Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-07-09

san business movement to emphasize
the protest of the state against tn
destruction of its sugar industry un
der the free trade tariff law.
Even the Solid South is waking
up to the Underwood bill.
eUeoNIc PLAGUE IN new OR
ORLEANS.
Bubonic plague has invaded New
Orleans. Two cases have been f0unt
in the Industrial Home of the Volun
teers Of America, one death resulting
the post m0rtem confirming the dag
nosis. Thanks to the ce%aseless vigi
lance of the quarantine officers Of the
United States Public Health Service
this is but the second instance In
! which this dread disease has gained
a foothold on American soil in the
last twenty years, during which time
1t has made n of its periodic and
mysterious circuits Of the globe. The
four worldwide epidemics Of lbubonit
plague In previous centuries, while
carrying unprecedented death and dis
aster to the human race, did moi
touch the North American continent
at that time unsettled by civilized
men and cut off from communication
with the outside world.
The announcement Of bubonic
plague within u borders, II
made ten years ago, would
have caused CONSERVATION and
panic throughout the country, while
one hundred or three hundred years
ago, the disease would probably have
been unrecognized and would have
smoldered in its characteristic fash
ion until a large number Of cases and
many centers of infection had devel.
oped. Today, through the knowledge
given us by scientific medicine, we
know the cause, the method of trans.
mission and the necessary measures
for controlling this dread "black
death" Of history. knowledge alone,
however, will never save. The knowl-
edge must he applied promptly and
energetically.
No time must be lost in
stamping out the infection, which
in stamping out the Infection, which
In the case of bubonic plague, is
transmitted by rats and fleas. The
prompt action of the authorities in
New Orleans is in gratifying contrast
to the inactivity, delay and evasion
of the responsible oflcials in San
Francisco under similar circumstances
ten years ago. There has been no
hesitation, no attempt to suppress the
facts, no indignation" over the an.
nouncement that the health OF the
city was in danger.
New Orleans has learned by
years Of bitter experience with
yellow fever that temporizing
and denial always gives disease more
time to develop. The local health
officers promptly recognized the dis.
ease. The state health authorities
were Immediately notified and took
action at once. Before the facts had
had time to appear in the daily press,
the United States Health Public
Health Service had been called on for
assistance. Surgeon.G General Blue and
Surgeon Creel are now in charge of
the situation. Wide experience gain
ed In fighting this disease in Honolu.
lu and San Francisco has given Gen.
eral Blue q training for this task pos.
sessed by few, II any, other sanitari-
ans, while Surgeon Creelis mastery
work In Porto Rico. in controlling the
plague on that island. is well known.
Swift. decisive and effective action
Is necessary on the part Of local, state
and national health officers.
Immediate cooperation Of the gen.
eral public and especially Of all rail
road, transportation and local officials
Is also necessary. Ports reached by
shipping must be watched to prevent
landing of the rodents responsible for
spreading the disease. 1t is impossi-
bile to state at present the extent Of
the infection or the number of hidden
cases. but we may rest assured, says
The Journal Of the American Medical
Association, that the fight will be
waged with the aid Of all the weap-
ons of modern science, and that all
necessary funds will he promptly pro
vided. Someone has said that the
first yellow fever patient always dies,
SO also with bubonic plague. A char
%acteristic of this disease is that It
smolders unrecognized and suddenly
breaks out, apparently from a num-
Der of different centers of infection.
The discovery of two cases in New
Orleans indicates that there are other
persons infected. and we may look
for the report Of additional cases in
the course al the next week Tho