Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1908-03-18
BUBONIC PLAGUE WAR
Two Thousand Rats Slain Daily
In San Francisco.
CAMPAIGN ACTIVELY WAGED,
Health Officers Report $63,33o Contrib.
uted to Fight the Disease-Two Hume
dred Men at Work Destroying Ro
dents-PIague Prevention Taught Ir
Public Schools.

The campaign In San Francisco
against the bubonic plague continues
TO be vigorously conducted, and the re
suits. the health officers declare. are
becoming more satisfactory DR. Ru-
pert Blue of the United States marine
hospital service, who Is In charge of
the campaign. said that the co-opera-
ton OF the citizens In the movement to
prevent the spread of the contagion is
gratifying. and he and his assistants
are greatly encouraged.
"Since Jan. | there have been only
three cases." said DR.. Blue. "and one
suspicious case was brought to light
the other day. that of a man who had
been vagrant for several months.
He had been sent to the isolation hos
pital. and we will know about his case
after he has been there a short time
None of the new cases has resulted
fatally.
1.-THE work of extermiIAs,ing the rats
is progressing very satisfactorily. They
are being killed off at the rate OF 1000
or more a day The rat infection In
the infected districts averages about
the same-about per cent Fleas.
which carry the disease. are increasing
I'm number on the rats as the weather
grows warmer and the citizens should
therefore redouble their efforts I'm the
battle royal against the rodents. The
work of the citizens thus far is GER
tainly TO be commended, and If Ii is
maintained ] have no doubt that we
will be able TO steer a clean road from
danger"
The first announcement made by the
finance committee OF the citizens
health body shows contributions OF
$685. $50 toward the 100000 fund which
is to be raised for the purposes OF sanl-
tation
Money is reaching the committee In
large amounts. The Southern Pacific
heads the list with a contribution OF
$4,000, with the Santa Fe second
with $4,000. A small sized army OF
men is being used in the work of SAM
tation, and it is figured that the cam
paign will extend through the entire
summer. At least $4,000 In addition
TO the government appropriation will
be used
The approach of the time when the
thousands of American sailors from
the battleship feet will be given lib
erty In San Francisco has aroused its
Inhabitants and business interests to
the need for showing a perfectly clean.
bill of health. The garbage collection
and destruction service Is being reor-
ganlzed, and where residents cannot
pay for the removal of rubbish II is
done at public expense A f-at
The eradication OF the rats is an IN
teresting feature u the plague war
The city employs 4 large force Of men
doing nothing but spreading poison
upon brown bread, which Is scattered
Systematically in certain squares OF
the city. Two hundred men are now
employed, These men are trained IN
rat catching ana as soon as they are
competent are sent out TO work in the
districts into which the city is divided
The campaign q ~ one of education
and meetings9of every line of business
have been held aud the aid of the
Church federation asked. Teachers in
the public schools have Incorporated
plague prevention as n portion of the
curriculum. and women's clubs even
have inspectors at work doing volun-
teer duty Drug stores have been dis
tributng rat poison free. and rat trips
and garbage cans. cannot be obtained
as fast, as they. are required n