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13
PLAGUE.
In my last Report I was able to show that the existence of Plague was
distributed in all the Continents, and the Islands of the Pacific and Indian
Oceans.
The history of this disease during 1904 shows that it is still pandemic,
though Europe—except for a few imported cases—has been free from the
disease, and in consequence, with such a number of ports considered either
infected or suspected, much work has been done by your Boarding Medical
Officers at Gravesend.
In India the number of deaths from Plague appears to have been greater in
1904 than during the previous year.
The disease was also persistent in China and widely distributed in that
country.
In Japan there appears to have been no epidemic, but some cases appear to
have been imported there by vessels.
It is interesting to note that an epidemic among rats is reported as having
been observed at Tokio, and that successful measures were adopted for its
suppression.
Comparatively few cases are reported from the Philippine Islands or from
Singapore.
Small outbreaks have occurred in the Malay Peninsula, the Persian Gulf,
and some imported cases at Aden.
In Egypt the disease has existed throughout the year, but without
developing into epidemic form.
Other places affected have been: British and German East Africa, Central
Africa, Mozambique, Lorenzo Marques, Transvaal, Port Elizabeth, East
London, Natal, Mauritius, New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia,
Auckland, Sandwich Islands, San Francisco, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay,
Chili, Peru, and Mexico.
Returning to Europe, cases of Plague are known to have occurred at
Smyrna. Reports of the existence of Plague at Oporto during November
were not confirmed.
On a vessel which arrived at Havre from Bombay, five cases of sickness
occurred, with four deaths, which are believed to have been Plague.