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Two cats sent for examination from houses where human Plague had occurred were returned as Plague infected, the human and cat infections being synchronous.
Bugs, cockroaches and flies have also been returned as infected with Bacillus pestis, the bugs coming from a house in which two fatal cases of Plague occurred a few days before.
PREVENTIVE MEASURES.
The measures taken with a view to check the course of the epidemic have been (1.) the disinfection of houses in which Plague has occurred, and the personal effects of the inmates; (2.) the closure, especially at the beginning of the epidemic, of various blocks of houses where the disease had broken out, until such time as the houses could be disinfected and rendered rat-proof; (3.) rat-preventive measures.
The disinfection of houses has been conducted on the following lines :- The clothing and bedding from the infected house has been passed through the steam disinfector. The walls and internal surfaces of the rooms have been sprayed with a solution of perchloride of mercury and the rooms and furniture thoroughly scrubbed with a solution of Jeyes' fluid and water (5 % strength).
Kitchens, floors, sinks, privies, etc., have been cleansed by being scrubbed out with chloride of lime and water which has been very efficient in removing grease and dirt.
The number of houses disinfected in the City of Victoria, from January 1st to July 31st this year, has been 566.
That the disinfecting measures have been of good may, I think, be reasonably concluded from the following remarks.
The number of "repeat cases," i.e., the number of houses in which two independ- ent cases have occurred, has been only 6.
This gives a percentage of only 1.07. In making this calculation there have been excluded :—-
(1.) His Excellency the Governor's experimental block in Second and
Third Streets.
(2.) Cases brought sick to the Convents.
(3.) The case of a man who out of bravado slept in the bed from which
a patient had the day before been taken to the hospital.
(4.) The case of a girl who was moved into the house when sick from
one where there was Plague.
(5.) The case of a woman whose whole family ultimately died or suffered from Plague (in other houses) though there was 19 days' interval between her death and that of the last sufferer.
(6.) The case of a man who stole some bedding from a Plague corpse
and who was attacked 10 days afterwards.
(7.) The Gaol, Burracks, Police Station and Disinfecting Station.
The following are some brief notes of the 6 "repeat" cases.
(1.) 32 Gough Street, 12th June, 2nd floor. Resided on premises 1 month, Sick 2 years. Came from No. 5, Peel Street where her grandson died of Plague on 3rd May. Previous case 25th April, 3rd floor.
(2.) 88 Hollywood Road, 20th April, 2nd floor.
Previous case 24th
March, 3rd floor. Residing
Residing on premises 3 days. Previous address not obtained. Sick one day.
(3.) 2 Sun Wai Lane, 11th May, 1st floor. Previous case 16th March,
1st floor. Floor deserted. No particulars.
(4.) 188 Queen's Road East, 24th May, ground-floor. Resilent 3 years, went to Macao 26th April, returned 30th April. Sick one week. Died 23rd May, 1903. Previous case 27th April, 1st floor.
(5.) 3 Wing Lok Lane, 12th June, 1st floor. Resident 4 years. Sick 4 days. Died 11th June, 1903. Previous case 13th April, 1903, ground-floor. Previously resided on ground-floor. Had some property which escaped disinfection.