New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-07-08
WAR ON BUB0N|C PLAGUE /
AT ALL EASTERN PORTS
Surgeon General Blue Enforcing
Strict Precautions Against
Spread of Disease.
BLAME FLEA INFECTED RATS
determination of Rodents Or
dered by Health Authorities
Vessels for U. S. Ports To
Be Inspected at Havana.

Washington, July Every Atlantic
and Gulf port is to-day enforcing strict
precautions against the spread Of bu-
bonic plague into this country. Surgeon
General Blue, of the Public Health and
Marine Hospital Service, telegraphed or
ders to the officials at Portland, Me.
Boston, Providence, New York, Perth
Amboy, Baltimore, Norfolk, Wilmington,
Charleston, Savannah, New Orleans.
Pensacola and Galveston.
They were directed, in view of the
plague outbreak at Havana and Porto
Rico, to confer with the city health Off
GERS and urge the collection, examina-
ton and destruction Of rats, especially
on the waterfront. Flea infected rats
are the most common means of spread
ing the plague.
Passed Assistant Surgeon r. H. Won
Ezdorf was ordered from Mobile to as
sist in the outgoing quarantine at Ha-
vana.
Dr. Guiteras, the marine hospital rep
resentative at Havana, telegraphed to-
day that there was a heavy mortality of
rats in Mercaderos street, close to the
source of the plague case.
Orders went to Havana to begin thor
ough fumigation Of all vessels bound for
United States ports. Immediately after
the discharge Of cargoes all rats will be
destroyed and the vessels prohibited
from going to or lying at the docks or
wharves there The freights will be in
spected and certified on bills Of health.
No crews are TO be shipped in Havana
and no shore liberty will be allowed
crews there.
10 be certified individually prior TO their
departure for this country, showing that
they have not resided in the infected
districts for seven days. Otherwise they
will be detained seven days in Trisconia,
the old detention. camp near Havana.
Key West and New Orleans will care
fully inspect passengers and crews as TO
their temperature and fumigate vessels
against rats until the officials are notified
that the precautionary measures are be-
ing carried out in Havana. At Key
West vessels from Havana must lie in
the stream or take measures to prevent
rats from getting ashore. The New Or
leans authorities will inspect the I'M
loading and refumigate, If necessary.
Havana, July NO additional cases
of bubonic plague have been discovered.
The Spaniard at the Las Animas Hos
pital who is suffering from the disease
. is believed TO be dying. The sanitary
authorities are encouraged in the belief
that this may be the only case, but the
Health Department continues TO exercise
extraordinary activity in the fumigation
of houses in the vicinity of the one from
which the case was taken.
The anti-rat brigade Is waging vigor-
Gus warfare, setting traps with poisoned
bait and closing all rat holes. The car
cases of hundreds of rats are being care
fully preserved and will be sent to the
sanitary laboratory for examination. Up
TO the present none of the rats has shown
infection.
Less alarm was felt in the city to-day
because Of the confident attitude and &C
tivities of the Health Department, but
many persons are leaving the city The
steamer Saratoga sailed this morning
with a full passenger list.