The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-07-05
DREADED BUBON|C PLAGUE Is TREATED IN HEALTH BULLETIN Subject Substituted for Scarlet Fever on Account
 of Scare IS NOT CONTAGIOUS,
 BUT VERY DEADLY Infection Conveyed From Rat to Rat and From Rat to Man by Flea.
 Are Several Types of
 Disease

The bubonic plague one of humanity s most dreaded scourges is the subject treated this time by pr. R. NJ Cum ningham in his health bulletin. The sub ject was chosen for today by pr. Gun ningham, he says on account of the prev alence of the disease at New Orleans and the drastic steps being taken by that city and state to stamp it out.
 The terrible feature of this disease is its mortality rate. It spreads with tre- mendous rapidity when it once gains a foothold and if New Orleans became thor oughly inoculated with the plague it would be far from impossible for the disease to crop out in Birmingham, 1t being carried by rats and feas. Dr. Cunningham's discussion of the plague is as follows:
 Bulletin No. 1.-The Plague
 en last Sunday 1t was announced that in the next bulletin scarlet fever would be discussed. The occurrence of plague in New Orleans has awakened interest and no little anxiety. Therefore, plague has been selected for this bulle- tin. The author wishes to state that all he knows about it is from the litera- ture
 In ancient, and even in modern times, any severe fatal pestilence has been called the plague, and was supposed to be providential. Many sacrifices were made to appease the gods. At this time, however, the word plague" sig nifes a distinct disease well known and recognized as such.
 Historical
 'The disease was probably not known to the classic Greek writers. The ear Hest positive account dates from the second century of our era. |"* From the great plague in the days of Justin ian tsfxth century, to the middle of the seventeenth century epidemics of varying severity occurred in Europe Among the most disastrous was the fa- nous black death of the fourteenth century, which overran Europe and de- stroyed one-fourth of the population. In the seventeenth century it ragged vio- lently, and during the great plague of London, 1865, about 70.000 people died During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries the ravages of the disease lessened "--Osler.
 It was thought that the black death was a disease of the past. But it was suddenly revived in 1894 in an out break at Hong Kong. Since then 1t has been found either in epidemic or en- demic form in Asia. Europe and even America. The disease affects all races ages and both sexes.
 Types
 l. The mild type, which lasts a few days and recovers
 2. The pneumonia type, characterized by acute inflammation of the lungs and fatal
 3. The bubonic type characterized by swelling of the lymphatic glands, about 70 per cent of all the cases, and usually fatal
 4 The scepticaemic type, which has no lesion. but the blood is filled with bacilli and always fatal in two or three days.
 Specific Cause
 The specific cause of the plague is the bacillus pestis, discovered by Kita- sato Tt is found in the blood and organs of the body and in the sputum and has also been found in the dust and in the soil of the houses in which the patients have lived"
 The Indian plague commission in 1908 reports:
 (a) Contagion occurs in less than 8 per cent of the cases, playing a very small part in the general spread of the disease.
 tb) Bubonic plague in man is entirely dependent on the disease in the rat.
 Co The infection is conveyed from rat to rat and from rat to man soley by means of the rat flea
 (d) A case in man is not in itself in fectious.
 (e) A large majority occurs singly in houses. When more than one case oc- CUTS in a house, the attacks are gen. orally nearly simultaneous.
 CD Plague Is usually conveyed from