Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-03-28
''ORIENTAL FANTASY" IS
GIVEN AS PLAQUES CAUSE
Sheer Ignorance Is Said to Be
Reason for PestiIenCe in
China
by Associated Press. }


LOUISVILLE. Kysl March 24.-Orien-
tai fantasy that evolves weird remedies
in the face, of the mystery of sickness,
holiday migration and sheer ignorance
are given as causes for the spread of
the plague in China, by Rev. Charles
A. Leonard. Baptist missionary, of
Louisville, with headquarters at Laichew
Flu, China. in letter which he has
written to friends here
Mr.. Leonard's letter, posted February
5, at the height of the plaques spread
throughout Manchuria and North China,
reviews the progress of the deadly dis
ease, then sets forth a proclamation by
chinese official in which is contained
imperial advice for the baking of the
malady.
Here is one of the choice recipes for
avoiding lethal sickness at plague time
in that part of the Orient:
After the opening of spring, boil tur-
nip juice and any kind. of creeping bean
vine. 1t is recommended that all the fam
lily, large and small, drink it when it is
warm. Thus the plague will be avoid
ed"
HORSE BONE CURE.
Here is rule No, of the official list of
preventives:
Take one piece of horse bone. wrap
it in red cloth, put in small bag and
wear on the side of the body. men son
the left and women on the right"
1t is to be supposed from the tone of
recipe No. 5, that the plague has no
chance at all, as follows:
use of the thunder pill. Ingredients:
Take rhubarb, gold leaf flakes, cinni-
bar and alum in about equal quantities,
all ground fine and made into pills. Take
with water. Dose, one-ffth of an ounce"
During the reign of Klein Lung (this
was in 1850 the plague devil was driven
by thunder pills into hiding in Kiangsu,
Ch'and and Chow Flu, during the Chu
Pus magistracy. All who gave the pre-
scription were able to avoid the plague
and those who lived by it were beyond
numbering.
Here is one of the Oriental ideas of
black eye for the plague that sounds a
bit occidental:
'Seventh-Red sulphur ground fine.
mix with water and profusely spread in
the nostrils of the patient viii also pre-
vent the spread of the infection. This
is wonderful remedy
Mr.. Leonard mentions these recipes,
among others, apparently in qualifica-
ton of his declaration that Officials are
bound down by heather religion, super
stition and customs until they are
wholly unprepared. spiritually and intel
lectually to cope with such crisis as
is now on
PERIL TO FOREIGNERS
Mr.. Leonard's assertion of the serious
ness of the plague and the pitifully in
adequate measures resorted to as a
means of checking it, might be taken
to indicate peril to Europeans and
Americans stationed in North China and
Manchuria The missionary goes on to
tell, however. that all missions, which
are surrounded by walls, have set up a
rigorous quarantine and that danger to
occidentals has been reduced to a mini
mum.
Mr.. Leonard was graduated last year
from the Southern Baptist Theological
seminary, of Louisville. He is originally
from Statewide N. c. Just before he
went to China, last autumn, he married
Miss Evelyn Corbit, of Shreveport, La.
Mr.. Leonard, in his letter, says that
the plague had it's beginning in north
western Manchuria. The germs took UP
their abode in the fur of a small animal.
much like the mermot. The disease was
passed on to the Chinese and Russians.
Just at this stage of it's development
there came the extensive travelling from
working place to home incident to the
Chinese New Year, and by this means
the plague spread with remarkable cell
Gritty.
The letter describes deplorable con-
ditfons 1t tells of hundreds of corpses
piled in indescribable confusion in in
Vulnerable towns and cities. The
plaques deadliness is aptly pictured in
the statement that all hospitals were
ouarantined against it.