Evening journal., 1914-08-05
Rodents Held Responsible
For Outbreak of Bubonic
Plague
TRAPS AND SULPHUR
ONLY EXTERMINATORS
By BURTON x. STANDISH.

w AHnlNN lONs aug. O.-fOu deaths
from bubonic plague in New Orleans
last month turned the United States
Public Health Service into a squad Of
rat killers. Such is the quick methods
of the United States. In less than two
weeks $4,000 of the rodents were killed
Such is the quick method of the United
States health officers in striking at the
source of pestilence which in May,
June and July, 1911, caused the death of
$4,000 persons in India. To show how
efficient the public health army is, let
me cite these facts
One morning during the routine of his
Office work Surgeon General Blue, direc.
tor of the Public Health Service, re-
ceived a night letter from the mayor of
New Orleans advising him that one man
had died and another was afflicted with
a disease that resembled bubonic plague
Dir. Blue was asked TO come and investi-
gate. BY noon Blue was in conference
with Secretary of the Treasury McAdoo
in whose department the health service
is.
McAdoo ordered DR.. Blue and Assist
ant Surgeon General Creel to New Or
leans. Within twentyfour hours they
were en- route. Within three days tn,
diagnosis of the New Orleans physician.
was confirmed, an outgoing quarantin,
was established and expert rat killers
ordered from San Francisco Fifty thou
sand rats were killed within the first
two weeks.
In the meantime wild rumors ha,
reached Washington of sixteen DEATH
the first day in New Orleans, and tn
ministers and ambassadors of the Soutl
American countries wired their govern
ments Immediately recommending a ces
sation of commercial intercourse Tn
Health Service, through Secretary Me
Adoo. protested through Secretary o
State BRYAN to these countries. The,
were invited to send physicians to New
Orleans to see that any such prohibition
against shipping was foolish and unnec
essarv. Most of these countries the
withdrew the barriers pending a NOR
thorough investigation.
BY this time warning was sent Z
every state on our coasts and thos
bordering on the Mississippi. Healt
D, officers and the public we're told
kill rats.
, This plague is primarily a dis
ease Of rodents said Assistal
d Surgeon General Rucker, who wa
, left in charge of the situation
p DR.. Blue, who went on an inspectiC
e tour of gulf ports. land secondari
= and accidentally a disease of ma
Mans safety from the disease liz
in the exclusion of the rodent an
!, his parasites This Is the basis
;. all preventative and eradicative wor'
n If man can live in rOdent-free SUI
v roundings he need have no fear ,
r plague. because If there be no rodent
p there can be no rodent parasites an
e. for all practical purposes the Nc
;. may be considered as the commo
s vendor of the disease from rodel
v 20 rodent and from rodent to ma
d The eradication of bubonic plagt
= therefore means the eradication
{ rodents"
: Almost everyone asks how tn,
o catch these creatures. DR.. Rucker
r. first answer is: Not with cats. TIL
i theory was exploded long ago.
n man raised a whole farm of ca
= whetted their appetities on raw mea
II almost starved them just before turf
IS ing them loose at 2 dock, then pl
J. some wharf rats in the enclosui
and the cats all ran away. Why
l. have seen rats as big as rat-terrie
II and no cat will ever attack them. 4"
. The best method. Dr. Rucker sal
y is by traps and burning sulphur E
= erienced rat killers know just no
r to rotate traps and food so as
! 4 - q.
= that are to be fumigated and %
y sulphur pots all around. light Il
= sulphur and close up the shi
y 1wenty-four hours LATER they 90
" and sweep out the rats for they a
= come out of the holes and clust
\ around the sulphur pot because II
- air Immediately around the pot
N. always fresher until the last su
- locating minutes. Then the rats a
,s too overcome to get away.