The Hawaiian gazette., 1908-11-27

In huultlOn 10 tnc necropSy ana
mieroscopical examination Of rats
brought to the laboratory each one is
also classified as to species, there being
four kinds found in Honolulu. The rats
that have been dead but short while
are also washed separately and the
wash water is examined for fleas; these
are sent to Washington for identifica-
ton. All found so far have been of
one kind-viz, -Pulex pallida, which is
the one that is supposed to be the usual
plague-carrier.
"While the following figures are for
the year ending October l, it must be
borne in mind that previous to last
April we were furnished with very few
rats in comparison to what we now re-
ceive, less than an average of ITO week
ly, the number has progressively in
creased since that date until we now
catch and shoot from 900 to hoo a
week. So that while the year record
ending October l shows something over
$4,000, we are now destroying rats at
the rate of about $4,000 year. The
following figures are taken from the
records of the laboratory: Number of
rats destroyed during the year, 1929;
number of rats examined bacteriolog-
ically during the year, 1887; number
of rats showing pest infection, z Date
of last rat showing pest infection, De-
cember Z, 1907
"All of these rats that showed pest
infection were specimens forwarded to
me from Hilo in a rat infection that
began early last fall and appeared to
the end of December. We say zap
peared,' for two human cases were re
ported from there later, one in Feb
ruary and one in April, so there must
have been some rat infection previous
to these cases, but none was discover
ed. No systematic examination has
been made of the rats in Hilo. How
ever, specimens are received from there
at irregular intervals, examined and re
ported on. Sanitary Inspector Bowman
continues to press as vigorous an anti
rat campaign as his funds permit by
the use of poison.
cit will be seen from the abovethat
no plague infected rat has been discov
cred in Oahu during the past year, anC
/ may add that no plague infected ra
has been found in Honolulu prope
since the opening of this laboratory OF
July l, 1907.
"The following classification as t,
species will give an idea as to tn,
relative number of each: Mus muscu
lus, 52s7; Mus rattus, 1897; Mus alex
andrinus, 209s; Mus norvegicus, 1882
"During the two months just pas
one of our men has shot between 250'
and 5000 rats from nests in the trees
These are the socalled tree rats that dis
turb our slumbers by playfully gallon
ing over the roof at night. Of these
Mus alexandrinus outnumbers Mu
rattus about two to one. We have we
to obtain a single specimen of MI
norvegicus in tree nest.
Human Cases of Plague.
"The only human cases in thes
Islands coming to our knowledge dun
ing the past year were the two re
ferred to at Hilo. This we consider
most gratifying record.
:" We see from the above that mos
of the data we have obtained from tn
regular work of plague investigation
has been of a negative character. Ye
its weekly publication in the Publ
Health Report has no doubt inspire
confidence among public health Official
and quarantine officers of other port
and in that way has been distint
benefit to the commerce of thet
Islands.
-.s.$-s--
Deputy Attorney General Larnac