﻿IX, B, 1 Reiser: Plague in the Philippines W 



RARENESS OF SICKNESS OR DEATH FROM PLAGUE IN RATS 



An interesting incident in connection with the plague out- 

 break was the rareness with which rats were found that were 

 either sick from plague or dead as a result of plague. Among 

 a total of 37 rats in which plague was detected, a rat sick 

 of plague was found only once, and rats dead of plague were 

 found in but three instances, two of which did not occur until 

 September, 1913. Of the remaining rats that were found to 

 be afflicted with plague, 20 were killed in a spring trap, 8 died 

 as a result of poison, 3 were killed with a club or other weapon, 

 and in 2 the cause of death was not ascertained. 



RAT NESTS 



The principal measures in eradicating plague were directed 

 toward finding and destroying rat nests. It was thought that 

 in this way the danger of infected fleas spreading the plague 

 among rats could be largely eliminated, and the small number 

 of cases of rat-plague infection which occurred may be explained 

 through this sanitary measure.. Experience shows that fleas 

 spend much time in rat nests, and by disturbing the nesting place 

 and by spraying it frequently with an insecticide the number 

 of opportunities for fleas to spread the disease is certainly very 

 much lessened. In order to accomplish this purpose, a gang 

 of laborers composed of about 100 men was divided into three 

 sections, each under the charge of an experienced sanitary 

 inspector. These gangs go from house to house, and make a 

 thorough systematic search for rat-breeding places. After the 

 search of the house is completed, the woodpiles, old junk, rub- 

 bish, and everything that is liable to harbor rats outside of the 

 house are moved about so that the nests may be discovered and 

 destroyed. Particular attention is given to spraying with an 

 insecticide so that fleas may not escape. It was found that 

 woodpiles are favorite harboring places for rats, and these are 

 invariably taken down and replied well above the ground and 

 away from the wall, so that dogs and cats may work effectively in 

 keeping rats out of them in the future. 



In view of the great importance which has been attached by 

 the Javanese sanitary authorities to destroying rats in hollow 

 bamboos, special stress was directed toward finding them in 

 similar breeding places in the Philippines. At first, these efforts 

 did not meet with much success. However, when the plague 

 spread to sections of the city in which bamboo and thatched 

 houses predominate, rats were frequently found breeding in 



