THE BLAGUE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11365, 7 May 1900, Page 6

THE BLAGUE.

.—»■■ .. By Telegraph.—Press Association.—Copyright. ■■' Cairo, May 4. The plague, has broken out at Port Said. The troops stringently guard steamers carrying pilgrims.

Sydney, May 5.

A number of .quarantined wharves, including the Union Company's, will be released next week. Those in a hopelessly bad condition will be demolished.

Tho Brisbane-street plague patient's name is McClennon, not McLellan.

Four cases of plaguo prophylactic have been received, and is to be distributed among the various colonies. Mr. Lyne believes it is all intended for New South Wales, but is inquiring. The Government havo been advised that a quantity of Yersin's curative serum has been shipped, and that more is following.

The following fresh cases were reported to-day:—Annie Johnston, Pyrmont; Elsie Heffermanon, Newtown; John Hardwicke, Moore Park.

Ycrsin's serum already despatched is sufficient for from 40 to 60 patients. With the further supply ordered there will be enough for between 400 and 500 patients.

Sydney, May 6.

Mr. Lync, in an interview dealing with Mr. Reid's criticisms ro tho resumptions, asked, " Would Mr. Reid have waited for a Bill which would have taken two or three months to pass, when there is power in hand enabling me to take the necessary measures for the public safety?" He deprecated making the plague a party question. What he bad done he did with his whole heart, and felt that the people would almost unanimously approve.

Mr. Lyne staled that he ascertained that the only effective way of dealing with theDarling Harbour wharves was to burn them all excepting five. A start will be made with the burning to-morrow. If the plague was to bo stopped it could only bo done by the most strenuous efforts. The Government had started drastically, and is was not going to bo laggard now. ° ' Later. The following additional cases have been reported Charles Bennett, Lewisham ; Michael McHale, Paddington ; John Ferg-' han, Paddington. THE PLAGUE HOSPITAL. Tho contractor for the plague hospital ,Mr. R. Farrell, jun.), has made good progress with the erection of tho new building on tho new site. It is expected that the hospital will bo finished this week.

QUARANTINE. The authorities have decided that in future the time of detention of vessels at Motnihi arriving from Sydney will be 24 hours, which practically means that the vessels will undergo fumigation only. H.M.s. Lizard arrived from Sydney on Saturday, but being within the prescribed period of time stipulated, she was sent clown to Motnihi, but will be released this morning, , The Tyser liner Tomoana was released from quarantine on Saturday afternoon, and came up the harbour and berthed at the Queen-street Wharf. The Union Company's steamer \\aihora was released from quarantine yesterday, and came up harbour in the afternoon, disembarking her passengers at the Queen-street Wharf shortly after four p.m. During the stay of the steamer at Motuilii, tho passengers' had a most' enjoyable time, the weather being very fine. Boating and fishing parties wero of daily occurrence, with concerts and dancing in the evening. The concerts were a great success, Mrs. Shoesmith, tho Misses Tills, Bradshaw, and Cortroy, and Messrs. Warsaw Brothers (Gaiety Company), and Wilson and Skinner, all rendering valuable assistance. After luncheon yesterday, Mr. Wilson, on behalf of the passengers, made a neat speech, thanking Captain Smith, the officers and crew of the steamer for the many kind attcntions*which had been ungrudgingly given at all times, to make their enforced stay as pleasant as possible.

THE APPOINTMENT OF A BACTERIOLOGIST.

On Saturday Mr. G. Fowlds, M.H.R., received the following reply from the Premier to his telegram advising the appointment of a bacteriological expert from Home — " Your telegram advising appointment of bacteriologist from Britain has been referred to the Hon. Mr. Ward, Colonial Secretary, and will receive the consideration of the Government. In Mr, Gilruth and Drs. Mason and Fyffe, and other doctors of the colony, we have men as well qualified as those engaged in this particular work in the other colonies. I notice that New South Wales Government applied to India for experts, but without success. I question whether what you suggest would be much improvement upon what we have already got.—R. J. SF.nnow"

On Saturday Mr. Fowlds telegraphed to Mr. Ward, Colonial Secretary, that pending the appoinment of a special bacteriological expert from Home. " the decision of Professor Thomas, of Auckland, will carry more weight here than any other man in the colony." THE RAT-BITTEN BOY. Tho boy bitten by a. rat, and who was isolated in the old smallpox hospital temporarily, still remains there, and has not yet been transferred to the District Hospital for ordinary treatment, though it is announced that he is not suffering from plague. Dr. Alice Woodward, who volunteered to nurse the lad, and was in charge of the case, has resumed her private practice, which goes to show what conclusions she had como to on the case. MR. GOLDIE AND THE PLAGUE COMMISSIONERS. His Worship the Mayoi (Mr. David Goldie) on Saturday forwarded the following telegram to Messrs. Mason and Gilnith, Plague Commissioners, Wellington: —" As to whether the statement J. made to the Council, on the authority of Dr. Martin is at variance with facts or not, is for medical men to determine. All I am concerned about is to show that I quoted correctly the .statement made by Dr. Martin to the reporter who interviewed him, and whose report of the interview appeared in the New Zealand Times of April 30, from which I quoted as follows: 'All the Sanitary Commissioners arc doing is simply calculated to create a scare, while as regards the case in Auckland, I should say the question of its being a case of plague is very doubtful indeed, because the same sort of conditions, which are found in a person suffering from what is called acute sopticormia, or blood-poisoning, are often confounded with those found in a person suffering from minor bubonic plague. There are two phases of plague—the minor and major —and the minor can exist one year, and break out next year as the major, but cases of plague which have been in isolated districts, called sporadic, seldom, if ever, assume an epidemic form, and the cleansing of the immediate neighbourhood where it breaks out is sufficient to eradicate. We want fresh air <>nd cleanliness. Sunlight is the greatest enemy of the plague, and sunlight will kill tho plague bacillus in a few hours,' 'Then you think there is no cause for alarm?' asked the reporter. 'Absolutely none, emphatically.' This war the quotation submitted by mo to the Council. If the statements therein contained are at variance with facts then that is a matter for you, gentlemen, and Dr. Martin to determine, and not for me as a laym&n, but you will note how fully corroborated Dr. Martin's statement to the Times' reporter now is by the decision just given by Dr. Lloyd-Smith and the hon. medical staff here, when they aver that the hoy Paul has never had the plague, at all, but has simply been suffering from blood-poisoning, as previously suggested by Di. Martin to the reporter of the interview referred to. We, as a Council, recognise that the cleansing of the town is of the utmost importance, and also the removal of all insanitary buildings. At our last meeting we notified 15 owners to relrove their buildings in 48 hours. In Wellington I see they have determined to give 11 days' notice in stick $«»., I $j> pleased

tD learn that the authorities generally are going about the work now in a more reasonable manner." . c- '. ', '

TRADE WITH TAHITI.

Tho Union S.S. Co. announce by advertisement in : another column,' a list of the goods which are prohibited from being landed, at Tahiti.

DR. BALDWIN.

Dr. Baldwin, who was appointed Sanitary Commissioner for the province, has resigned the office of medical superintendent at the hospital.

ROTORUA.

The Town Board has issued an " appeal to residents," exhorting them to engage in the wholesale poisoning of rate and mice, to keep their premises scrupulously clean, and to cooperate with the Board in its endeavour to prevent the plague getting a footing in Rotorua. The Board has also erected a crematorium of a rather primitive nature, and offers a capitation of 2d for each rat alive or dead. DARGAVILLE AND ARATAPU.

! At a meeting held in Lynch's Hall, Dargaville, on Tuesday evening last, the following resolutions were earned among others : — 1. That in view of the number of sailing crafts and steamers arriving in the port of Kaipara from infected ports, this meeting is of opinion that proper arrangements for quarantine and fumigation should bo mado without delay. 2. That until proper quarantine arrangements are made no ship from any infected port should be permitted to enter Kaipara, and that on this resolution being confirmed at Aratapu and Te Kopuru the Government be requested to prevent any such ships entering the port until after quarantine in some other port in tho colony. 3. That the meeting urge the Hobson County Council to take into serious consideration the sanitation of the several townships in the county. 4. That the Hobson County Council be urged t;> appoint a day for the general poisoning of rats. 5. That the Council be requested to appoint an inspector of nuisances, and cause a house-to-house inspection forthwith. 6. That the following persons be appointed a. Vigilance Committee :—Messrs. McLeod, Day, Lynch, Dargaville, Hyland, Hay, Black, and Spragg. A similar meeting was held in the Aratapu Library on Wednesday evening. There was a good attendance. Mr. McLeod explained the objects for which he had convened the meeting, and gave an account of what had been done at the Dargavillo meeting. The resolutions passed at Dargavillo were carried with a few alterations. Messrs W. J. Bassett, S. Wilson, T. Webb, G." Mills, and J. Stallworthy were appointed a Vigilance Committee.—[Northern Wairoa Correspondent.]

INTERVIEW WITH THE COMMISSIONERS.

[Nt TELEGRAPH.-— OWN CORRESPONDENT. )

Wellington, Sunday. I called on the Commissioners yesterday morning, but it was with some difficulty that I could get Mr. Gilvuth and Dr. Mason to agree to an interview. Eventually, after putting it to them that the present position was unique, and that the public should be fully informed of the- facts, they agreed to state them for publication. My first question was in reference to the case of the boy at Auckland, tho facts of which I now give.

In the first place, then, the Commissioners did not definitely decide that the case was one of plague, but it was of so suspicious a nature that they agreed with the hospital authorities that the boy should be immediately isolated in order that the safety of the general public might be assured in the event of a further development enabling the medical attendant to decide that it was a case of plague. No bacteriological examination was made by the Commissioners, but a specimen of pus, that had been procured by the patholog st to the Auckland Hospital, was submitted to the Commissioners for microscopical examination. This showed a few microorganisms,very few which were morphological and similar to those of the plague bacillus. Repeated examination of the blood of the patient gave a negative reaction, and after due consideration by Dr. Baldwin and Dr. Mason it was not thought desirable in the interests of the patient, to incise, any of the swollen glands in order that their contents might be submitted to Mr. Gilruth for bacteriological examination. Further developments of tho case, however, led Dr. Baldwin, the hospital doctor, to declare definitely that the case was one of plague. An attempt is being made in Auckland to saddle the Commissioners with the discovery of a case of plague in a human subject, there, but as a matter of fact they made no such pronouncement. They found undoubted cases in rats, but the responsibility for stating that the case of the hospital patient was one of plague does not rest with them. Tho whole trend of the symptoms were such as might bo found in a case of pestus minor, and in the interests of the general public the Commissioners considered that the staff of the Auckland Hospital were perfectly justified in the action they took for the. isolation of the patient. The honorary staff of the Auckland Hospital, however, do not seem to have examined/the case till a very late stage, and moreover a easo of funk seems to have been established in their midst, for they insisted on destroying the cultures and tubes which the Commissioners were dealing with in their incubator, even though these were hermetically sealed, and there was absolutely no danger from them. The hospital authorities, therefore, abosolutely refused to allow the Commissioners the use of their incubator in their researches.

STATEMENT BY DR. FYFFE. [BY TELEGRAPH".-— CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Saturday. Dr. D. K. Fyffe, a recognised authority, writing'on this subject, refers to the telegrim from Mr. Fowlds: —'I am not," ho says, "Messrs. Qilruth and Mason's apologist, but I think the facts should bo made. public. When this boy was bitten a smearing of mis was seen by Mr. Gilruth, and examined by him. Tie found bacilli in it, which, from their morphological appearance, might have been plague. He and Dr. Mason advised the Government not to call the case one of plague until they had more data to go on. After they leave the town, Dr. Baldwin thinks, from the clinical aspects of the case, that it is plague. Later on he changes his opinion, as any conscientious medical man might. To-day the whole of the staff of the Auckland Hospital say it is not plague, confirming Dr. Baldwin's last; diagnosis, and yet Mr. Fowlds lays the blame 0:1 the bacteriologists, who declared the case not to be plague. Could any man take- up a more illogical position? Both Dr. Mason and Mr. Gilruth are skilled bacteriologists, and pace Mr. Fowlds, New Zealand is quite capable of holding her own in thai branch of science without outside help."

MR. GILRUTH'S QUALIFICATIONS. [IIT TEr.F.GR.VriI.— CORHESTON'DKNT.] Wellington, Sunday. The question of Air. Qilruth's qualifications seems to be agitating the minds of some politicians and medical men. Medical men who have made a special study of bacteriology to whom I have talked on this subject, have assured me that Mr. Gilruth lias exceedingly high qualifications, better, in (act, than anyone in these colonies. He first studied bacteriology in Glasgow and Loudon, being at the latter place the pupil of Dr. Cruicksnank, of King's College, a wellknown authority and author of several text books. That was while he was taking Ins veterinary degree, the course for which in bacteriology is the same as is required for the medical degree; but at this time, in addition, Mr. Gilruth took a special course in bacteriology more than was necessary for his degree. That was 10 years ago, when bacteriological science was to some- extent in its infancy, and ever since then Mr. Gilruth has taken a keen interest in his subject, which he has continued to study unremittingly. In 1895-1896 Mr. Gilruth went to Paris, where he studied in the Pasteur Institute, under such famous men as Borrell MctchinkofE (the celebrated Russian) and Roux (the director of the institute). There Mr. Gilruth studied In categorical ord«p evrw disease of which the micro-org"u> was known, both human and animal. ■.--., his return here, too, he has been activeengaged in bacteriological work, bol'\ in connection with veterinary and Iron an \<bjccts. Another point on which there is a good deal of error is in regard to the degrea qualification of ft toriplpgis!.. As ft matter: pj

fact, there is no degree in bacteriology. The D.P.H. : (diploma of .public;' health), j which Dr. Mason : and a few other New Zealand medical men have obtained, is the only degree in which the subject enters to any great extent, and Mr. Gilruth has certainly done ten times as much as is necessary for that. The great Pasteur himself had no degree in bacteriology, and, indeed, he was not even a doctor.-

PRECAUTIONS IN THE SOUTH.

[BY TELEGRAM.— ASSOCIATION.]

Wellington, Saturday. Among the buildings condemned to-day was a boardinghouse, for which £2 a week rent was paid. The Commissioners called it a disgraceful hole. Dr. Fyffe, in reporting to the Colonial Secretary, mentions as the most striking feature of his inspection tho way in which the by-laws are contravened regarding stables. 'A large .number of houses are unconnected with the drainage system, especially in the poorer parts of the city, and there is a crying need for choap houses for the really poor. He suggests that if private enterprise cannot supply this want, the City Council or the Government should step in.