The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-10-26
Eternal Vigilance
(Board of Health Bulletin. }

Important events are overshad-
owed by the European war. Reports
in the news columns are cut to a
few lines under small heads, which
three or four months ago would
have been carried in big type.
And so it has come that the
plague situation in New Orleans has
been almost forgotten and the lack
of details in the daily press has
possibly lulled those who are not in
formed by official reports to a sense
of security out of proportion to the
actual conditions. This feeling of
security is justified only in part by
the splendid work that has been
done and is being continued under
the direction of the United States
public health service.
But the disease has not been
stamped out and those in touch with
the situation there foresee many
months of unrelenting activity.
A recent report from the public
health service gives compilation of
facts regarding conditions in New
Orleans, covering the station for
the week ending Oct. 3, as we'll as
the statistical totals since the dis
covery of the disease there. This
report shows one suspicious case
and one new case within that week.
and total of twenty-nine human
cases to that date, which since has
been increased to thirty-two. AL
most two hundred-18S to be exact
rats had been discovered to be in
fected by archaeological examina-
ton, from a total of more than
$4,000 captured and $4,000 exam
ined in the laboratories.
For the protection of the outside
world the authorities in the Louisi-
ana city up to the close of the Sec
ond week in October, had fumigat-
ed 1863 vessels, steam and sail. and
had inspected more than 1900
loaded freight cars carrying goods
from New Orleans to various sec-
lions of the United States. During
the week ending Oct. 8, 1878 cars
We're inspected, of which 1851
were repaired to make them rat
proof, and eighteen were con-
demned., The cars inspected and
were sent to thirty-seven States.
and forty-nine of them were des-
tined to points in Florida.
Thus 1t is evident that every, ef-
fort to stamp out the disease and to
prevent It's spread is being made and
with as much vigor as in the earlier
stages Of the epidemic. The fact that
such strenuous exertions are still
considered necessary by the highest
authorities in the country in the
NTH month of the epidemic, is am
pie poof that the fight is not fin-
shed. and that other cities, particu-
arly southern seaports, must not
ct down the lines of defense.
The Jacksonville city board of
health has examined in its labora-
cries more than thirteen hundred
ats, and similar precautions are
icing followed out in Pensacola.
tampa and other Florida seacoast
titles. and these precautions must
e continued for many months to
ONE.
The State board of health again
rges upon the attention of munich
al authorities in all parts of Flor
la the wisdom and the necessity of
emodeling their building laws, so
to make their wharves and docks
nd warehouses rat-proof. The ex-
tence, or the possibility of the ex-
tance, of rats in places where men
'ansact their daily business and in
le homes where they dwell, is dis
listing, even nauseating. In the
me to come, when popular senti-
eht comes to a better appreciation
the danger of such companion
ZIP in their homes and surround
gs, to say nothing of the filth and
lnoyance and financial losses
used by such vermin, its existence
III be considered disgrace, even :
now bedbugs and lice are a re- |.
ction upon the neatness of the
usekeeper. II
A war upon rats for their COM
etc determination will be made
oner or later, and no better be-
ming can be made than in such
'thods of construction as will
I'VE no lodging place for them in
mes and business places.