Evening journal., 1912-07-29
KEEPING WATCH
ON THE PLAGUE
Government Aiding SeapOrtS
to Exterminate GERM
Laden Rodents
DISEASE COMES
CLOSE TO OUR DOOR

WASHINGTON. July 29.-Thc near
approach of bubonic plague to the
United States, by having become cpl
demic in Porto Rico and advanced
TO Havana has caused medical au-
thorities and commercial interests of
practically all the seaboard cities
from Portland, Maine, to Galveston,
Texas. promptly to respond to the
warnings issued by Surgeon General
Rupert Blue Of the Public Health
and Marine Hospital Service.
The health authorities of New York,
Boston. Baltimore, Philadelphia Nor
folk. Key West Pensacola, New Or
leans and Galveston have al
ready notified General Blue that they
have entered into cooperation with
the representatives of that service in
their cities for the purpose of maxi
ing crusade against tho rats that
are already there and to prevent rats
bringing in tho disease from South
ern infected ports on ships.
Not Alarmed, But Cautious.
While General Blue Is not an
Rlarmist over the present conditions
In the West Indies which is the clos
est the pleague has ever come TO the
Atlantic and Gulf seaboards, he is in
sistent upon the matter being taken
seriously by the responsible author
tiles. The history of the plague in its
various forms in different parts OF
the world. particularly In Asiatic
countries and South America, claim
snr Millions and millions OF lives
within the last two decades, causes It
TO be treated with the utmost serious
ness by General Blue and the officers
OF his service who have specialized
in tho handling OF the disease.
The India Commission and the eN-
perts OF the Public Health and Ma
riue Hospital Service reached the
same concusions-thatt the plague eX-
ist In three distinct forms. One is
the bubonic the most common and
least fatal. the mortality being about
30 per cent. II is characterized by
enlarged glands, hemorrhages under
the skin. high fever and pain at the
site of Inflammation. Another. the
septicaemic, with the bacillus circu-
lating in the blood. This is very fatal,
with the mortality about 92 por cent
There is great prostration and rapid
death. The third is pneumonia, the
most fatal-about 81 per cent.
The human being is infected through
the bite of the flea that has carried
the germ from rats The incubation
period Is about seven days in all three
forms. with death resulting from the
third to the tenth day after the onset
A Commercial Disease.
"Plaguo is commercial disease,
General Blue said. 1T travels arounI
the world in the bellies of ships
which, disembarxing their plague-in
fected rats, spread the seeds of pestl
lence I'm new territory Plague Is
menace not so much because Il Kill
people as because Il produces that ter
ror which Is disastrous to commerce
aud prosperity. The present epidemic
had its origin in the Yunnan provinc'
of China in 1894. and thence, following
the commercial highways, IT, hal
spread around the world. IL early ei
fected a landing in Hawaii and thenc
It was imported through the gatewa
of the Pacific into San Francisco i
attacked both coasts Of South Americ
and has been steadily marching up tn
Spanish Main. No great apprehensiol
was felt for the Atlantic and Gul
coasts because Of the efficient quaran
tines which guard our ports But whe
developed in the Azores IL was sec
that the specter was drawing nearer.
Now Il has manifested itself !
Porto Rico. whore already many PEI
sons have been stricken and have diet
II is thus seen that the disease so
speak, is almost on our doorstep an
II is we'll that we tke reasonable pre-
cautions 10 see that It does not eros
the threshold