The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-08-12
BY SURGEON GENER Al. RUPERT
BLUE,
of the Public Health and Marine Hos
DifaI service.

pital service.
Pla que has appeared Tor the hfst
time upon the eastern borders of the
United States. The nearest point from
which the disease has heretofore APP
preached Our Atlantic and gulf sea
boards is the Azores. But now II has
found a Judgement in Porto Rico,
where IL has already caused over for
ty-two cases and a score of. deaths,
and in Havana, Cuba. where dozen
persons have been attacked and sew
eral deaths have occurred,
Plague. then. liz on our doorstep.
And now / m going to indicate meas
ures which are being taken to pre-
vent IL from crossing the threshold.
The cities on the Atlantic and quiz
coast rea ti2ing that an absolute quar-
antine against rats. without the pro-
hibltion Of commerce, is almost an
impoSsibilfty. have begun the work OK
examining their rodent population for
nlag7le. All vessels from San Juan
and Havana bound for the United
States, are thoroughly fumigated and
every known measure taken 10 pre-
went their bringing rats into our
ports, Crusades against rats are also
under way in the threatened cities.
Impossible To Prophesy.
I cannot prophesy what United
States ports, if any. Will tee atta cked.
nor can / say which will be the frst
10 suffer from the lncursion of the
plague Indeed. II is to be hoped that
the timely warning that has been
given and the manifold precautions
that have been taken Will serve to
protect us But in the meantime il $
the duty Of every port having marine
Communications with other countries
which are plague infected to begin
at once DO rid itself OF rats. and 10
go provide for the future that even
If infected rats be imported, they
will have no opportunity to enter
human dwellings and spread the
disease through the transference of
their fees to man.
When the plague was reported IN
Porto RICO. the public health and
marine hospital service of the United
states at once doubled its precautions
In order to prevent this ancient diseas
from gaining access TO our eastern
and southern ports. our experience
with the disease In California has
demonstrated the fact that IL is only
hv mea srires OF the utmost prompts-
tude and efficiency that such diseases
can 10 successfully cradicated. There
fore, Assistant Surgeon 5, K. Grupos,
who was already in Porto Rico as
chief ouara milne officer Immediately
put into operation tho machinery
which Is used to prevent the disease
from leaving an infested port
This emhodies u thorough outgoing
quarantine. which means that all
ships are fumigated after discharg-
ing cargo: 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 having been stored
in rat-proof surroundings only.
Carried by Flcas.
Plague liz carried to man from the
naas or infected rats So II we can
t,revert tho transportation Of the rats
from infected ports into non-infected
norts we can prevent the shipment
of plagu. from stricken territory into
clean communities,
The situation in Porto Rico finally
became SO arrlte that II was soon
seen that more exhaustive measures
must he take the government OF
Porto Rico. therefore. requested the
assistance a. The nuh)ic health and
marine hosrital service because OF the
recognized experience OF this corps In
nlar,Ie warfare. assistant Surgeon
r. II. Creel. an officer Of great field
and laboratory experience, was AZ
once ordered TO Porto Rico. As his
assistants were sent Assistant Sur
eeons Joseph Ridlon and r. l.. VIII
lians.
Plague has manifested itself by
human death In the town Of San
Juan. San Turce. Carolina. LOLA,
Arroyo and Dorado. This really rem
resents quite an extensive area. The
heaviest infection. however. has been
found In the two most thickly popu-
lated portions OF San Juan. Puerta De
TERRA and Santurce and the work IL,
therefore. focused on these points.
Extcrminate the Rats.
How do you night plague? To nxh'