New-York tribune., 1911-04-03
FIGHT AGAINST PLAGUE
Foreign Physicians at Moukden
Hope to Find a Serum.
ERA IN CHINESE MEDICINE
Western Ideas Adopte6-Jap-
anese Doctors Views Re-
garding Epidemic.

peking. April 2.-The Chinese author
tiles have made most elaborate prepara-
,ions for the International Medical Con-
ference which will begin at Moukden to-
morrow for the purpose Of investigating
the plague situation Doctors OF many
nations, some American delegates and
several Russian women. are present Or.
=. y. Strong Of the Bureau Of Science
IN tho Philippine Islands. will take a
prominent part In the conference. lie
tas heen in Moukden for some time
making q meteorological study of the
disease and endeaVoring 20 discover an
effeCtive toxin The Indian and other
preparations have proved unavailing.
end only masks have been found eff
fective In preventing Infection.
Many marmots. from which the dis
ease was first contracted 10y the hunters
uho took the pelts. have been collected
for experiment AT the conference. Al
though no cure has Yet been found for
The plague. the doctors feel confident.
from tho knowledge they have already
CLEANED bv observation and experiment.
that they will eventually find certain
means in the form of serum to COM
ha; the disease.
At the outbreak OF the present epi-
den1ic practically no knowledge concern
Ing its treatment existed. and the first
methods employed. which We're on the
lines generally adopted against hubonic
-i,e. rro>ed fatal to several of the
doctors. This intimidated others. but
there we're = few brave men who went
among the stricken people and demon
strated that the disease could be con-
trolleG
Or :. Kitasato. the noted japanese
Psychologists says that while no victim
Of pneumonia plagu" RECEIVERS, this dis
case il more easily controlled than bu-
homie. As the pneumonia is contracted
only frow exhalations or expectorations,
which can easily be avoided. The bacilli
die quickly in dry air; therefore, the fear
Of the dust storms which have been
prevalent this season is groundless
Dr. Kitasato Hkens the pneumonia
plague 10 consumption. Although it is
"A thousand times quicker i'm its action.
II takes exactly the same channels OF
transmission. He hopes that the bacilli
will be- eXteruinated when the warm
weather drives the Chinese outdoors,
where they can escape the danger Of in
lection from breathing the polluted at
uosphere The railway zones in cities
ere now nearly entirely free from the
yaeue. but the interior towns and vii
ages are still suffering seriously.
The success of the doctors Of the mod
err school is considered as the begin
ming Of q rcw medical era in China
tn old school advocates opposed the
modern methods at first insisting that
the old STYLE medicine mon should have
chance The ineffcCtlvencss Of their
so-Called cures and the great mortality
pnong them finally convinced the moro
Intelligent Chinese officials that the
Western methods were superior. hut
without the fear On the part Of china Of
Interference from Russia or Japan the
modern physicians would probably never
have received the opportunity of prov
irg tho value Of Western ideas
Reports from tho famine district say
that many missionaries are engaged IN
s.'oial efforts TO save the children from
starvation They have established or
manages and have been gathering to-
gather deserted children and those who
have lost their parents. The distributing
centres are unable 10 supply sufficient
rice for the purposes Of food, but are
giving out much bean cake which Is
generally used rs fertilizer and as food
for cattle The famine fever is raging
and il is stated that the famine is worse
TRAN IN 1906