File:Interstate medical journal (1907) (14760183771).jpg

Identifier: interstatemedica1419unse (find matches)
Title: Interstate medical journal
Year: 1907 (1900s)
Authors:
Subjects: Medicine
Publisher: St. Louis, : Interstate Medical Journal
Contributing Library: The College of Physicians of Philadelphia Historical Medical Library
Digitizing Sponsor: The College of Physicians of Philadelphia and the National Endowment for the Humanities

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pest, the Government for several years past has been encouraging thedestruction of rats by buying all which are killed or captured by the peo-ple. This practice has a twofold purpose—one the prevention of an epi-demic, and the other the ascertaining whether any infected animals, the COMBATING PLAGUE IN JAPAN. 609 presence of which usually precedes an epidemic among men, are existent.An immense number of rats is bought by the Government and each oneof them is examined bacteriologically. From 3,000 to 4,000 ro-dents are examined daily even in ordinary times, but when anepidemic occurs the number is increased to^ an enormous figure. Asplague outbreaks in Japan are usually preceded by rat infection, these ex-aminations are to be regarded somewhat in the light of a reconnoissance.The utility of this precaution is illustrated by the fact that in 1904 an in-fected rat was discovered in Yokohama before any human victim hadbeen found and as a result the source of the infection was sought and
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Fig. 6.—Bacteriological laboratory of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Board. Exami-nation of rats for pest infection. finally traced to a British steamer, the warning being given in time. Dur-ing epidemics the examination of rats is even more necessary, for it isonly by such a process that the condition and the manner of propagationof the pestidence are actually known. To judge from the experience of the past, it can be suggested that inexamining rats particular attention should be paid to their submaxillaryand cervical glands and to the spleen. These organs in most cases showthe evidence of infection, if there be any. The inference to be drawnis that the rat receives the plague germ through the mucous membraneof the mouth and throat. An important work during an epidemic is the bacteriological exami- 610 KITASATO. nation of specimens obtained from the patients and the dead, for thediagnosis must depend upon both clinical and bacteriological observation.In suspicious cases, material fo

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