UNITED STATES. 



[Reports to the Surgeon-General, Public. Health and Marine-Hospital Service.] 

 Plague in Ground Squirrels. 



In a communication dated August 28, 1908, Passed Assistant Sur- 

 geon Blue, San Francisco, Cal., transmits a full bacteriological report 

 by Passed Assistant Surgeon McCoy on the plague-infected ground 

 squirrel found on the Farias ranch in the northern part of Contra 

 Costa County, August 5, 1908. A case of human plague occurred on 

 this ranch July 11, 1908. [See Public Health Reports, July 31, 1908, 

 page 1096.] 



Doctor Blue observes that this is perhaps the first demonstration 

 of the occurrence in nature of bubonic plague in the ground squirrel 

 {Citellus heecheyi) of California. There can be no further doubt, 

 therefore, he writes, that these rodents are an important factor in the 

 dissemination of infection. 



Practically the same findings have been obtained by Acting Assistant 

 Surgeon Wherry in the Oakland laboratory, and are reported under 

 date of August 24, 1908. 



The following is the report, dated August 27, 1908, of Passed 

 Assistant Surgeon McCoy on the examination of the tissue from the 

 squirrel suspected of being infected with plague: 



WHERRY'S DISCOVERY OF PLAGUE IN 



THE GROUND SQUIRREL AS FIRST MADE PUBLIC. 



FROM PAGE 1289 OF THE U S PUBLIC HEALTH REPORTS 



