Arizona republican., 1902-11-07
About BubOniG Plague.

Bubonic plague amongst the Chinese in San Francisco is no new thing. It made it's appearance when Honolulu was fighting it-a costly proceeding that enriched the board of health there, and cost the government over $1,000,OOO. For a little while California was quar- antined and nothing could be shipped across it's borders, but the ban was raised after a few weeks. Still, those who profess to know, say that cases have occurred, now and then, at inter vals, ever since-the first having been reported in February. 1900.
 Almost all oriental pests and plaques are more fatal to the natives than to foreigners. Those who live in the far east, in the very midst of widespread death and infection, feel very little fear, and they appear to dread bu- bonic plague least of all. Two Ameri- can missionaries lived in Canton when mortality from the disease was fright full; this was during the epidemic of 1898. They occupied a small house within the walls of the native city, op- posite a Chinese inn. It was packed like a rabbit warren, and over fifty dead bodies were taken out of the place in one day The street separating the
 
 not over three yards in width; yet they were not afraid, and did not leave, re- maining at their post to do what they could for the panic stricken Chinese women and children. So far as is now known. the disease is due to lowered vi tality resulting from filth and bad and insufficient diet. The Chinese, as is well known-unlike the Japanese-sel- flgrNl hG rin in, Ta- nila confessed that he had not had a bath for thirty years: he considered bathing very unhealthy" This preju- dice against cold water is universal, and, consequently all manner of filth diseases-of which bubonic plague may be considered the most fatal-prevail in China.
 About one in a thousand recovers, and, if it once attacks the foreigner, which is rarely-his chances are not much better. Cleanliness. frequent bathing, simple, nourishing food and mental ty-fearlessness-are considered safeguards. And the theory must be correct, since almost no for eigners contract plague, except those who are constantly brought in contact with it-nurses, sanitary engineers, and the like. Tn 1878, when it swept over the densely crowded Chinese quarter of Hong Kong, there were very few cases amongst the American and European residents, who. of course, live in their own part of the city.
 One death could not be accounted Tor, that of an English lady who, so Ear as her family were aware, had never been exposed to the disease. In two other cases that of an English nurse and a young Scotch sanitary en- Sineer, MT. Reidie, the reverse was true. The woman nurse had died. She had stuck to her post heroically, caring for scores of cases, apparently immune. Finally, man, craZed with delirium, spdt in her face. She sickened imme- diately and in a few hours was dead. MT. Reidie had been engaged for months by the board of health in re- porting and isolating cases, and su- nerintending the disinfection of prem ises from which patients were re- moved, or in which deaths had oc- cured, for, as in India, the ignorant and superstitious classes resist proper medical treatment, and have a deep seated fear of the hospitals When the disease was almost under control. the young engineer found two sequestrated cases in one hOuse-a Japanese woman and her little boy-a lad about ten years of age. The inspector picked up the child and he died in his arms. Within three hours he himself, was unconscious, so rapidly does plague de- velop in it's more virulent form. It was argued in both these cases, that of the nurse and the engineer that they had been exposed to the disease so long and so continuously that their systems were filled with the poison. and it re- quired but little more to bring it to crisis, just as mass of material in the proper state will burst into flame at the slightest spark. MT. Reidie re covered, thanks to his youth, a sound constitution and lifelong good habits. He said, in speaking of it. that he was entirely unconscious from the first His Illness covered only three or four days, when he began to recover; but, he said that the. brain had been in some way seriously affected. and he had not felt quite like himself since" He was very