Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1914-10-15
new ORLEANS TO
Be RATLESS CITY
Health Officers Drive Rodents
From Their AbOdeS.
PLAGUE STIRRED UNCLE SAM
Discovery Of Disease In Juno Started
Campaign Which Was Wased Re-
IentIessly Until All Danger Had Pass
ed-Poson and Traps Are Used, and
Docks Are Made Ratproof.

IO'h'VSS'J SibII ~ GdHSCT TdSS-
| ed-Poison and Traps Are Used, and
Docks Are Made Ratproof.
New Orleans. - The federal govern.
ment is helping this city to rid itself
of rats, those carriers of the feas that
carry the bubonic plague.
On June 10 a case of bubonic plague
was discovered here. A hurry call
was sent to the public health service,
and II strenuous campaign was started
to stamp it out. The government was
concerned in preventing its spread to
| other sections of the country. And the
task is costing the government $4,000
a month.
There are three kinds of rats, but
the worst is the Norwegian rat He
is the nomad of the rodent family, IA
militant brute that soon cleans out
all others of his tribe. 1t is he who
carries the fleas whose bite causes bu-
bOnic plague. And he carries it every
where. Plague is thought to have
reached New Orleans from the orient
via Liverpool. which trades largely
with the east.
The rats are being cXterminated with
poison and with traps. Several expert
psychologists were brought from San
Francisco, and they have trapped as
many as 7,124 rats in a single week.
Thousands of rodents have been ex-
~ fnY INF IN, nn
121 plague stricken rats have been
found About twenty-five cases of
plague among humans have developed,
with six deaths. No new cases have
been reported among humans for some
time, but infected rats are constantly
being trapped, a few days ago Chi
ncse restaurant was condemned and
demolished, and in the process no fewer
than thirteen rats bearing plague para
sites were found.
The fight has been going on since
early June, and the situation is now
well in hand Various bodies planning
to hold conventions in New Orleans
have been notified that the city is quite
safe. But the battle is by no means
oNti' llc ANol NCSl'lIl lul 10 al iulNy
brute, Ind there is always danger of
fresh outbreak.
1t Is Il herculean job to ratproof an
ancient rabbit warren of city like
New Orleans. The city has been di
vidcd into districts, each under the
charge of Il doctor of the public health
service, and Il survey has been made
nf iSt pi ot OF al hrnnHinTr ar
rat harboring places noted, and now
they are cleaning up the place, Holes
are being stopped up, buildings raised
or lowered so that they clear the
ground sufficiently to allow free circu-
latiOn of air and sunshine or else hug
1T too closely to afford shelter to the
rodent, walls and foundations are be
ing fixed to keep the rats from getting
through NuiSanceS have been abated
in over a thousand places, and disin,
rcctant and fumigation chemicals are
being used literally. Standing gar
bage, stable refuse and the like are
anathema. Permits for keeping chick
ems are being revoked, for chicken feed
is Il great attracter of rats.
The wharves and docks and the rail
way freight yards are being gone over.
Every ship before leaving the port is
fumigated with sulphur or carbon mo
noXidc. An attempt is being made to
ratproof the wharves, but it Is only
partially successful, for really rat
proof wharf must be almost entirely of
concrete.
New Orleans being great diStribut-
ing center for freight for the west and
| southwest, an enormous number of
freight cars must be inspected. rat
| proofed if necessary or tumigated. In
one week over 5000 We're inspected. OF
which seven were condemned.
Infant mortality. particularly from
summer bowel complaints and the like
has fallen greatly since the beginning
! of the anti-plague crusade; so has the
general death rate.
The federal public health service has
more than 200 men engaged in the
/ work here under the leadership of DIR.
/ William c. Rucker Surgeon General
/ Blue visited the city ut the beginning
/ to look the situation over, bringing
with him Or Creel. who stamped out
the plague ut Porto Rico.