The Thames Star. Resurrexi. SATURDAY, APRIL 21, 1900. THE PLAGUE.

Thames Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9618, 21 April 1900, Page 2

The Thames Star. Resurrexi. SATURDAY, APRIL 21, 1900. THE PLAGUE.

Ik a recent message from Sydney it was stated that the Government, had been advised of the despatch of 20,----000 doses of Hafekeine's plague prophylactic , from Colombo to the* New South Wales capital. The efficacy of this preparation seems to be ai ques-' tion which haa not yet been placed beyond doubt. The medical faculty differ considerably as to the degree of protection inoculation affords residents of a plague-infected area.. Some medical men in India declare that a person who has been inoculated is rendered immune for six months, when the operation should be repeated. Other doctors, qualified by experience to give an opinion, minimise the value of the prophylactic as a preventive by stating that it only affords protection for from ten to fourteen days. Them again, we notice that an eminent Portuguese doctor, who attended several cases of plague at Oporto, and who himself fell a victim to the horrible disease, declared, when on his deathbed.l, thaifc European doctors knew nothing about the plague, and were completely in the dark as to its real nature, and' of ■the effective remedies to be employed. When doctors differ, who is competent to decide an important question which it is their duty to solve? Medical men holding advanced viewa in regard to bacteriology seem to cling to the pronhylactic as the only sure ni.-:c.ns of combatting the disease, and ycfc some members of .the faculty, who hiw-e had experience in, the'treatment o' plague cases, have failed to obtain vaults which would undoubtedly p:jv? tb.e vatae of tho prophylactic.

There is no doubt, however, tha,t it is a valuable discovery, as I'many persons who have been inoculated, but who have not escaped attack, have been only sufferers from a mild form, and their recovery has been relatively quick. So far as can be judged from present available information on the jsubject, the inoculating process 1, though not protecting a person against the plague, ensures a milder form in event of attack, than, that experienced by persons who have not been subjected to inoculation —which is certainly a distinct advantage, and better than having na protection whatever.