THE BUBONIC PLAGUE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2410, 10 May 1900, Page 18

THE BUBONIC PLAGUE.

TWENTY-NJNE FRESH CASES IN SYDNEY". THE GOVERNMENT RESUMES THE FORESHORE. THE OUTBREAK IN QUEENSLAND. AN EXTENSIVE SCHEME FOR RESUMPTION. A CASE IN COOLGARDIE. MAKING HEADWAY IN SYDNEY SERIOUS EFFECT ON TRADE. MOST OF THE WHARVES TO BE BURNED. CAIRO, May 4.

The Telegraph condemns the wholesale quarantining of plague contacts, and points out that seldom, if ever, do they develop disease. Expert evidence shows that the present system could be reformed, nay, almost abolished, withotit in any way endangering the public.

The plague has broken out in Port Said. Troops stringently guard the steamers carrying pilgrims. MELBOURNE, May 2. The Cabinet have decided to erect a plague hospital on Goode Island at a cost of £5000. May 5. Ten thousand doses of anti-plague serum have been received. SYDNEY, May 1. The Telegraph condemns the wholesale quarantining of plague contacts, and points out that seldom, if ever, do they develop disease. Expert evidence shows that the present system could be reformed, nay, alt most abolished, withotit in any way endangering the public. Four fresh cases of plague are reported to-day. There is one suspected case at Ballina — a passenger named William Seccombe by the steamer Tomki from Sydney. The other passengers had landed before the supposed case was discovered. The names of the fresh cases to-day are : — Margaret Maskett, Napolen ; St. John Kershan, Waterloo ; Henry Taylor, Redfern ; Alexander Cutbill, Manly. The deaths to-day are tho&e of Uonra and Evans. The hospital report for the week ending Saturday shows that 76 cases were under treatment, 14 were discharged, and seven died. The total number of cases has been 156. The deaths have been 53, and the recovered 27. The total " contacts " isolated since the outbreak is 924, and the cases amongst the " contacts : ' have numbered five. The Cabinet has decided, as a matter of emergency resultant upon the plague, to resume the foreshores from the head of Darling Harbour along the city side to Dawes Point with -a depth of 300 ft. A larger scheme of resumption will subsequently be submitted to Parliament. The resumed wharves will be reconstructed at once. A fresh case is that of Peter Rafferty, Ultimo. A mile and three-quarters of frontage has been resinned. The estimated cost is about two millions. May 2. Forty-four wharves, including that of the Union Steam Ship Company, and -other properties along the Darling Harbour have been resumed by the Government. The Ballina cases have been declared to be plague. The names of to-day's cases are : Margaret Doyle, Children's Hospital; Ernest Gates, Lewisham ; Arthur Yates, Newton ; James Gammell, Prince Alfred Hospital. The death has occurred of Sarah O'Connell. Pour more patients have been discharged cured. A plague morgue is being erected in the city. The quarantined portion of George street has been released, and -another portion has been proclaimed. Seven fresh cases of plague are reported to-day. The names of the additional fresh cases are: Mary Hogan, Darling Harbour; Ettienne Anglel, found in the street; and a contact case, Colina Kershaw, daughter of yesterday's patient. May 3. There are two fresh cases of plague — Thomas and Stockdale, of Manly. The Premier (Mr Lyne) has stated that, including the approaches, new wharves and resumptions by the Government will cost about £3,000,000. He did not intend to stop there. He meant to deal with other places which could not be cleaned. Portions of the city were a disgrace to the people, and he would not have such a condition of affairs. Fresh cases of plague are : — William Walters, Annandale ; Matthew Crowther, O'Connell street; Lilian Convert, Redfern. These properly belong to yesterday, makj ing 11 for the day, which, is a record.

Other cases are: — Harry Hill, Marrickville; Kate Henderson, Paddington.

The deaths have occurred of Mrs Whitehead, Mary Hogan, and Stockdale.

Fresh cases of plague are : — Andrew Burgland, Surrey Hills ; Butler, Termj rson. The latter is dead.

A proclamation has been issued defining the resumption of Darling Harbour. Occupiers are given 90 days in which to clear out.

May 4.

The following are the fresh cases of plague : — Julia Breen, Surry Hills ; and Charles Mackenzie, Paddington. Quarantine has been extended -to the suburbs, and the area of Redfern has been proclaimed an infected district. Fresh cases are : —Arthur Reid, George street ; Donald M'Lellan, Brisbane street. The death of RafTerty has occurred. Mr Lyne has accepted the Mauritius Government's offer of 20,000 doses of plague prophylactic.

There are rumours that & number of cases of plague amongst influential citizens are concealed. The authorities are sceptical, but are inquiring.

A meeting of business people in Erskine street decided to take a legal opinion with regard to compensation for losses through quarantining. It is stated that a- large number are on the verge of bankruptcy owing to the Government's action.

Seven fresh cases of plague were reported to-day.

Additional cases of plague to-day are : — David Wilkin, Redfern; Myrtle Studley, Waverley ; Edmund Edmunds, Nixon street ; John Daley, Sussex street ; Ann Bromley, Liverpool street.

While favouring resumptions. Mr Reid, ex-Premier, contends that the Government has gone in an absolutely illegal way about the- whole business. If Parliament had been called together it could have been put on a legal footing

May 5.

The Brisbane street plague patient's name is M'Clennon, not M'Lellan. Four cases of plague prophylactic have been received and distributed to the various colonies. Mr Lyne believes that they were ah intended for New South Wales, but on inquiring the Government were advised thai a quantity of Yersin's curative serum had been shipped and that more was following.

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

May 6,

The fresh cases are : Annie Johnson, Pyrmont ; Elsie Hefi'erman, Newton ; John Hardwicke, Moore Park.

Yersin's serum already despatched is sufficient for 40 to 60 patients, and a further supply is ordered for botween 400 and 500 patients.

The Premier (Mr Lyne), in an interview, dealing with Mr Reid's criticisms regarding the 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 had done he did with his whole heart, and he felt the people would almost unanimously

approve of it

Mr Lyne states that he has ascertained that the effective way of dealing with Darling Harbour wharves is to burn them all, excepting five. A start will be made with the burning to-morrow. If the plague is to be stopped it can only be done by the most strenuous efforts. The Government had started drastically, and was not going to be laggard now.

Fresh cases are : Charles Bennett, Lewisham ; Michael M'Hale, Paddington ; John Feighsn, Paddington.

May 7.

The hospital report shows that up to the present there have been 196 cases of plague, 63 of which have proved fatal. Last week furnished 37 cases, the highest

yet recorded,

The following deaths in quarantine are reported : — Sprott and M'Clemon.

Fresh eases of plague are : A child named M'Kinnon, Redfern ; Margaret Laurence, Camperdown. Both are dead. A patient named Edmunds has died in quarantine.

COOLGARDIE, May 2. The son of Constable Green has been attacked with ])lague.

BRISBANE, May 1. A steward named Aspinelin, belonging to the steamer Maranoa, from the north, has 'been attacked by the plague. The steamer has been quarantined. Her passengers, who had -been previously landed, are now being traced.

May 3.

There are no further cases of plague, and the patients are improving satisfactorily.

May 7. -

The second patient from the Cintra died, it is stated, of typhoid. The steward of the Cintra died from plague. TOWNSVILLE, May 3. There are two suspicious cases nmoȣSfc

who were quarantined frcißi

the " ronttiLtsj the Cintra.

ROCKHAMPTON, May 1.

Three cases of plague have occurred here — viz., Purcell, a waiter at a hotel, and Guy and Teirs, wharf labourers.

Several dead rats were recently found in the river.

May 2. It is doubtful whether the cases of Guy and Lewis- are really plague.

PERTH, May 1. The plague patient Sweeney has been released, and no more cases have been reported.

TRUE PLAGUE AT AUCKLAND. THE CASE MILD AND THE PATIENT

.RECOVERING.

WELLINGTON, May 1

Dr Baldwin telegraphs from Auckland to the Colonial Secretary that the case of tho boy bitten by the rat is decidedly one of true bubonic plague. Another buspicious case has occurred at Auckland. A man has been, bitten by fleas. The swelling of the glands has already commenced. He has been sent to the ho=pital, where he will be isolated till a definite conclusion is arrived' at. Dr Baldwin telegraphs that the man who was admitted to the hospital at_ 'Auckland with glandular swellings is not suffering from plague. In Tegard to the boy, he sirs the case ie a very mild one. AUCKLAND. May 1. The boy who ra bitten by a rat a fortnight ago is progressing favourably.

(From Oub ChvN Correspondent.) WELLINGTON. May 1. In order that the people of the colony may be made fully alive to the nece-yily fo? observing the directions of the authorities in the matter of faniiatioii, and also io '.-xpope those who continue in keep in occupancy of insanitary premises, the Government will, in. future, publish in the Government Gazette the periodical reports of the general and provincial sanitary commissioners, including the names of the persons whose houses are condemned or who have been referred to in the -reports as owning or occupying insanitary premises.

CHINESE FRUIT SHOPS. A SWEEPING CONDEMNATION. (Feoji Otjr Own Cobhesfgnotxt.)

AVELLINGTON, May 1.

Dr FyfEe, the Wellington Sanitary Commissioner, has presented the following report to the Colonial Secretary: — "1 have the honour to report thai, in company with a constable, I inspected the Chinese fruit shops and dwelling places on Lambton quay and Courlnay place. I only found three in the whole number which could be said to be in any sense of the word clean. Fruit was lying stored in sleeping rooms in which there was absolutely no ventilation. The floors of the rooms were filthy. Bananas were left, to ripen on the iloora of rooms which, already reeking with, dirt, wei c heated by gas to a high temperature to ripen the fruii. The heat and the dirfc act as a forcing house for bacilli and germs of all kinds. In most of the older houses tho paper is falling off the walls, and the scrim is no doubt a harbourage for vermin of all kinds. As a rule, the only clean place in a Chinaman's house is the front shop, where his wares are exhibited. Hi.-; rlore rooms are an abomination. I have reported, through the constable, each specific case to the police, and through them, I understand, the report will go to the City Council, who, jig doubt, will see that these nuisances are promptly abated. Fruit kept under such conditions ics a direct 3iienace to the health of the city, and I venture to suggest that all Chinese vendors of fruit should have their premises frequently and rigidly inspected. The ordinary habits of the Chinaman are enough alone to constitute a danger where he has articles of diet stored m his living rooms, and yel these people control the fruit trade. I shall make a further inspection as soon as possible."

THE AUCKLAND CASE.

13 IT PLAGUE OR BLOOD-POISONING?

AUCKLAND, May 3. Concerning Hie case of the boy who wa9 bitten by a rat and is at present isolated, it appears that the bite occurred on April 17. Dr Dawson says that lie was called in and paw the boy on the following Sunday. The wound caused by the bite had apparently healed, though the tear was there, and it did

cot appear at all mnammed. The boy was """ feverish, and hacf a dirty tongue. His hands and arms were covered with small pustules, and he complained of tenderness about the joints. This pointed to the probabilities oE the beginning of typhoid, or of acute rheumatism, or of blood-poisoning from the bite of the rat, which was the common sequence of such occurrence. He did* not think the case 'was one of plague, biit simply one of blood-poisoning

May 4. Regarding the case of the boy bitten by a rat, the honorary medical staff report as follows to the Hospital Board: — "We, the undersigned members of the honorary medical staff, after careful examination of the cage of Augustus Paul, are of opinion that the disease from which lie is suffering is not plague. In the consultation that led to this opinion we were assisted by Dr Lloyd Smith, who has had experience of the clinical arA bacteriological features of the disease." The report is signed by seven doctors.

THE AUCKLAND PATIENT. THE CASE NOT PLAGUE. WELLINGTON, May 5. Dr Baldwin has wired to the Hon. J. G. Ward from Auckland: — "Case here has been definitely decided not to be one of plague,"

WELLINGTON, May 5,

Among the buildings that have been condemned to-day was a boarding hotwe for which £2 a week rent is paid. The commissioners called it a disgraceful .hole.

Dr Fyffe, reporting to the Colonial Secretary, mentions as the. most striking features of his inspection the way in which the by-law* are contravened regarding stables, the large number of houses that are unconnected with the drainage system, especially in the poorer parts of the city, and the' crying need for cheap houses for the really poor. He suggests that ,if private enterprise cannot pupply this want, the City Council or the Government should step in. The time allowed for pulling down- the first batch of condemned buildings has expired, and a number are still standing-. "The council intend to prosecute the owners c t once.

INSANITARY BUILDINGS IN THE CITY.

At last week's meeting of the City Council Drs Davies and Ccughtrey repotted that, under instructions from the council, they had inspected certain buildings in Wrlker street (three in number), Maclagan street, Hanover street, Moiay p!aee, and Great King street — seven in all. Tiiey were buildings that were in a condition that was dangerous . to the health of their occupier^, aiid likely to propagate disease in the neighbourhood. Three of the houses Fituate in Walker street are occupied by Chinese ; the Maclaggan street and 3'loray place premises aic also occupied by Chinese ; the Hanover street house and that in Great King street are tenanted by Europeans.

The Mayor said the council would have to decide what notice should be given to the owners of these houses to pull them clown. Cr Haynes suggested that four days should be allowed, as was allowed in Wellington. Cr Park said the course the council were following' gave the owners an opportunity to reinstate their - buildings. The procedure seemed to be very long indeed. The buildings were found to be uninhabitable some time ago, and at last meeting the General Committee recommended that certain buildings should be pulled clown, and the council accepted thai recommendation. In the meantime, of course, the buildings were being reinBtated, and the council theri could do nothing. If four days' notice was given in Wellington, surely the same notice would be sufficient for Dunedin.

The Mayor said certain statutory forms had to be observed in these cases. Prior to taking any steps against the landlords, the council must receive a certificate from two medical men, appointed by resolution of the council, and at last meeting such a resolution was passed. The report of the medical men was now before the council.

Cr_ Gore said that after the medical men's opinion was obtained notice had to be jriven to the owners, and if they showed an inclination to take the buildings down, the council, of course, would not do so. He thought eeven days' notice was sufficient to give. Cr Haynes moved — " That the time allowed for the pulling down of the buildings be seven days."

Cr Christopher asked if the Board of Health would not entertain evidence to rebut that given by the lneclicsl men?

The Mayor said the Board of Health l.ad nothing to do with the evidence. They had only to accept the certificate of two medical men, and to proceed to take action on that certificate. Tf the owners of the houses did not, after getting notice, take steps to piill them down, or take steps in that direction, and ki they did not pull them clown within a certain time, the board would sue the proprietor before a justice of the peace or magistrate, and at that stage evidence could be brought.

Cr Gore Seconded the motion.

Cr Park asked if the owners reinstated the buildings to such an extent as to make them habitable, could ' it be demanded thai Ihe houses should then be nulled down?

The Mayor said no certificates would be issued for repairs to the buildings complained of.

Cr Park said that such a case happened in the past, when the engineer issued the necessary certificate.

The Mayor said that was co, but the engineer had now received specific, instructions as to how to act in the matter.

Cr Denniston understood the medical men were favourable to 14 days being allowed, and as they had made inquiry into the cases they might have had some reason for such a recommendation. He would move, therefore, as an amendment, that 14 clays be allowed. Cr Carrol] seconded the amendment.

Cr Haynes did not objecb to 14 days, and, with Cr Gore's consent, the motion was withdrawn, and it was unanimously resolved to allow 14 days.

At a later stage of the meeting, ' . Inspector Donaldson reported that 125 insanitary buildings in the city wanted inspection by the Board of Health as soon as (possible. It was decided to appoint Drs Davies and Coughtrey to inspect the buildings, and to furnish a report fat the council.

Inspector Donaldson also reported that the house and premises, owned and occupied hy Mrs Ann Wilson, in George street, were still unprovided with a drain.

It was resolved to call on Mrs Wilson to provide a drain within a month, otherwise further action would be taken by the covincil.

VALUE OF INOCULATION. following on the subject is from the "British Medical Journal": — Firsti as regards animals being rendered

immune. Twenty rats from a ship newly arrived from Europe were seized. Of theso, 10 were inoculated. Subsequently the 20 rats were kept together in a cage, into which a rat suffering from plague was introduced. Of. the unincculated nine were seized with the plague, and died, whereas of those rendered immune only one contracted the plague, and died.

Secondly, at TJran, a villag-e' possessing 1000 inhabitants, when plague broke out 429 persons were inoculated by the serum (Haffkine's prophylactic). Of these only seven were attacked ,by plague, and all recovered, whilst of the uninoculated 26 were seized, and 24 died.

Thirdly, in the town of Lower Damann 2197 persons wsre inoculated, 6033 remaining unprotected. Of the latter 1482 died, whereas only 36 of the persons inoculated succumbed to the disease.

Fourthly, al Lanowli, a village with 700 inhabitants, some two hours' distant from Bombay, 323 persons were inoculated, and 377 were content to remain unprotected. Among the former there were 14 ca=es and seven deaths ; among the latter, that U, the uninoculated, 78 persons contracted the disease, of whom 58 died.

Fifthly, at JLCirkee, cut of a total population of 1530 inhabitants, 671 availed themselves of the treatment, while 859 remained unprotected. Of the latter, 143 had plague, with 98 deaths, whereas of ,the inoculated 32 cases occurred, with i 7 deaths only.

The work of- inspection of premises in the city is proceeding apace, and valuable assistance is being given to\the inspectors by several members of -the police force who have bean appointed to assist them. His Worship the Mayor has received from Inspector Purely 41 separate reports on jrremises which 'his officers inspected in. one clay. On receipt of these, the Mayor had a conference with Inspector Pardy as to a systematic method of proceeding with the work and with a view to guarding against overlapping the inspeo-liori.-j. TaKen altogether, the reports are verysatisfactory. The nuisances are comparatively few in number, and it is mainly in connection with water-closets and back yards that complaint is made. In one or two cases fowl-houses are also found to be a source of nuisa.ice.

The City Council is now pushing en the work of improving the dust-tips. The refuse at Stuart street is being covered with 6in cr 7ia of the soil from the Roslyn tramway works

Plans of the furnace which it is proposed to use on the Oval until a better means of disposing of the eifcv rubbish has "been devised have been bubmitted to the City Council, and one of them will be adopted in the course of a few clay«.

The Works Committee of the City Council have decided to employ another gang of men m addition to the men recently ' employed, to carry on the work of concreting the street channels.

The penny paid for each rat caught within the invevcargill Borough is causing considerable havoc among the rodents. Over 1000 have (the Times reports) been received at the gasworks, and of that number 250 were destroyed within the past week.

AN ANCIENT FAVOURITE NURSERY RIME RESET FOR OUR DISTRACTED TIME.

This is the Morgue the Mayor built; This is the Corse, That lay in the Morgue the Mayor built; This is the Horse

That kicked the Corse, That lay in the Morgue the Mayor built; j'his the Cow from Talmna Park, That gored the Horse, That kicked the Corse, That lay in the Morgue the Mayor built. This is the dog with the raucous Bark, That' bit the Cow from Tahuna Park, That gored the Horse, That kicked the Corse, That lay in the Morgue the Mayor built ; This is the Cat that (by way of a Lark) Scratched the nose of the dog with the raixcous Bark, That bit the Cow from Tahuna Park, That gored the Horse, That kicked the Corse, That lay in the Morgue the Mayor built ; , This is the Rat from the Hold so dark, That poisoned the Cat that (by way o£ a Lark) Scratched the jSTose of the Dog with the raucous Bark, That bit the Cow, etc.

The is the Plea from the Sailor's Sark, That infected the Eat from the Hold so dark, That poisoned the Cat that (by way of a Lark) Scratched the Nose of the Dog with the raucous Bark, That bit the Cow, etc. This is the Germ sll striryfc and stark. That lurked in the Plea from the Sailor's Sark, That infected the Eat from the Hold so Dark, That poisoned the Cat, etc. ~4 This is G-lr-th, the learned Clerk ' That pounced on the germ all stript and stark, That lurked in the Plea from the Sailor's Sark, That infected the Eat ivom. the Hold so dark, That poisoned the Cat that (by way of a. Lark) Scratched the Nose of the Dog with the raucous Bark, That bit the Cow from Tahuna Park, That gored the Horse, That kicked the Corse, That lay in the Morgue the Mayor built.