The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1903-01-25

by rats. Careful Investigations show tnat
every considerable outbreak Of the plague
has hcuU preceded b. great fatality nmonE
the rate Of the locality aud Ina every cnse
Wneie competent microscopes mas mdd'
AN examination the bacillus p SITS nus hreu
found In the bodies Of the dead rats, what
hJUpcus ig that the rats from q piaeu 81.
stricken port migrate from The vessel whirn
has carried thUm perhaps IN consequence
of the fnct that they are dying lhcy thas
iutcc; the shore rats, which c'tt lhrlt dthu
companions, uutll point Is reached when
the living rats are NO longer capable ut
thus l-poslug Of the donE II ~ then
that the attention Of man ~ drawn to the
iurgc number Of dead rats lying about the
wlarNts and that investigation bias ehoWu
them to hayc died Of this disease. IN con-
munitic- without sanitary officers thiS
process may continue nnchccfed Tor years ears
Tho soil ~ the place thus becoWce thor
0u2hlr imprcgpatcd win the DnCill, cf
ppCialy I'm countries where there is no
proper disposal of human eScrcta anh
where the unscrupu Gus often bury dead
bodies IN order to effect coucealinrhl IL
Is then thW the srpticarmlc form Of tlc
disease becomes common.
Dafoe's ip mortal d'scr ptIon has civ
this aspect OF an epidemic q rr mn nee
Ia the popular mind to which the modr II
surccss IN mitigating yiStai0ns " this
dread disease shows thnt Il is rot entitled
From thu above n IS evident tlOt u ~
even more important To control Is tban
TO scgrcsate human bel g. nd the mo
elaborate precautions are token IN the on
stricken ports IN prevent tue dcp'rt ton OF
dis. asgd +. r.. ono ~ tho m 81 successful
measures for achieving this Is the sulphur
tumigatng plant devised 10y the ]. uisi iuu
Siute board Of health and an present used
WITH such success by Dr. Thomas az POtt
lads Ills description Of tlr contrivnn
excited great interest in Europe, whore n
Wus published In tie British Mcdlca Jour
nal. This SHOWS the vigilance and progress
Five methods of the quarantine officers Of
the gulf ports. aud VIII 60 FAR TO cstoh ish
that confidence among other people upon
which our commercial future so much de-
ponds.
Experience hns shown, however, thar lard
duurpuiino, however ylgllWt, always allows
few luopholes, and IN addition 10 the ad-
mrablc measures which llr. Tabor, St1te
he,lth officer of rtNas hls recommended,
thr measure ~ keeping every Individual
IRON o plague district under medical oh
Scryation for al least ten DAYS, wiz cu1ble
ans eusr which may hayr been ihcubatng
Isolated.
an persons with swollen glands Of recent
standing who can possibly have been In
contact with either persons on goods from u
plague district should Immediately take
medical advice, aud unless clearly suffering
from some other disease must he Kept IN
der observation for some days.
The Mexican government can he relied
upon 20 do all that Is possible TO limit The
spread Of the disease, and the best means
Of preventing the spread Of any accidental
ccutagIon which may in spite Of all vigil
lance. find It's way into rhe United States
* TO begin at once an active crusade
against an rots, SO that II the disease does
reach The country, the means for It's prop
hgaiion may not exist aud The same. fats
win attend II IA win the c0utagion " tel-
/ low fever after the determination Of the
! yellow fever mosquito.
Thus sclonce has shown The world thnt
! two ~ the spentest acOurges ~ me past
T INC great plague and yellow fever, are cln'
I rollfd by means Of the greatest simplicity.
/ INDEED fhf measures are 70 siapla lhat mr.
/ las mpn 81 lpt 10 thlnh they IRE iet seien
| tdr on 30 50 ottep unfortunately does inc