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64
"Fleas.—Simond has made ingenious experiments to show that plague is transmitted
from rat to man by means of fleas. A healthy rat has very few fleas on
him doubtless because, being careful of his toilette, he gets rid of them as cats
and dogs do."
"A sick rat becomes absolutely covered by these insects, doubtless because the
illness makes him careless and neglectful of himself. The insects which attack
the sick animals charge themselves with microbes and afterwards kindly transfer
these to us." Bubonic Plague, etc., by Dr. Jose Verdes Montenegro, translated
by W. Munro, M.D. Edin.
"The importance of the dissemination of plague by rats is only gradually being
appreciated. It is a well-attested fact, and has in numerous localities been the
precursor of an extensive outbreak. The rat plague is also slow in its progress,
and it must not be imagined that it is just previously to the rats dying in their
hundreds and thousands that plague is imported into the locality ; the origin has
to be sought at a much earlier period, when mortality occurs only among one or
more rats in groups. It is a well-known fact among the ancient Hindoos that
when rats begin to die in a house it was time for the inmates to leave their abode.
Rats when they sicken with plague leave their holes and come out into the open.
They look ill and are in a dazed condition, their eyes are watery and bleary, their
coats are partially deprived of hair, and they hobble about with difficulty and
stagger and fall. They make very little attempt to escape when approached, and
their behaviour is so extraordinarily different from what is usual that the illness
from which they are suffering may be at once suspected. The glands of plagueinfected
rats are enlarged, and these, together with the internal organs and blood,
contain plague bacilli. It is not safe to handle rats which are either suffering, or
have recently died, from plague."Plague viewed from several aspects by W. J.
Simpson, M.D., Aberd., F.R.C.P., Professor of Hygiene, King's College,
London.
‡ At the suggestion of Mr. Randall, Chairman of the Sanitary Committee printed
post cards for giving information respecting fresh arrivals were also left at the
premises.
† The Committee directed a letter to be sent by the Clerk to the Authorities of
the premises in question to this effect.
I am, Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
FREDERICK WILLIAM ALEXANDER,
Diplomate Public Health (England),
Medical Officer of Health,
Poplar and Bromley.
Public Health Department,
Offices of the Board,
117, High Street, Poplar, 31st March, 1900.