Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-07
BuD0NIC PLAQUES SPREAD
GEN. FACET OF PUBLIC HEALTH
SERVICE DESCRIBES IT.
Terrible Devastation in India.
Cases In Philippines and in San
Francisco Recently.

surgeon General Wyman Of the Public
Health and Marine Hospital Service has
issued In pamphlet form paper prepared
by Asst. Surgeon General j. M
Eaget, giving history of the spread OF
bubonic plague during the last fourteen
years.
No study presents more important and
difficult sanitary problems. DR.. Eaget
says. than the lines Of march taken by
bubonic plague during the period men
toned in its advance from the remote en-
denaic focus Of the disease in the province
Of Yunnan. China, to the numerous coun-
tries in all quarters OF the globe where in
many instances 1t has established itself
i'll defiance of the most carefully planned
preventive measures.
The revival Of plague. DR.. Eaget says,
dates from 1894. when. escaping from the
western Chinese province Of Yunnan, it
lished that there are two distinct
strains Of plague, differing in the loca-
ton Of their permanent homes and in
their facility for spreading outside them.
The strain in western Asia does
not possess the same power of diffusion
as the Indo-Chinese Strain" 1t was
the latter variety which. escaping from
It's center In Yunnan gave rise to the
present pandemic. From 1870 to 1904
not single year passed without the ap-
pearance OF plague in some locality dis
tant from endemic plague centers.
Between the months of March and
August 1894. the number Of deaths from
plague in Canton Is estimated at 10000.
All classes among the native population
suffered, but in the foreign quarter Of
Canton. with a population of about 800.
not a single case occurred. During the
next year cases Of plague were reported
in Hongkong, Annoy. Macao and Fuchau.
and In 1895 sanitary attention through
out the world was focused on the threat
ening epidemic by Its appearance in Bonn
bay.
Spreads In India.
Starting In August. the disease spread
throughout the whole vast territory OF
the Bombay presidency. and before the
end Of the year showed a total Of 1850
cases and 2.2sS deaths. During that year
plague reappeared in Hongkong, where II
has been epidemic ever since. In 1897
the number Of cases In India was more
than 70. 600, with over 5000 deaths. In
China there were epidemics at Annoy and
Swallow, with many deaths in other Sec
lions OF the empire. and I'M the following
year there were over 10000 cases In In
dia. with a mortality of 117.0OO. In 1897
an international plague conference was
held at Venice, and in the year following
others were held at Alexandria and Con-
stantinople.
But through religious prejudice efforts
to stem the tide we're only partly success
full. In 1900 plague was present in every
quarter of the world. the deaths in India
alone amounting to g. 600 during the year
$50 Die in Philippines.
The Philippine Islands were included in
the march OF the disease. $50 deaths oc-
curing at Manila. The most notable fact
In the history of the plague in the west
ern world was the appearance of twenty
two fatal cases in San Francisco. In
1891 in. India a great augmentation took
place, until in 1904 plague caused the
death Of over 100000 persons in India
alone and epidemics prevailed to a great
er or less degree In nearly all parts Of the
world
India, the great center. suffered terribly
In the year 1905. but in 1905 there
was a great decrease, the number OF
deaths being about $4,000. but again in
1907 there was a great increase, the
deaths numbering 100000. For nine
years. DIR. Eaget says. Hawaii in 1907
had not been free from plague. but the
Philippine Islands now seem to be clear
Of the disease. During the year 1907 156
cases Of plague. with 70 deaths, occurred
in San Francisco. There were also q few
cases at Oakland and other close neigh
bors Of San Francisco. At Seattle. Wash.
the report says. three fatal cases occur
red last October.