144 



Insects and Disease 



Their breeding-places were destroyed by making 

 cellars, woodsheds, warehouses, etc., rat-proof and 

 removing all old rubbish. Garbage cans were in- 

 stalled in all parts of the city, as it was required 

 that all garbage be stored where rats could not feed 

 upon it, and altogether every effort was made to 

 make it as uncomfortable as possible for the rats. 



The marked success attending this work abun- 

 dantly confirms the soundness of the theory upon 

 which it was based, and serves as another example 

 of the way in which science is teaching us how to 

 prevent or control many of our most serious dis- 

 eases. 



THE INDIAN PLAGUE COMMISSION 



In 1896, what proved to be a very serious out- 

 break of plague, occurred in Bombay and spread 

 to other parts of India. In 1898, a commission 

 was appointed to inquire into the origin of the dif- 

 ferent outbreaks, the manner in which the disease 

 is communicated, etc. This was known as the 

 Indian Plague Commission, and its exhaustive re- 

 port, together with the minutes of the evidence 

 presented to the committee, represents a stupen- 

 dous amount of work on this subject and is the 

 basis for much of the later investigation that has 

 been undertaken. 



