THE BUBONIC PLAGUE.

Waikato Argus, Volume VIII, Issue 591, 8 March 1900, Page 2

THE BUBONIC PLAGUE.

(BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION,) Wellington, Last Might. On the return of the Premier aud Hon. Ward from Auckland this afternoon, the virulence of the bubonic plague in Sydney was discussed by the Government, and it was decided to place all vessels arriving from New South Wales in quarantine. The first of the vessels to be affected is the Monowai, which is due from Sydney to-night, and she will be ordered to the quarantine station at Somes Island for at least a week, her admission to practique at the end of that period being of couise dependent upon a clean bill of health. The steamer Victoria from Newcastle is due to-morrow, and will be similarly treated. So far nothing has been decided as to whether vessels from other Australian colonies are to be quarantined, but the utmost precautions will be taken to prevent the introduction of the plague to this colony, Wellington, This Day. The following cable was received from the Health Department at Sydney last night " There are no actual cases of plague at present and no suspicious cases. All the persons detained under observation are well.” The Government is considering the necessity of sending a bacteriologist to Sydney to stu'ly the symptoms and development of the Bubonic Plague, and Mr Gilruth, veterinary surgeon, who had special training in the technique of bacteriology, is likely to be chosen. Dr. James, the Health Officer, while recognising the closeness of the plague to New Zealand, is a serious menace, says there is no necessity of becoming alarmed. Christchurch, This Day. _ The Medicil Association urge, in addi tion to quarantining vessels, some system of inspection before the vessels leave the Australian ports; also “ That the Government be requested to approach the owners of vessels trading with New Zealand, with a view to arranging that all loading at Sydney be done at wharves and places not in an infected locality ” ; “ That the Government be recommended to send an expert at once to Sydney to study the disease from both sanitary and medical points of view."

In answer to the question as to whether proper precautions were being taken in the burial of plague victims, Dr. Ashburton Thompson, President of the Sydney Board of Health, said the following was the mode of burial of Dudley:—“ The body was taken in a launch from his residence in Drummoyne to the quarantine station, and buried there. For the sake of precaution, a hole was bored in the coffin lid and the coffin was tilled with a very strong disinfectant. Before it was removed from the house it was—filled with disinfectants as it was—wrapped in sheets, which were also saturated with disinfectant, and the whole was finally wrapped in a sail. This was also soaked in disinfectant, and the coffin was so taken to the quarantine ground and buried witlr the sheets ronud it. The grave was made deep, on a steep slope facing South Head.” He added that similar precautions would be taken in other cases.