CHAPTER III

ITS CONTROL AND SUPPRESSION 40

Plague Prevention by Extermination of Rats--General Uselessness of the Rat and Its Enormous Destructiveness, with Details of Trapping and Other Extermination Methods--The Manila Epidemic, 1912-1914--The First Cases--Unusual Character of Plague Cases at Quarantine--Clinical Description of Two Cases at Quarantine--Inauguration of the Manila Epidemic--Directed to Take Charge of Plague Suppression in Manila--Plague Fighting Organization--Method of Rat Proofing and Rat Destruction--Correspondence Between Dr. Jackson and Dr. Heiser, Director of Public Health--Observations on Fleas and Their Habits--Conditions of Habitations in Manila Favoring Rat Multiplication and Spread of Plague--Comparative Statistics on Methods of Catching Rats--The Natural Enemies of the Flea--Zoölogic Classification of Rats--A Collection of Notes Concerning Rat Runs, Rat Nests, Multiple House Infections and Other Data--Sample of Detailed Orders Issued Regarding Rat Extermination--Method of Procedure of Collecting and Forwarding Rats Suspected of Plague Infection to Laboratory--Memoranda in Plague Cases--Letter of Warning and Appeal for Coöperation--Bacteriologic Observations made During the Manila Plague Epidemic, by Dr. Otto Schöbl--Notes Concerning the Bubonic Plague in Hong Kong, by Dr. David Roberg.