The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-07-24
RATS AND FLEAS
MENACE TO CITY
Rodents and Insects Causes of
Bubonic Plague Wherever
II Breaks Out.
DR.. 7. B. BEATTYS VIEWS
HE SAYS PEOPLE SHOULD TAKE
IMMEDIATE ACTION.

Although the people OF salt Lake and
Utah. quietly nest,o1 among the noun
tains and valleys of this inland state.
perhaps do not realize or probably may
never have given the subject a mo-
ments thought, this city and state is
IN the direct line for an attack Of the
dreadful death-dealing bubonic plague.
This statement has been given out by
the state board Of health after a thor
ough investigation of the flea and rat
pests in this state.
A little over a year ago the people
OF Salt Lake discovered that the Nor
way rat had been brought into the
city. These rodents were for a short
time confined to the southern and
western parts OF the city in the direct
neighborhood Of the railroad yards. Be-
fore long, however, they had spread to
other sections OF .he city and at this
time there is scarcely a section OF the
city where rats cannot be found. The
rat, itself, is Of little consequence. II
eats everything il can find and plays
mischievous role in frightening
women a rat plus fleas. however, IS
one OF the most dangerous things in
the world. Recent Investigations in the
southern part OF Utah have brought to
light the presence OF fleas. All that
IL would require now to start bubonic
plague is the presence OF one rat in
here and the very first diseased rat
that arrives is likely to start a terri
bic epidemic.
Millions Die with II.
The plague dates back to almost the
| first pages OF history. In 1894. China
l was visited and millions of people
died. In 13fS Italy had the scourge
I and $4,000 persons died In 1920 the
I 600 people died. In 1870. 10000 people
died in and near Moscow. Russia. In
/ 1893. 10000 people died in CONSTANT
/ nople and in 1915, 10000 people died
T.. \
/ China. and the same year thousands
l died I'm Hong Kong. In May. 1907. the
plague visited San Francisco. There
were $50 cases reported and of thi,
number % died. a greater death rate
was prevented by the active work o.
the city and state health boards and
the hearty cooperation of the citizens
| Before the life-saving campaign wa
over il cost the city and the stat
S139.143.65.
Cause Of Plague.
In years past IL has been though
/ that the bubonic plague was caused b.
filth In comparatively recent times
was learned that plague is carried an
spread by fleas which get the diseas
germs from infected rats.
There are three kinds Of buboni
plague. In one variety there is 1
swelling of the glands OF the neck
This carries with Il mortality recOr
OF IS per cent. The pneumonia form
caused by an invasion of the germ
ticaemic form. caused by the germ
getting into the blood, are invariabl
fatal.
The bacillus pests. which causes tn
disease has three hosts. The rat. tn
flea and the man. In the rat the dis
I ease has about the same effect as
has in the man. II proves fatal afSe
a short time. In the flea, however
5000 bacilii can live in the liver Of tn
flea and have absolutely no effec
upon its health.
I - h - fr. IL
play in the spread Of the disease
| most significant and since Utah no'
has both the rat and the flea and is /
{ | constant communication with the sea
port towns. the danger OF plague
not at all chimerical. In the investiga
tiOn in San Francisco It was found tina
on an average p fleas were found {
Z every healthy rat and 50 to every sic
one When n flea bites n rat or suck
its blood, fl takes into its body almos
! countless numbers or pests hactll
These have an incubation period With
the body OF the flea. when the lie
bites man the germ is carried TO tn
B man. Besides being an incubator 10
/ the disease the rat may also carr
l some OF the germs on its feet ard leg
, and when Il comes into contact wit
/ food IL spreads the germs over tn
I food and these are then In turn take
into the human organism.
The chief habitat. of the rat is {
chicken cCops barns. cellars. and j
fact any place whore II can secur
food and raise its Young. II is the mos
. prolific Of animals. II breeds the yea
round and bears young at the age q
three months.
In San Francisco Il was found tina
mere poisoning and trapping OF rat
was not sufficient 20 keen their mum
bers down. much less to accomplis
their general destruction. Valuable re
suits were only obtained by the whole
. sale destruction Of the rats.
AZ the office OF the state board
| health yesterday DIT. T p. Beatty said
'sThe time is now ripe for the pee
PIE OF salt Lake and Utah to get {
work and destroy the rats. At III
uresent time there are a large mum
her Of rats here. but unless they at
destroyed now IL viii he but q shoI
time before they will overrun the er
tire cftv Resides the ec~n 1rlis91 ~
sons why the -afs should he kille'
they should be killed for sanitary req
, sons salt Lake IS now on the d're6
route from Sas Francisco. where ther
; wps recently 2 plague endemic an
with other Pacific seaDort towns whtc
I arc in direct communication wit
plague countries. We now have III
rats and the fleas IN Utah. and W
] will continue to get more rats an
( more fieas as communication with Oh
coast cities continues.
Rats and Pleas
Rats will travel in cargoes and tn
e fleas viii travel with the rats.
{ we should get one Dlague-infected r.