PLAGUE PROPHYLAXIS. M.
Within the last few weeks the publication of Haffkine's results with his prophylactic
serum
has marked
tory.
We
seem
achieved shall
by the give us as
in
epoch
an
to have
before
of modern
means
us
plague hisa victory,
science, which
its fruits the means of controlthe ravages of a disease, which in all ages ling has been a source of very great mortality to mankind. Further investigation of M. Haffkine's remarkable results is of course desirable before we can congratulate ourselves on the possession of such
a
remarkable
we
published, feeling of profound satisfaction
a
ferences
to
from
be drawn
inoculations, tabulated, is that at group of
the south side of
prevalent
but
prophylactic;
may examine the figures already and it will be hard to refrain from
meantime
them.
the
Bombay
in-
The first
of which the results
are
village
of Mora
on
harbour.
Plague
was
at Mora for ten
numbered about
at the
weeks; eight hundred,
inoculated: of these 419 attacked with plague without a were
the population of which 419
only
four
were
death, while of the remaining half of the people, twenty-four died Lower Damaun out of twenty-six attacked. is perhaps the most remarkable of all the cases published, as the inoculations were here performed under circumstances calculated to try their claim to efficacy in the highest degree. The epidemic was of the most virulent t}7pe, was incident on a class of persons who, from their poverty and the slight control possible over their movements, were especially liable to suffer, and what is more important even than the points above set forth, the inoculation was undertaken in the height of the epidemic and not at the close. The result was that at the end of the epidemic
1,482 of the 6,000 uninoculated were found to died, and of the 2,197 inoculated only 36 instead of over 300, which would have been
have
their death ratio if calculated
on the same prodeaths occurred in the uninoculated. This is equivalent to a reduction of over eighty per cent, in the death-rate of the disease, a
portion
as
figure which closely approximates to the reduction observed under similar circumstances at Kirkee and Lanowli.
In
Bombay, 8,142 persons inoculated, eighteen were afterwards attacked, with two deaths, and these last were probably already incubating the disease at the time of inoculation. The Times of India? were
of whom
INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE.
64
journal that has from the beginning of the plague distinguished itself by the sound common
a
sense
of its views
the
on
subject,
in which the above figures are that M. Haffkine's results are
in
an
able article
quoted,?suggests remarkable
so
as
to claim the serious investigations of a scientific committee, and we would most emphatically supthe recommendation of
port
The incidence of the
proved
so
has been
and,
from
impossible disposal, that no
at our a
grave,
plague
so
contemporary. country has cause or another,
our
in this one
to resist with the
means
effort could be considered
waste of energy which aimed at
overcoming the
would urge on the Government of India the propriety of immediately investigating the results already published, and, if they and
disease,
we
prove to be satisfactory, of at once taking steps to ensure the general practice of inoculation in infected districts and in populations exposed to the onward march of the pest, the spread of which only too certainly to be apprehended through-
is
out the
country.
There can be no doubt that, if the inoculations are of the value that the above figures imply, of inoculation will find its most in the city-populations. In the field useful small towns and villages of the mofussil, it will, the
as
practice
heretofore,
be sufficient to evacuate the houses
and encamp the inhabitants in the surrounding and easily-accessible fields, but in the cities the question of segregation becomes a problem to make the boldest impossible and it is No
It is in fact all but than one ground.
quail. so on
more
read the
recently published reports Bombay Municipal Commissioner and of the Health Officer of Bombay without realizing the enormous difficulty of the task. Mr. Snow lias, we venture to think, effectually disarmed his most hostile critics of last year by his masterly and candid exposition of the segregation arguone can
of the
he was forced to face it on the outbreak of plague in the city of Bombay, and he has
ment
as
adduced
to
mind
our
no
stronger point
in
defence of his action than that dealing with the halalkhores and scavengers. It is an abominable anachronism that existence in the second on
city
in the
the humour of
of this class, and
Empire should be dependent a set of undisciplined ruffians that this is by no means an
Mr. Snow has
proved to the hilt. with the causes of concerned We we would but advance most such a situation, like that of M. Haffkine stroDgly that a method
exaggeration are
not
now
[Feb.
1898.
which would seem to immunise a population plague and make it possible to avoid the
from
problems attending segregation on a large scale, deserving 011 that ground alone of the utmost attention that can be given to it.
is
Within the last few weeks the publication of Haffkine's results with his prophylactic
serum
has marked
tory.
We
seem
achieved shall
by the give us as
in
epoch
an
to have
before
of modern
means
us
plague hisa victory,
science, which
its fruits the means of controlthe ravages of a disease, which in all ages ling has been a source of very great mortality to mankind. Further investigation of M. Haffkine's remarkable results is of course desirable before we can congratulate ourselves on the possession of such
a
remarkable
we
published, feeling of profound satisfaction
a
ferences
to
from
be drawn
inoculations, tabulated, is that at group of
the south side of
prevalent
but
prophylactic;
may examine the figures already and it will be hard to refrain from
meantime
them.
the
Bombay
in-
The first
of which the results
are
village
of Mora
on
harbour.
Plague
was
at Mora for ten
numbered about
at the
weeks; eight hundred,
inoculated: of these 419 attacked with plague without a were
the population of which 419
only
four
were
death, while of the remaining half of the people, twenty-four died Lower Damaun out of twenty-six attacked. is perhaps the most remarkable of all the cases published, as the inoculations were here performed under circumstances calculated to try their claim to efficacy in the highest degree. The epidemic was of the most virulent t}7pe, was incident on a class of persons who, from their poverty and the slight control possible over their movements, were especially liable to suffer, and what is more important even than the points above set forth, the inoculation was undertaken in the height of the epidemic and not at the close. The result was that at the end of the epidemic
1,482 of the 6,000 uninoculated were found to died, and of the 2,197 inoculated only 36 instead of over 300, which would have been
have
their death ratio if calculated
on the same prodeaths occurred in the uninoculated. This is equivalent to a reduction of over eighty per cent, in the death-rate of the disease, a
portion
as
figure which closely approximates to the reduction observed under similar circumstances at Kirkee and Lanowli.
In
Bombay, 8,142 persons inoculated, eighteen were afterwards attacked, with two deaths, and these last were probably already incubating the disease at the time of inoculation. The Times of India? were
of whom
INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE.
64
journal that has from the beginning of the plague distinguished itself by the sound common
a
sense
of its views
the
on
subject,
in which the above figures are that M. Haffkine's results are
in
an
able article
quoted,?suggests remarkable
so
as
to claim the serious investigations of a scientific committee, and we would most emphatically supthe recommendation of
port
The incidence of the
proved
so
has been
and,
from
impossible disposal, that no
at our a
grave,
plague
so
contemporary. country has cause or another,
our
in this one
to resist with the
means
effort could be considered
waste of energy which aimed at
overcoming the
would urge on the Government of India the propriety of immediately investigating the results already published, and, if they and
disease,
we
prove to be satisfactory, of at once taking steps to ensure the general practice of inoculation in infected districts and in populations exposed to the onward march of the pest, the spread of which only too certainly to be apprehended through-
is
out the
country.
There can be no doubt that, if the inoculations are of the value that the above figures imply, of inoculation will find its most in the city-populations. In the field useful small towns and villages of the mofussil, it will, the
as
practice
heretofore,
be sufficient to evacuate the houses
and encamp the inhabitants in the surrounding and easily-accessible fields, but in the cities the question of segregation becomes a problem to make the boldest impossible and it is No
It is in fact all but than one ground.
quail. so on
more
read the
recently published reports Bombay Municipal Commissioner and of the Health Officer of Bombay without realizing the enormous difficulty of the task. Mr. Snow lias, we venture to think, effectually disarmed his most hostile critics of last year by his masterly and candid exposition of the segregation arguone can
of the
he was forced to face it on the outbreak of plague in the city of Bombay, and he has
ment
as
adduced
to
mind
our
no
stronger point
in
defence of his action than that dealing with the halalkhores and scavengers. It is an abominable anachronism that existence in the second on
city
in the
the humour of
of this class, and
Empire should be dependent a set of undisciplined ruffians that this is by no means an
Mr. Snow has
proved to the hilt. with the causes of concerned We we would but advance most such a situation, like that of M. Haffkine stroDgly that a method
exaggeration are
not
now
[Feb.
1898.
which would seem to immunise a population plague and make it possible to avoid the
from
problems attending segregation on a large scale, deserving 011 that ground alone of the utmost attention that can be given to it.
is
