, 1908-06-27
PUTTING OUR ROUSE IN ORDER.
(Denaeraro Arqosv, 18th June.)

On IL AOLn ullILlO, Lu0 OuIS0Ou O0ACAdl
circulated a lucidly worded leafet pointing
out to merchants and householders the dan
ger of allowing rats to infest their premises,
and advocating at the same time a campaign
Of determination against the rodents, by
means Of whose feas, it has been definitely
decided, the plague poison is conveyed to
man. On the 9th instant, as the result of a
cable message from Trinidad intimating the
appearance there of the disease, an informal
conference took place in the Court of Policy
Hall between the Governor and the Mayor
of the City,-the Surgeon General and others
being also present-and His Worship was
asked to bring the matter up before the
Town Council with the object Of securing its
cooperation with the Government in the
carrying out Of the precautionary measures
decided upon, and Of getting it to make suit
able provision for dealing with the disease,
should it unfortunately succeed in crossing
over to our shores. The following day, the
Surgeon General convened a meeting of the
Local Government Board at the Law Libra
ry, when, after the passing of q resolution
making the disease o notifiable one under
Ordinance rs of 1902, along with cholera,
yellow fever, and smallpox, he reviewed the
measures that had been already taken, and
emphasized the importance of q wholesome
destruction of rats. The situation was fully
discussed at the statutory meeting at the
Town Council last Tuesday, and evidence
was not wanting that the members are pre-
pared to give the Government every assis-
lance possible, and faithfully and thoroughly
to perform the duties devolving upon the
Corporation as the Sanitary Authority of the
city. What the Council has decided to do
Immediately is to order o Clayton machine
though the one belonging to the Govern
q I --.L -
al of the Council-and to acquire q stock of
the rat virus recommended by the Surgeon
General. The Clayton machine is an excel
lent and effective contrivance for fumigating
and disinfectiug houses, clothes, etc. A
larger one than that at the Hospita! has been
ordered by the Government aud which can
be used for, fumigating the holds of ships
coming from plague-infected port. Asregards
the virus, 1t is what the Surgeon General
is strongly in favour of, being superior to
the poisoning agents; for whereas poison
affects the one rat only which happens to
take it in, the virus produces in she rodent a
highly infectious diseases so that one diseased
rat may become the means of communicating
q fatal disease to q large number of it's fell
lows. AT the same time DR.. GODFREY recon-
mends the use of poisons as well, more
especially the barium carbonate, which is
less harmful than such other poisons as
strychpine, arsenic, etc. A good way to use
the barium carbonate, according to PROBES
soR HARRIsoN-who has tried it with excel
lent results-is to mix it with rice sprinkled
on the floor. It can also be used in the
form of a dough made of one-ifth carbonate
and four-ffths meal or what is considered
a more convenient bait is ordinary oatmeal,
with about one-eighth of it's bulk of carbonate
mixed with water into q stiff dough, or the
carbonate may be spread upon bread and
butter, or moistened toast. We look to the
public at large cordially to cooperate with
both the Government and the Town Council
in THEN efforts to put the colony in good
defensive order against the deadly disease
that is threatening it and which may DON be
knocking at its doors. There should be no
sentimental scruples on the part of the
inhabitants, and all should, by the adoption
of the measures recommended, hold them
selves in readiness against what they should
regard as a common foe. The Sanitary Au.
thority should also at this time-especially
as yellow fever is reported to have broken
out in Essequebo-see to it that the SANTA
ton OF the city is maintained at as nigh a
level rs possible, and all offenders against the
sanitary regulations vigorously dealt with.
1t has been stated that great and destructive