M 168
The
cases of Plague recorded in the Colony since the discovery here of this disease in 1894 are given in the following
table:
Year. Cases. Year. Cases. 1894 2,553 1911 269 1895 44 1912 1,857 1896 1,204 1913 408 1897 21 1914 2,146 1898 1,320 1915 144 1899 1,486 1916 39 1900 1,087 1917 38 1901 1,651 1918 266 1902 572 1919 464 1903 1,415 1920 138 1904 510 1921 150 1905 272 1922 1,181 1906 893 1923 148 1907 240 1924 0 1908 1,073 1925 0 1909 135 1926 0 1910 25 1927 0 1928 4*This is an estimate and is probably much too low.
In the campaign against Plague, three important measures have been introduced and are now established routine procedures: (1) House-to-house cleansing and limewashing: (2) Removal of all hollow spaces in Chinese houses (such as ceilings, stair linings, and panelling); (3) Vermin destruction.
(II) The destruction of rats and mice.
This is brought about by two means:- Trapping (of which bird-lime boards are the most successful) and Poisoning (Barium Carbonate). By far the greatest number of rats, however, are killed or found dead by the inhabitants and placed in numbered bins set up all over the Colony. This has been extraordinarily successful and as many as an average of 2,500 rats a week are collected from these bins.
In any case, all rats are labelled and sent to the Pathologists for examination, the results of which are then sent in to the Medical Officer of Health. Special returns are also made out for traps set, type of bait used, etc.