Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-02-29
THEIR LAST STAND
Scientists of the World Unite Ia
Rout Plague.
Weapons OF the Laboratory Mean
Eventual Victory Over the Dread
cd Hack Denth-A Cruel Total
--Germ Hrs Three Phases.


tFron the 81. Louis Post Dispatch.)
For tho first time In its immemoria
career or slaughter. the plague which 4,
the fourteenth century killed 100000 O
Europe's total population of 10000, oOC
Is involved In worldwide grapple will
the modern science of bacteriology. Tn
battle line extends from Europe to Ash,
and from Asia to North America. tb
Black Death having resumed its assault
upon mankind simultaneously in thre
continents
70 beat the pcstilcnce back from
Europe. re less savant than Eli
Metchnikoff led scientific expedition
organized by the Pasteur Institute. I,
the Kirghiz steppes. in southeaster,
Russia. where, to the horror OF the CONT
nent, the plague has raised Its head Tn,
United States public health and marin,
hospital service is confronting a threat
ened recrudescence Of the pest in Cali
fornia. In China-a thing unparalleled
scientists Of eleven nations, in an inter
ha'ionai plague conference, to plan
campaign against the disease India anc
Japan. the latter of which had the homo
IN 1871 of discovering the plague germ
have enlisted in the conflict
The scientists who. armed with tn,
new weapons of the laboratory. have til,
hardihood to look the Black Death /,
the face, are the bulwark between tn,
civilized world and such epidemlcs IA.
ravaged Athens In the fifth century be
fore Christ. slew "A million victims II
Egypt in the third century, carried OF
100000 persons in China in the thir
teenth century of our era. and killed
6S.596 human beings. or one-third o.
those who did not fee, in London n
1904 and 1865.
The danger is critical. for the plagu,
in China and Russia has taken the pull
monary form. its most fatal. most in
fectious phase and also the one NOS
difficult of diagnosis. In California ant
India the pest ie of the more familia,
bubonic form Rising 10 the emergency
the scientists of all the civilized nation,
have formed a solid phalanx to comba
the most brutal. and. next to tuberculo
sis. the most deadly foe of the human
race
A CRUEL TOTAL.
In the remote provinces OF northwest
ern India the plague mortality in tn.
last six months. reached the cruel tota
of 650GN souls. The British India offic.
reports that the pest Is unusually viru
lent this year. During one week Their,
were 1851 seizures and $3.50 death.
from the plague In India
In the Chinese Province of Marchuria
counting the seaports alone. 40. 900 death.
from the pestilence are reported. and tn,
\iccroy, Hsi 1Iang, has appealed TO tn,
Emperor for the institution of rici,
medical supervision. No statistics OF tn,
fatalities In Russia are obtanable, bu
MetchnikoH reports the desolation of en-
ed down abruptly upon their inhabitants
Despite the energetic campaign of 1901
which made San Francisco ratproof, ant
therefore plagueproof, and which ex
tended its reforms throughout California
Associated Press dispatches a few day.
ago spread the following ominous infor
nation from Stockton, cal
Angelo l5ia.nch. a laborer. has bee,
taken to the isolation hospital here. SUI
foring from the bubonic plague He |,
thought to have been bitten by a flea
which had become inoculated from 8
squirrel"
The fact that this is n solitary cas-.
has ROT prevented The health authorize.
or the state from rebuilding their pre-
cau1ons. 1t is remembered that tn,
epidemic which burst upon San Fran
cisco four years ago arose from the ill.,
ress of n single sailor ana attacked Is
persons, OF whom seventy-sevcn died.
GERM HAS THREE PHASES.
The postlence IS usually known as IN.
bubonic plague. but this is a misnomer
Inc same germ. the bacillus pestis
has three phases. like the tuberculosis.
germ. Fhc latter. when it attacks the
lungs, results in consumption: when il
affects the bones and lymphatic glands
causes scrofula, and when it a.ssails IN,
skin is known as lupus; but the three
diseases are caused by the same minute
germ Of infection.
Similarly, the plague germ may attack
the lungs. the glands or the blood. Ir
the lungs il causes pulmonary plague
the only form Of the disease which Is be-
lieved to be communicable from man &c
man. 1t is almost always fatal In the
second case. swelling Of the glands. OF
boboes, gives rise to the adjective, blu.
bonic.' Recoyeries are not infrequent
In the third case septicaemio or blood
poisoning plague. results. and is said tc
be invariably mortal. Tho last two
forins OF tho pest are held to be spread
only through the bites of fieas from in.
fected animals.
Tn the pulmonary phase OF the conta
giou." DR.. A. Stanley medical officer t.
the Shanghai municipal council, says tina,
the germs may be sprayed ~ feet by a
cough or even by a spoken word Con-
tact with the breath of an infected per-
son suffices to communicate the disease
1t Is also difficult of diagnosis without a
meteorological test, as even an expert
enced physician, not on his guard, may
confuse II with typhoid, malaria, relays
Ing fever. typhus and particularly with
broncho pneumonia.
Tho plague was primarily a. disease OF
animals, especially OF rodents. Rats, mice
guinea pigs, rabbits. squirrels and mon
keys are susceptible to the bacillus; and
to far lesser degree. horses, cattle
sheep, goats. pigs. dogs and cats. Tn,
bacillus has been demonstrated In tn,
bodies of fleas. flies. bugs and ants. i
has long been known that an epidemic O.
plague among human beings Is nlmos
always preceded and accompanied by al
epixootic among animals. particular,
among rats.
The disease attacked man hrst anon,
tho tribes Of Africa, who were inoculatet
by the bites Of feas from sick rats. l
spread to Egypt and thence to Europe
It 10 Described by Moses. by Thucydide