THE BUBONIC PLAGUE

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1514, 7 March 1901, Page 30

THE BUBONIC PLAGUE

SYDNEY, March 4. The President or the Board of Health says there is not the slightest doubt that the case on the steamer Antillian was true plague. He had visited the troopship and found it infested with rats, of which many had died on the voyage. He examined one and found that it had undoubtedly died of plague; Olsen, the seaman who died, was engaged in the hold, and probably handled the dead rodents*. • ' • The troopships British Prinqess and Ranee have arrived from. The Cape, hat have been quarantined. ' ; Three hundred rats were caught aboard (the troopship Templemore. Fifty ratters* are at work in the city, r Vessels mooring at the wharves have been ordered to put metal discs on their ropes to prevent rats coming ashore. ; : MELBOURNE, March 4. A diagnosis has proved that Olsen’s case was one of true plague. Three rats caught' on the Antillian were found to he suffering from plague. ' The crew of the vessel, numbering over eighty, are at the quarantine station. So far there are no signs of further sickness. No troopship will be allowed to leave

port until the Board of Health has certified to an entire absence of danger. This will somewhat delay the despatch of the contingent. It is hoped to get the Australian, with the first batch of 600, away about Saturday. Arrangements are being made between the Board of Health and City Council to co-operate in carrying out, precautionary measures to prevent a recurrence of the disease, and preclude the friction which marked the last outbreak. MELBOURNE, March 5. Vessels from all plague-infected ports are being strictly examined. ADELAIDE, March 5. Two ; dool]ors have declared that a wharf labourer named Rieze, at Port Adelaide, is suffering from plague. He became ill last week, and, . with his family, was quarantined on Saturday. RtfTSBANE, March 5. Vessels from the Cape, India and Sydney, will be strictly inspected and fumigated, if not already clone, as a precaution against the plague. CAPETOWN, March 4. The plague at Capetown is spreading. The bodies of five Kaffirs have been found in the town. Ten Kaffirs and one European have been removed to hospital since last report. ACTION IN NEW' ZEALAND. The Premier, when questioned by a ‘Times” reporter on Tuesday, said that Capetown and Sydney would have to be declared infected ports. Instructions have oeen given by the Government for all vessels arriving in New Zealand Capetown to he fumigated, and for their passengers to be carefully examined. It is not thought that any returned troopers for New Zealand came to. Sydney by the troopship Antillian. The Minister of Health_is making inquiries on the subject.