September 19, 1908.]
{
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
CATS AS PLAGUE PREVENTERS.
which
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set in action a series of exhaust tubings. It numbers in the plague infected districts of is no credit to our great ship-building | India and the Commission found more establishments that in the majority of cases plague infection among the grey rats than the ventilation of our ocean-going steam-among the black. That effectually explodes ships remains in the same archaic condition Dr. SAMBON's theory. The only experi as it was found upwards of half a century | ment so far suggested which seems to be ago.
worth making is the experiment of keeping cats which was suggested to the Sanitary It seems that wherever that experiment has Board by the Hon. COLONIAL SECRETARY. been tried it has proved an uoqualified success, and we anticipate very little difficulty in getting the Chinese inhabit- ants the matter.
of the Colony to co-operate in
The Chinese are fond of cats. In Canton and the surrounding districts, we understand, the cat is commonly to be found as a bousehold pet, and it may be that this accounts to a large extent for the greater freedom from plague which Canton Hongkong. The conditions of life, however, is reputed to enjoy as compared with are somewhat different in Hongkong. Here, where different families live on a single floor, the keeping of cats has its disadvant set against the small amount of trouble ages, but when immunity from plague is involved in training a cat to cleanly habits, the people will doubtless see the matter in the light in which the Sanitary Board wish them to see it.
We may mention an instance which is within our own knowledge of the value of the cat in preventing plague. Throughout one plague season a family of five persons occupied a floor in a house in which seven- kept a cat which was a good "ratter," and teen cases of plague occurred. This family
infection. We believe cases of this kind can not one person living on that floor got the be multiplied by scores in Hongkong; and, if only the keeping of cats becomes a general practice we believe the community could confidently look forward to a great reduction in the dimensions of these annually-recur- ring epidemics of plague. The experiment deserves every encouragement.
into the open, for the most part it being allowed to escape as best it can through small opens into the interior passages of the ship, generally themselves more or less foul with air escaped from the engines and boiler rooms. Motives of economy induce the owners to crowd as many passengers as possible into each closed compartment, an the ordinary passenger bimself, as often as not from ignorance, aggravates the evil by closing up every opening he can through some vague fear of "drafts". An aggra-
(Daily Press, September 16th.} vated instance of overcrowding in a steamer Plague has practically ceasel to trouble used for long excursions, accompanied with Hongkong any more this year, but it will be a practically total absence of any provision seen from the report of the proceedings for ventilation whatever, was recenly at yesterday's meeting of the Sanitary brought under the notice of the writer. Board that attention is being wisely devoted The entire of the superior passenger accom-
in the off-season " to devising measures modation was here centralised amidships we may reasonably hope will do around the engine and boiler spaces, so that something to reduce the extent of these there was absolutely no excuse on the part annually recurring epidemics. Thanks to of the builders and owners. With the the exhaustive investigations which have exception of a small companion and two
been carried on in India, the Sanitary doors situated aft, there was absolutely no authorities, wherever plague epidemics means for the admission of the outer air occur, are now able to intelligently attack the except through small ports, which had to be problem. The ignorance which up to DOW closed in bad weather or when the decks were has prevailed with regard to the etiology and being washed more remarkable still, there epidemiology of plague has been responsible was not a single opeuing upwards from the even in a small place like Hoogkng for passenger deck, the entire of which was an unprofitable expenditure of millions of hermetically sealed to prevent the possible dollars. After eighteen years of cleansing escape of the speut and over-heated air. and purifing operations involving extensive To make matters worse, the galley and structural alterations to almost every Cai- cooking offices were actually placed on the nese tenement in the Colupy, we have had upper deck without any communication with this year 1043 cases, a number which has only the outer air otherwise than through small been exceeded twice since the great epidemic ports at the sides opening on to what was
of 1894. And now we have the filing of the left for a promenade deck. The sleeping Indian Plague Commission that "insanitary accommodation provided for upwards of conditions have no relation to the occurrence ninety passengers consisted in twenty three of plague, except in so far as they favur small cabins, the largest of which, actually infestation by ras," That bubonic plague measured, contained slightly under 600 in man is entirely dependent on the disease oulio feet, without allowing for fittings in the rat and that infection is conveyed packages, &c. Making allowance for these, to man solely by means of the rat-flea are the actual space allotted to each passenger definitely ascertained facts. The Indian was 123 cubic feet, or just sufficient to Plague Commission furtherideclare that the sustain ordinary breathing for 7 minutes infection is conveyed from rat to rat, as well Fortunately, during the passage across the
38 from rat to map, solely by means of the Pacific Ocean no bad weather was experienc-rat-flea; eo, until plague-infected rats can be ed, so that except during the time of washing isolated, as we isolate cases of infectious decks it was not necessary to close the ports. diseases among buman beings, we shall Still a large proportion of the passengers always be liable to plague epidemics unless were compelled to sleep on a somewhat
we can exterminate the whole breed of rats.
In the course of an interview which Sir restricted deck, or accept what rough And that we cannot hope to do. The ROBERT HART a short time ago gave to a accommodation could be provided on an Summary of the Work of the Indian Plague writer on the staff of a London commercial emergency elsewhere.
Commission, for a copy of which we are indebted to the Head of the Sanitary growth of foreign trade in China depends magazine he expressed the opinion that the Department, is silent as to how the plague very largely upon the readiness with which infected districts are to get rid of the rats.
merchants adapt their supplies to the That question was not, of course, within the ascertained demands of the people. This is scope of their investigations. Having but another way of stating a complaint ascertained how plague is spread, they leave against the conservatism of merchants-and it to the Sanitary authorities to take especially British merchants-which has what measures seem to them most effectual been constantly re-iterated in the annual to
dreadful epidemics, reports of the British Consuls, Mr. Consul Dr. SAMBON, lecturer to the London School General MANSFIELD in his report on the of Tropical Medicine, told a meeting trade of Canton for 1907, a held in London recently under the auspices which is just to hand, makes
copy of of the newly incorporated Society for the remarks which are very pertinent to this a few Destruction of Vermin, that the Eastern subject. It is a matter of surprise, he worship of serpents, and, especially the anys, that with the very patent demands for deadly cobra, arose out of the fact that these modern labour-saving machinery, the great reptiles were regarded as servants of pre-manufacturers of England should for the ventive medicine, the slayers of disease most part confine themselves to circulars carrying rats. But they are never likely and catalogues and inquiries of their Consuls to become popular as household pets. Dr. for agents to push their wares. Such efforts, SAMBON seemed to be of opinion that only the he says emphatically, are useless. black rat became infected with plague, and one and only method is to send out practical he suggested the experiment of introducing men to study the wants of the Chinese, the grey rat into some Eastern island to see explain the nature and capacity of their whether he would not destroy the black machines, quote definite laid-down prices, rat and yet remain immune from plague. and, later op, exhibit samples in actual work. Hongkong will not be encouraged to Other nations are prepared to do this, and try the experiment after what the if the British manufacturer does not want Indian Plague Commission have to to be left out in the cold, he must follow say on the subject. Both the grey suit." The advice is sound enough, but the rat and the black rat are present in great words of wisdom embodied in the Consular
or
Now, as above indicated, in this case by the provision of one or two guarded opens for the admission of fresh air, and the construction of extraction air passages around the funnel and boiler casings, a perfectly efficient system of ventilation was actually at hand, and only required the exercise of a little knowledge and discre- tion to be put in an efficient working condition. Of course, in ship-ventilation, as in mine ventilation, nothing must be left to the discretion of the passenger worker, whose first instinct in both cases will be to close up every orifice admitting or discharging air. One rule above all should be made imperative, and that is that besides any air that may be admitted by ports or other external openings liable to be closed during bad weather, each steamship carrying passengers should be provided within itself with a system of ventilation capable of supplying under the worst conditions a minimum of 1000 cubic feet of air per hour for each passenger carried, and such ventilation to be entirely beyond the control of any passenger on board. No additional expense need be incurred in thus fitting up a steamship; the means, in fact, are always at band in the engine and boiler casings, the high temperature of which is always available with a little forethought to
prevent these
BRITISH TRADE METHODS IN CHINA.
(Daily Press, 17th September.)
I
The
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