Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-09-27
PLAGUE AND YELLOW FEVER
FOLLOW IN THE WAKE OF
EUROPEAN ARMIES.
UNITED STATES OFFICIALS
WATCH AMERICAN SHORES
Panama Canal Zone Being Closely
Guarded Because of Many Passing
Ships and Climatic conditions-Dif.
ficult to Keep Diseass Out Of United
States if FoothoId is Gained There.
Especial Correspondence

Washington, Sept. 21.-With plague
in the wake of the armies in parts or
! Europe and with the public health
service sounding a warning intended
10 make the authorities of American
ports guard carefully against invasion
| of the disease. the authorities of the
Panama canal region are taking
special precautions 10 prevent it get
| ting a foothold in the canal zone.
| Both plague and yellow fever are
feared But plague is feared more,
because the sanitary officers Of the
American government have been re-
, markabiy successful in banishing yell
low fever from the zone.
In view of the great number OF ships
passing thru the canal, many Of them
plying between American ports. II is
of the utmost importance to this coun-
try not to permit the plague TO get a
start on the isthmus. Once there, the
difficulties of keeping il out of the
United States would be multiplied.
Appears in South America.
The situation is made the more
troublesome because of the existence
of plague in some of the ports along
the west coast of South America at
this time This compels the canal
officials to watch vessels with eX-
IRENE care.
In order the better to guard against
an invasion of plague or yellow fever
or both, DR.. NJ. c. Guthrie. chief quar-
antine officer of the canal. has started
to make a tour of the ports OF the west
coast of South America. He is gong
as far down the coast as Valparaiso
His itinerary includes the principal
ports of Colombia, Ecuador. Peru and
northern and central Chile. The pur-
pose of the trip is 10 acquire familiar
ity with conditions in the west coast
ports. especially those VIGOROUSLY In
fected with plague and yellow fever
He will observe particularly the SAM
tary methods employed in the hand
ling of cargoes..
A statement on the subject from the
canal authorities says the existence OF
plague in some of the ports of the west
coast affords at present the most i'm
minent liability to which the canal and
its shipping are subject. Yellow fever
IS not regarded with equal apprehen-
sion because effective precautions
against it can be carried out with rela-
tive ease and the virtual eNtermina-
ton Of the yellow fever mosquito IN
the vicinity OF the canal by continuous
sanitary operations has limited the
liability to an epidemic even If the
fever should be introduced.
Plague SteaIthy Disease.
On the other hand, the plague say
the canal authorities. is steaitiiy dis
ease. transmitted in insidious ways.
II may be prevalent among rats on
ship or in community for some time
before breaking out among men and II
is transmitted by fleas and other
suctorial invertebrates which are wide
~ prevalent in the tropics on rats,
dogs. human beings and many other
animals.
Already the regulations Of the canai
to prevent infection are strict But
| if need be. they will be frightened up.
The precautions against rats as car
| riers Of plague are regarded as of ex-
IRENE Importance. However, Or
| Guthrie purposes to study every
| phase of the subject on his trip along
the west coast. Every shipment from
ports suspected Of harboring plague
has to be watched with extreme care
The volume Of traffic thru the canal
| is heavy and much of it from western
/ South America.