The Bubonic Plague.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume II, Issue 97, 18 January 1900, Page 3

The Bubonic Plague.

Melboukne, Jan. 15. The outbreak of the plague at Adelaide has caused a momentary feeling of alarm. The Government have obtained a small supply of serum from Sydney and more is expected from India. No quarantine against Adelaide has been imposed pending further information from that city.

Noumea, Jan. 15. Only three caoes of plague (one black and two white children) have occurred smca last we«Jt. One black and one white child died.

Adelaide, Jau. 15. Leading doctors are satsfied thai cvise of Lhe bubonic plague h s appealed, and the hospital has been plaed ander strict quarantine, vppstein, thts victim, arrived in November last from New York and deserted from his ship. During the voyage a number of the crew suffered from stomach troubles, but these were not regarded as serious. The boy McCann, who contracted tho disease ,from Appensfcein, is now m the hospital. Eilbrts are being made to trace the origin of the outbreak.

Jan. 16. The P-esidettt of the Board of Health admitted that the innoculation test had not been made on the plague patient, as in the absence of properly scientific -facilities, and the highly dangerous nature of the test, it would have been criminal tto make it. Doubts are being expressed by other colonies as to the true nature of the disease. The President of the Board of Health states that che post-mortem provided ob^ous proofs that the disease is the true iubunic plague.

The Hon J. G. Ward has sent the foJlowing telegram to all the Mayors in the colony : — A3 the bubonic plague has apparently spread 10 Australia, I shall be glad it you will co-operate with the Government in endeavouring to take such precautions as will, as far as possible, prevent its introduction into this colony. I may state that there is not- the slightest necessity at present for any alarm, and the steps I am indicating are merely with a view of prevention, as you will readily recognise that should even a single case of disease occur in New Zealand it would greatly interfere with trade and cause serious injury to this colony. This being so I wffl be glad if your having control of the sanitary arrangements or occupying the position, of health bodies, would' take steps to have removed manure heaps or any other matter which might in any way conduce to location or spread of the disease ; such are overcrowding, defective ventilation or impoverishment. I would especially direct your atttention to the necessity for special <sleanlines9 in streets and gully traps

and ISr seeing that the water .supply jb not in any way liable U, contamination from impurities at the uource. For y6ur information I may say that I have ordered a supply of the plague anti-toxin from the Indian Government for the purpose of treating oases should necessity arise.