The Washington times., 1920-07-18


fngton has sent out the alarming
news that bubonic plague, the dead
Ilest epidemic disease of the East. has
made its appearance at New Orleans, Gsl
weston and Pensacola.
The officials make these outbreaks an
occasion for calling upon the whole coun-
rry TO war upon the rat, which is known
and upon all other vermin, In order to
prevent the spreading of this and other
diseases throughout the country.
The American public are asked to ex.
terminate all kinds of vermin and noxious
anffnals-rats, mice, heas, nies, mos
quitossr- bsdbugs. lice, snails, etc.--with
more energy than ever before. In order
that we may not suffer disastrous out.
breaks of the dread epidemic diseases.
At the same time a novel agent In the
spreading of bubonic plague has been un-
masked. This is the ill-smelling, repulsive
but generally considered useful turkey
buzzard of the South. the American vul
ture, the most active known devourer of
carrion and dead things
Plague has been raging in Mexico, to-
gether with civil war, and the horrible
buzsards have been battening on the bodies
OF The slain. There is reason to fear that
the occurrence of plague and other dread
ed diseases in the South may be due to this
cause, and men with guns have been ener-
getically shooting down the buzzards along
theifrontier.
There is now a strong demand that all
buxzards shall be extsrminated in this
country. Hitherto these birds have been
regarded with apparent reason as useful
scayepgers and have been legally protect
ed- Some opposition to their destruction
may therefore be expected in certain
regions
In Texas. California, New Mexico, Ari-
zona, United States soldiers, rangers and
home guards and armed citizens are de-
sroying turkey buzzards by the thousands.
Scientists, puzzled by the spread Of tropi-
cal diseases north of the Rio Grande,
found, after exhaustive Investigations,
that the carriers of the disease germs in
many cases we're turkey buzzards These
foul birds, II seems, settled in vast fOcks
or, the corpses of Mexicans killed in san
culinary conflicts, as we'll as on the horses,
bufros and pack mules killed, ate the re-
nAns and then winged northward to uH-
load the germs on peaceful Americans.
Buzzards swarm as far north as New
Jersey, and the Biological Survey OF that
State is considering methods of extermi-
Mating them. These fearful creatures fly
for thousands Of miles, securing the land
for offal, and can easily travel from Mexico
to New Jersey.
The process by which the buzzard con-
veys plague germs from one man or an.
imal to another Is not yet entirely clear.
II Is supposed, however, that rats pick up
the creatures infected leavinss and that
the-rat flea comes into action second
time in carrying the disease to man. Other
insects may also he concerned.
Turkey buzzards are pure scavengers.
They eat only carrion, such as dead do
mestic animals and dead fish thrown from
nets Any dead animal matter Is natur-
ally infested with disease germs. The vul-
tufH; having gorged itself with putrid mat
ter, rises to a great height. and then scars
over a vast territory, spying out other
dying or dead animals on which to de-
scaad Everywhere he spreads the dis
ease germs and, In fact, may prove our
most deadly OF all carriers, and the solu.
ton Of the mysterious sudden appearance
of-;contagious and infectious diseases at
"NelN rTPllClc pVinto, htduinS W ppiuChiDc'
Scientists declare that the vulture must
go. and that States which have so long
favored the pest and made 1t a criminal
oHense to. kill one will have to slaughte,
the. birds generally. and thereafter bury or
otherwise dispose OF the animal remains
on which they have lived
The turkey buzzards rise In the air YER
ticaly. often TO height OF six miles. from
which lofty altitude they not only detect
dS,ng or dead animals at long diAsnces,
but can see any signals from their fellows
indicating the discovery OF carcass. Few
birds have greater soaring ability, and II
Ia charlottesville for them to remain
seemingly in the air on . fxed post for
heurs. The large, strong claws and horn
hills are especially adapted to seizins and
teSring, flesh. The heads and necks are
hare so that they may be thrust deeply
insn carcasses and pull ont the entrails.
One of the most puzzlipg features OF the
vvlture is its ability TO eat putrid matter
ard :entoy complete immunity from oil dis
eSses There is no other known scavcpgcr
that can escape the consequences OF eat
Ing putrid matter. Examination OF this
foui bird discloses no possible basis on
vnpoh to elucidste any fact or found any
hypothesis as 10 Its complete immunity
from the disease germs II devours on a
vast scale. taxidermist who secured
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