Evening star., 1933-09-17

the history of medical science.
After almost daily risking his life.
over a period of three years in constant asso-
citation with the most death dealing germs
known to man, he has, by poisoning and trap
ping over 100000 rats and revoutioni1ng
sanitary conditions, eliminated the dread bu-
bonic plague or black DEATH" from the City
Of Guayaquil Ecuador.
Dr. Long went into Guayaquil when that
seaport had one, of the lowest health ratings
in the world. Today it ranks with the best.
He is now working in Peru, continuing his
campaign with the virtual assurance that the
entire continent of South America will be rid
of the disease within the near future.
The distinguished scientist is one of small
army of Government health technicians who
have been striving for 33 years to check what
is at the time the Oldest the most de-
vastating and perhaps the most mysterious
malady known to man. Numbering roughly
ten to a dozen laboratory workers and some
100 field representatives, they have, up TO
date succeeded in driving the plague out OF
San Francisco the State of Washington, the
city of New Orleans and indeed, from all the
United States and its territories, and they are
now cooperating with officials of the worlds
major seaports in eliminating rats from ship
board.
THESE living martyrs to medical science are
known unoffically the ghost squad"
This is for two-fold reason. First, because
they are fighting an invisible enemy, and
second, while utilizing poison gas in destroying
rats that carry the plague. they present truly
spectral appearance-wearing a special type Of
gas mask.
Small wonder they wear this mask! Without
it their lives would be snuffed out for certain
within a couple of hours. For the poison gas
is hydrocyanic, positively fatal to all human
beings who swallow only three breaths of
o-tenths concentration. But more Of this
later
Just how old is plague? Surg. Gen. B.
j. Lloyd of the Public Health Service points
out that history tells Of Al epidemics of the
black death occurring 1900 years before the
Christian era. He explains:
The great plague of London killed 10000
people in population OF less than half
million. We read many other interesting and
even terrorizng accounts of the havoc wrought
by this disease and we conclude that hundreds
of millions, possibly billions, have lost their
lives from the malady-some $4,000 900 per-
haps in the last three decades Prior to 1900
plague killed 10000, 900 people in India in less
than 20 years.
"One of its peculiar properties is its decep-
tiveness For generations it will lie dormant
until the world is lulled into a false sense Of
security. Whereupon the disease will break out
again in virulent FORM"
Plague is essentially disease of the mari
time rat, transmitted to human beings by
rat-nfested feaS. The popular opinion is that
most rats come on board vessels in rat-attrac-
tive or rat-harboring cargoes and also via
gangways, cargo skids and hawsers. 1t is prob
ably true, the Government experts explain, that
some rats do gain access in this manner, but
many ships become infested during construc-
ton.
At any rate fully 80 per cent tests prove.
of the vessels that arrive in ports in the
United States from foreign ports have within
the 60 days Immediately preceding their ar
rival, touched one or more plague-infected
ports. Which explains why the members Of
the ghost squad" fumgate nearly 1000 YES
sells each year to destroy shipboard rats that
might otherwise spread the black death.
A S mentioned earlier. this fumigaton work
is deadly dangerous. However, these men
the foremost experts on hydrocyanic gas in
the world, and during their lfe-rsking maneu-
vers have not suffered single casualty. First
of all, the ships crew is taken off the vessel,
which is painstakingly sealed up. Whereupon
members of the fumigatiOn squad, wearing their