Conquest of Bubonic Plague 



187 



tary engineer, to make necessary altera- 

 tions. Cement ground floors were laid, 

 double walls and double ceilings, af- 

 fording a refuge for rats, were removed, 

 defects in plumbing were remedied, 

 whitewash was liberally used, and, in 

 general, nothing was left undone that 

 could render buildings where plague 

 had occurred safe for human occupancy. 

 Buildings incapable of thorough disin- 

 fection and renovation were destroyed. 

 Buildings in which plague rats were taken 

 were treated exactly as were those where 

 the disease attacked the human occupants. 

 The bacteriological examination of rats 

 enabled the board of health to follow the 

 pest into its most secret haunts and fight it 

 there, and was the most important fac- 

 tor in the winning of the great success 

 which was ultimatel}' achieved. 



With very few exceptions, there was 

 no recurrence of plague in buildings 

 which had been disinfected and reno- 

 vated. As center after center of infec- 

 tion was found and destroyed the per- 

 centage of diseased rats began to de- 

 crease, and in January, 1902, when, 

 judging from the history of previous 

 years, plague should have again begun 

 to spread among human beings, there 

 was not a single case. In February one 

 case occurred. In March there were two 

 cases, as against 63 in March of the pre- 

 ceding year, and before April the disease 

 had completely disappeared. 



This result, brought about at a time 

 when the epidemic would, if unchecked, 

 have reached its height for the year, 

 marked the end of a fight begun by the 

 board of health on the day of its organi- 

 zation and prosecuted unremittingly 

 under adverse conditions for seven 

 months with a degree of success which 

 has not been equaled under similar con- 

 ditions in the history of bubonic plague. 



Especial credit is due to Chief Health 

 Inspector Meacham for the ingenuity 

 which he displayed in devising means 

 for the destruction of rats and for the 

 tireless energy with which he devoted 



himself to securing their adoption, and 

 to increasing the efficiency of his force 

 of inspectors, as well as to Drs. J. W. 

 Jobling and Edward A. Southall and 

 their assistants, who worked unremit- 

 tingly at the uncongenial and dangerous 

 task of making a bacteriological exam- 

 ination of rats, a large proportion of 

 which were putrid, while not a few of 

 them were infected with one of the most 

 fatal of diseases. This work was of 

 necessity conducted in the inadequate 

 building in which it has been necessary 

 temporarily to house the bureau of gov- 

 ernment laboratories, in close proximity 

 to the civil hospital. The fact that not 

 a single case of infection occurred 

 among the laboratory force or the in- 

 mates of the hospital is sufficient com- 

 mentary upon the care with which it 

 was performed. 



During 1901 plague appeared at sev- 

 eral points in the provinces near Manila. 

 Agents of the board of health were 

 promptly dispatched to the infected mu- 

 nicipalities and radical remedial meas- 

 ures were adopted, including in several 

 instances the burning of infected build- 

 ings, the result being the complete disap- 

 pearance of plague in the provinces as well 

 as in Manila* 



A few figures will still further im- 

 press the American with the magnitude 

 of this fight by his representatives in 

 the Philippines. Of the 60,000 rats 

 caught, tagged, and sent to the labora- 

 tory, 40,666 were examined microscop- 

 ically for bacilli, and of these 242 were 

 found infested with plague. During 

 one month 65,379 traps were set and 

 403,789 plates of rat bane placed by the 

 rat-catching squads, who had a special 

 uniform and cap. The kind of poison 

 had to be frequently changed, as the 

 rats were very wary and suspicious. It 

 is estimated that several hundred thou- 

 sand rats were killed by the poison ; 



* Report of the Philippine Commission for 

 1902, vol. I, pp. 263-265. Government Print- 

 ing Office, 1903. 



