The Washington herald., 1912-07-08
EFFORTS
AGAINST PLAGUE
American Physicians to Help Stamp
Out Disease in Porto
Rica.
SEVENTEEN FATALITIES OCCUR

With a total of II deaths out of %
cases in three towns since June Is. the
island of Porto Rico Is facing a serious
situation from bubonic plague. Unable
to cope with the crisis, the insular gov
ernment has appealed to the Public
Health and Marine Hospital Service OF
the United States, and that department
has turned regular plague-fighting
force. comprising nearly 100 men and 8
commissioned officers. into the infected
district
The strictest possible regulations re-
garding clearance of freight, vessels.
and passengers from Porto Rican ports
are being enforced In order to prevent
the spread Of the disease from the is
And.
DR.. r. Won Ezdorf. of the Marine Hos
pital Service. is now on his way to Cuba
and is expected to arrive there to-day
or tomorrow. He will assume charge
of the supervision OF all outgoing traf-
fic, and will cooperate with the Cuban
health service in so far as his advice Is
requested. Over all outgoing shipping.
however, he will exercise a most rigorous
control, and will take such measures
as to insure the protection OF all ports
Of the United States.
Cubans Work Alone.
To the Cuban department OF health
and sanitation will be left the task Of
preventing the spread of the bubonic
plague infection in the city OF Havana
and beyond. This department of the
Cuban government is regarded here as
highly efficient and in a position to cope
with the plague situation effectively. In
the department are many medical and
health officers who grew up in the Or
ganization developed by United States
officials in the cleaning up OF Havana
during the American interventions.
No fear is felt for the personnel OF
the warships now coming north from
Cuba, because of the elaborate precau-
tions taken on board the naval vessels
and the superior health conditions pre-
vailing upon them.
A workman was stricken with what
appeared 10 be the dread plague in
Puerto de Tiera about June 10 A bac-
THEOLOGICAL examination confirmed the
first diagnosis and the sanitary author
tiles Immediately called in Past As
sistant Surgeon s. b. Grubbs. of the
Public Health Service. DR.. Grubbs.
after taking such preliminary measures
as he could, asked for help from the
department and Past Assistant Surgeon
R. H Creel' was sent to the island from
Providence. r. l. With DR.. Creel went
Assistant Surgeons c. l. Williams and
Joseph Ridlon, who will have charge Of
the meteorological laboratories.
Four Infected Centers.
So far the disease has appeared in
four towns-San Juan. Santurcey, Caro-
lima. and Arroyo. OF these four towns
about seventy men under the direction
of officers of the department have been
put to work. Part OF the men are en-
gagged in inspection; some are working
for the determination OF the plague
carrying rats; others are educating the
people as to the best means of prevent
ing infection. The deaths SO far have
been distributed as follows: Twenty-one
cases and thirteen deaths in San Juan.
five cases and two deaths in Santurcey.
two cases and two deaths in Carolina.
At Arroyo there was a death from
plague on a sloop which had made San
Juan its last port of call. Indications
are that cases appeared in San Juan
as early as June !, but were not re-
ported to the sanitary Offices.