The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-07-22
State Health Board
Sounds the Warning.


For months the State Board Of
Health, F1orida's sanitary watchdog,
has been sounding the alarm of the
approaching plague. The develop
ments Of the past few weeks have
proved that this alarm was not merely
a growl Of the ordinary watchdog, nor
an empty ''baying at the moon"
The history Of the disease. says the
State Board bulletin. shows that its
progress across the deep oceans is
stea1thy and mysterious. By no ordi-
nary means can the presence of the in
lection In a given locality be deter
mined until the disease Is actually
manifested in the human victim.
The dire anticipations and fears Of
state health authorities all along the
Atlantic and Gulf coasts that the dis
ease was approaching the United
States were realized by it's appearance
In Havana last February. Twenty
seven cases and six deaths had been
reported from Cuba by July 1, all
but two Of the cases in Havana The
energetic measures taken by the Gu
ban health authorities, under the d.
rection of Mr.. Guiteras, were an as
surance that every effort was being
made to confine and stamp out the
disease,
Without warning it was announced
from New Orleans and from what
source the infection reached that city
has not yet been discovered, or at
least, IL known, has not been an
nounced. 1t is as likely to reach any
other seaport city on the Atlantic or
Gulf coasts. as to have made New Or
leans it's first lodging place in the
United States-quite as likely, that is,
If no precautions are taken to resist
its coming.
The insidious nature of the plague,
It's stealthy approach in the infected,
f1ea-bearing rat which hides in the
darkness of the ships hold, which
gnaws its way into the foundations Of
freight laden warehouses, and which
is a synonym for sneaking repulsive-
ness. all these combine to make the
fight against 1t a fight in the dark
a fight, 1t may be. against danger
that may not be actually present, but
a fight against the chances that 1t
may be.
What do sane. sober-minded men do
in such circumstances. where the gam
BILE is for the healtHfulness Of city
and community, for life against the
chances Of a horrible epidemic and a
more horrible death? No matter how
small the odds against them, they
fight.
That's the situation in Florida to-
day. 1t Is emphasized at every sea-
port. and it Is a menace directly In
proportion to the amount of its ma
rine commerce with the countries of
the world. particularly with southern
and tropical lands.
Prompt and energetic action Is
necessary by every city that has o
deep-water commerce, and by every
other city that has trade relations
with it-and all Florida cities are
closely united by constant travel and
business relations. Get rid of the
rats. both for health preservation and
for economic reasons. Prepare against
the possibilities OF this infection.
Once it is discovered in any COM
munity, then it's another proposition
1t means a fight for life extending over
months, to stamp out the disease, and
the rest of the world becomes afraid
OF the infected city. trade relations are
paralyzed and quarantine may lay its
heavy hand on the plague spot.
Infected rats may be IN a port for
a considerable period before their
presence is discovered through an out
break of the disease. The time of
incubation of the bacillus in the hu-
man host is shorter. 1t may vary from
twenty -four hours to several days, but
if it is not actively manifested within
ten days, the isolated suspect is re-
leased as not dangerous to the COM
munity. The disease takes several
forms in the human victim, according
to whether certain glands are at
tackled, as in the bubonic form: the
lungs. in the pneumonia form. or the
intestines and internal organs, or II
may invade the circulating blood,
where it Is known as septicemic.
It is a disease quick in it's develop
ment and fatality, and it's percentage
OF deaths has been known to run as
high as ninety OF every one hundred
victims. 1t is to be dreaded and every
effort must be taken by Florida cities
to prevent its invasion.