232 



PLAGUE 



asked the cost of supplying from 50,000 to 100,000 

 doses, and the earliest date at which this quantity 

 could be dispatched. It is also desired to know if 

 in case of need 50,000 doses a week could be sent 

 to London. Russia desires to obtain a consider- 

 able stock for Port Arthur. Italy has been making 

 inquiries for home use ; and also Portugal, in order 

 to inoculate at Mozambique. The present labora- 

 tory is at Government House, Parel, Bombay, and 

 has only recently been fitted up by the Government 

 of India. About 10,000 doses a day can be turned 

 out, but it is thought that still further enlargements 

 will be required if the demand should increase 

 beyond this amount." {Lancet, 23rd September 

 1899.) 



It would take too long for the present purpose 

 to consider what has been done, not only for the 

 prevention of plague, but also for its cure by a 

 serum treatment. The results obtained by this treat- 

 ment in India have not been very good ; but Yersin 

 and others report better results in other countries. 

 Good results are reported from Amoy (1896), 

 Nhatrang (1898), Oporto (1899) and Buenos 

 Ayres (1899- 1900). In Glasgow, the prophylactic 

 use of Yersin's serum seems to have done excellent 

 service : the success of its curative use was not very 

 striking. The curative results at Nhatrang (Yersin, 

 Annales de r Institut Pasteur, March 1899), are 

 notable. Nhatrang is an Annamese fishing-village; 

 and the plague, when it was left to itself, killed every 

 case that it got : — 



" La peste s est montr^e excessivement meur- 



