THE PLAGUE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10901, 4 November 1898, Page 5

THE PLAGUE.

A NURSE DECORATED. By Tolegraph.—Press Association.— Vienna, November 2. The Emperor has decorated Nurse Hochegger, who is recovering from plague after nursing Dr. Peeh and other victims. PROFESSOR KOCH OX THE PLAGUE. A RAT DISEASE. A short time since Professor Koch delivered a lecturo at Berlin on the subject of the I'laguo. Ho dealt especially with his discovery of a plague centre in t-ho hinterland of Gorman. "East Africa, whither tho disease had been introduced from Uganda. After giving 3 survey of the recent epidemics in Mesopotamia, Persia, China, and India, tho lecturer pointed out that the view entertained 10 years ago that the plague was no longer a danger to tho nations was now shown tor lie untenable. A rich harvest- of results had been reaped from tho study of the plagua with tho aid of modern means of investigation. The disease had been demonstrated to bo caused by bacteria, and usoful lessons had been drawn regarding tho best method* of combating its ravages. There were excellent prospects of progress in the direction of creating artificial immunity. Tho part; played by rats in the dissemination of tho plague had hoeji elucidated, so that it might? be said that the plague was really a rat disease.

Ono question, however, to which a satis-* factory answer had not yet been given related to the ultimate origin of tho disease* Tho old explanation that it was found wherever dirt- and social misery prevailed was inadequate. There must bo places where it Has endemic, and whence it was transplanted to districts that had hitherto been free front infection. Former outbreaks could be traced back to Mesopotamia, where the plague had never entirely disappeared. But whence camo the Chinese plague? It could bo proved that its endemic centre was in Hti-nan. Thibet was a second centre, and tho latest outbreaks m China, as in India, had their origin there.Ibo third centre was on tho ivcst coast of Arabia, in the vicinity of Mecca, 'this ccntre had a special important, in view oE the numerous pilgrims who visited it, but it was, after all, doubtful whether the plague was endemic in tho neighbourhood of Mecca • The constant cases which occurred there might only be survivals of the diseaso as introduced by large masses of people from abroad. Nothing had hitherto boon known of any other plaguo centre besides these enumerated, but Professor Koch now claimed to havo discovered a fourth centre in Equatorial Africa. It had been found that a devastating diseaso prevailed at Kissiba. in the extreme north-west corner of Herman East Africa, Closo to tho A ictoria Xvanza. Suspecting that it was tho plague, Frofcsso. Knell proceeded from India to East Africa in order to make investigations. With the help of Ur. Aupitza, who made a special expedition to kissiba, ho had born enabled to identify the diseaso as the bubonic plague. In tht> case of five persons who had died from tho disease anatomical preparations wero obtained and (ho blood and lymphatic glands of plague-stricken patients wore bactoriologieally examined. All tho ordinary features ot the bubonic plague wero present. Nine died Tl r" ° thoso Wl,n were infecte(l uio l. 1,10 disease was communicated to rats broil r,i kop ; 11 WBB fm,ml 1111,1 "> outbreak of the plague among rats fluentlypreceded a human epidemic, and in fact the warning'' might always bo regarded as » warning. A • her observation lias been made which was of importance. The inhabitants of Kifclba lived almost entirely on bananas. Tho banana groves ,™ ro ° thick that they admitted neither light nor air and were perfect breeding places of tho bacillus. It would bo most interesting if the physiologists could inLltT v !° procc f 0:5 of nourishment and metabolic change which attended an almost exclusive diet- of bananas. It had been (liscovered, however. that Kissiha was not on' original plague centre, but that tho disease had been introduced from Uganda, as the reports of missionaries who resided there showed, It had existed for a long time in Uganda, but it had recently moved in the direction of Buda. Its introduction to Kissiha had been traced to a native who had visited a friend in Uganda. Ho returned homo and (lied of the plaguo, and of a largo largo number of natives who attended his funeral many were infected and perished. It was a favourable circumstance that for the present Kissiba | liiy somewhat out of the ordinary caravan Utile. -

The extension of the .plague in Equatorial Africa had been very remarkable, and Dr. Stuhlmann had told Professo. Koch that Emm Pasha had found what wero probably eases of' it in Wadelai. Slave caravans above all carried it to distant regions which had hitherto been exempt from its ravages. Uganda had at present little traffic which went eastwards; but when the railway was constructed it would bo brought into closer connection with the coast, and there would then be a. danger that its plague centre might' be connected with the trade routes of tho world. It was comforting to reflect that the plague could not survive the spread of civilisation, and it might be anticipated that within a measurable distance of timo tho last plague centres would disappear.