The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1903-07-31
The PLAGUE M MANILA.
"eaa II Check Ay thu Thorough
Received Under Man-
aSement of Americana

- aiAins OF Manila has
oeen a revelation to the Fi];ninos
never did a city need cleaning worso
and no city was ever cleaned more thor.
oughly. Between American doctors
anxious to prevent an endemic ~
plasue' American sanitary commissions
ers VINO eliminated open sewers and
american road builders 2 for good
.lsnWass-between these and others.
Nanlla a been turned upside down.
says the Washington Star.
u vas a city Of sickening smells.
ins sewers in many parts ran in the
cenoer OF a narrow street, and refuse
from the houses on either side was
empt9ed into them. The smell from the
ollcnes was a monstrous thing. hut II
was nandy and cheap, having the drain
mere and the native does not mind .
smell. Some of them even protested
against any change, the idea that a
sneA was unhealthy, that it might
prlng the dread cholera, never entering
their heads.
Ihey were satisfied with the miser-
aole ola paving which made some
streets almost impossible. The depart-
ment of public works now emnlovs
nearly 1000 officers, mechanics and la
oorers. They have widened some
streets' raised others by filling in heavy
stone' n now they are at work on a
system OF parks, Of which Manila waa
sadly IN need. Indeed, the lack of OPEN
ar spaces. Fairgrounds for the old and
young, was causing no little anxiety.
The natives take readily to games. but
until recently they have had no
agement. There are hundreds of clerks
n officials in the government
service n have little to do with their
spare time, and who have been crying
for parks.
The field in front Of the Luneta is be-
ing converted into an open recreation
ground. Games of all sorts will be per-
mltted and there will be a children's
playground modelled after those in this
city. A city park laid out with broad
drives and walks, an aviary and a ZOO
logical reserve are added attractions.
With the plague always present at
Hong-Kong, it is not strange that it
should stalk the 600 miles to Manila.
1t was discovered in the last week of
the year 1899, and increased steadily
until 1901, when the number of cases
was 1872. Then the fight began in earn
est.
To the rats was laid the blame of
spreading the disease. Hundreds Of
traps and many pounds of poison of
various sorts were distributed to the
people. Areward was paid for every rat
killed Some $4,000 were tagged and
sent to the government laboratory for
archaeological examination. OF the
10000 examined with a microscope $50
were found infected with the plague.
| The houses from which the infected
rats came were treated just as those
where the disease attacked human oc-
cupants. During n month, accord
ing to Dean A. c. Worcester's report,
65,379 traps were set and 400, 7S9 plates
of poison placed by the rat-catching
squad. Many houses which were hope
lessly insanitary were burned during
the plague cleanup, and the cholera
scare which followed it. In each case
the owner was remunerated. Many of
the market places were abandoned by
order of the authorities until they
could be rebuilt.
AS a result, the spread of both epi-
denies was prevented and the general
health greatly improved. The natives
wonder at all this activity, and, feel
ing C in the possession of their
charms against disease, grumble a great
deal at the disturbance of the house and
the CITY cleaning