The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-11-04

nous toll of human lives, that
caused the occasional cases in Cal
ifornia seaport cities.
Several months ago, when ply
sicians practicing in Alamenda and
Contra Costa counties, reported
scattering but nevertheless unmis-
taxable cases among their
patients, the plague experts on
the coast were puzzled. Infection
could not have been spread by
rats, and careful study of the
stricken men developed the fact
that none of them had paid re-
cent visit to seaport towns.
But one significant fact devel-
oped-and that was that every one
of the seven infected with the
characteristic symptoms of the
plague had either eaten ground
squirrels or killed them for sport.
From this clew, surgeons have alb
solutely proven that the Beechy
ground squirrel is as dreaded an
agent of plague infection as the
rats of the seaboard.
Squirrels suffering from the dis
ease have been captured far in
land from the coast. incubation
of healthy animals with the bacili
of the bubonic plague resulted in
their death from the disease.
And so, now, the inland coun-
ties of California face the problem
of killing off the specter of grim
death that daily hovers over
them. The only solution of the
problem lies in killing off every
squirrel in Alameda and Contra
Costa counties.
II am going to Oakland" said
DR.. Merriam, Ito personally super
wise the campaign of extermina-
ton which has been decided up
on. My plan now-it is only ten
tative, however--is to Isolate Ala
media and Contra Costa counties
where infected squirrels have been
found and distinct plague out
breaks among human beings as
we'll, and kill off every squirrel in
that territory.
Fortunately the two counties
are bounded on three sides by
water and marshes. On the south
ern boundary 1t is likely that that
we shall have our greatest prob
lem. My idea is to clear a path,
say a mile or more In width,
across the southern part of the
peninsula which is formed by the
two counties. Every bit of un-
derbrush which would shelter a
squirrel should be cleared away
across probably 80 miles of terri
tory. Then our men would start
from this cleared ground north
ward, killing off every squirrel in
their path. Not one should be al
lowed to escape.
Poisoning is the best means of
discriminating the squirrels, ac-
cording to the experts of the bio
logical survey. Here is the for
mula most successfully used:
Barley (dry, whole grain) 20
rs pounds, strychnia sulphate
(fineiy pulverized) 1 ounce, sac
charine scant teaspoonful, starch
solution (medium thick 1 quart.
Mix the strychnine and sacchar-
Inc with the hot starch and stir
until dissolved. Add this to the
grain and stir until the poison is
evenly distributed. The starch
should be thick enough not to run
too freely.
1t is thought by the plague ex-
perts of the public health service
that plague infected rats landed at
Oakland by steamers from the ORR
ent, carried the bacilli of the dis
ease to the Beechy squirrels, so
common around that vicinity.
These in turn, spread infection to
their kindred, and SO the germs
have been carried inland.
The Beechy ground SPUR
rel IL small vigorous
animal, whose destructive
ness has previously caused
the species to be put under the ban
in Southern California. The biolog-
zeal survey has been poisoning
thousands of the animals near Mo-
desto and other sections. because
they eat up the grain. spoil the