeared in epidemic
form the next pear. Plague was introduced
into N~ieuchwang in July. 1899. through ar
rivals from more southern diStrices. prob-
ably with ambulent types OF the disease.
which infected the surroundings and the
soil and set up an epidemic whose nantes
tations were preceded by very large NOR
tally among the domestic animals. as rats.
dogs and cattle.
II Is well known that from time ships
Of the Peninsular and Oriental line have
brought cases OF plague from Bombay 10
plymouth but there Is no record OF the
spread OF the disease. II Is thought posi-
bic that. owing 10 the lack OF quarantine
restrictions In the British isles. cases OF
the ambulent type have escaped observa-
ton. and passengers and crew from some
OF these ships have occasioned the infec-
tion OF others.
THE prC-NT cANToc ~.O-