The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-08-10
National News Association
BY SURGEON GENERAL RUPERT
BLUE, Public Health and Marine
HOSPITAL Service.

Hospital Service.
Plague has appeared for the first
time upon the eastern borders of the
United States. The. nearest point
from which the disease has heretofore
approached our Atlantic and Gulf sea
boards is the Azores. But now it has
found a Judgement in Porto Rico,
where it has already caused over for
ty-two cases and score of deaths, and
in Havana, Cuba, where dozen per-
sons have been attacked and several
deaths have occurred.
Plague, then, is on our doorstep.
And now | am going to indicate meas
ures which are being taken to prevent
it form crossing the threshold.
The cities on the Atlantic and Gulf
coast, realizing that an absolute quar-
antine against rats, without the prohi-
bition of commerce, is almost an i'm
possibility, have begun the work of ex-
aminng their rodent population for
plague. All vessels from San Juan
and Havana bound for the United
States, are thoroughly fumigated and
IL
vent their bringing rats into our ports.
Crusades against rats are also under
way in the threatened cities.
| cannot prophesy what United
States ports, if any, will be attacked,
nor can l say which will be the first
plague. Indeed, it is to be hoped that
the timely warning that has been Civ
en- and the manifold precautions that
have been taken, will serve to protect
us. But in the meantime it is the duty
of every port having marine communi-
cations with other countries which are
plague infected to begin at once to
rid itself of rats, and to so provide
for the future that even if infected
rats may be imported. they will have
no opportunity to enter human dwell
ings and spread the disease through
the transference of their fees to man.
When the plague was reported in
Porto Rico, the Public Health and Ma
rine Hospital Service Of the United
States at once doubled it's precautions
in order to prevent this ancient dis
ease from gaining access to our east
ern and southern ports. Our expert
ence with the disease in California has
demonstrated the fact that such dis
eases can be successfully eradicated.
Therefore, Assistant Surgeon S. B.
Grubbs, who was already in Porto Ri
co as chief quarantine officer, imme-
diately put into operation the machin-
cry which is used to prevent the dis
ease from leaving an infected port.
This embodies a thorough outgoing
quarantine which means that all ships
are fumigated after discharging car
go; that they are to be loaded from
lighter and that the only freight that
can be shipped is that which has been
certified as having originated and hav-
ing been stored in rat proof surround
ings only. ,..t... 49, -,.
Plague is carried to man from the
f1eas of infected rats. So if we can
prevent the transportation of rats from
infected ports into non-infected ports,
we can prevent the shipment of plague
from stricken territory into clean COM
munities.
The situation in Porto Rico finally
became so acute that it was soon seen
that more exhaustive measures must
be taken. The government of Porto
Rico, therefore, requested the assist
ance of the Public Health and Marine
Hospital Service because of the recog-
nized experience of this corps in
plague warfare. Assistant Surgeon R.
H. Creel an officer of great field and
laboratory experience, was at once
ordered to Porto Rico. AS his assists
ants were sent Assistant Surgeons JOS
eph Ridlon and T. L. Williams.
Plague has manifested itself by hui
man death in the town of San Juan,
Santurce, Carolina, Lola, Arroyo and
Dorado This really represents quite
an extensive area. The heaviest in
lection, however, has been found in
the two most populated portions of
San Juan, Puerta De TERRA and San
turce and the work is therefore focus
ed on these points.
How do you fight plague? To fight
plague you must not only wage war
of absolute determination upon the rat
but you must also trace the disease
among the rodent population and pre-
vent it's being transmitted to man.
To exterminate the rodents you
must take into consideration every
single factor of their existence.
The first thing is to cut off the rats
food supply. This implies a clean
household both inside and outside. 1t
does not mean that the remnants of
the meals are merely out of sight, or
that the refuse from the stables can
be thrown into an uncovered bin, but
it means that all foods which might
tempt the rat shall be rendered mac
cessible by the use of metal contain
ers or metal screening.
Once you have done this it is easy
to kill the rats off by using poisons.
1t has been my observation that phos-
pherous paste is one of the best poi
sonous agents. 1t shines at night and
the rats seem to like it's taste and
odor. Another advantage it has is
that it deteriates, hence you are not
likely you to kill an animal you never
intended to harm a couple of years
after you put the poison out, No mat
tor what kind of poison is used Ii must