30 cases of typhoid fever in Cobar, 12 in local hospital!
THE FISH SUPPLY - fishermen put out by ban on netting in Sydney Harbour until end of Sept. (and Hawkesbury and Brisbane Water) Demand for fish had fallen, even though it was Lent.
THE FISH MORTALITY - fishermen blamed it on "red water" - peridinia (small, brown marine life) on surface; analysis suggested sewage to blame. No evidence of disinfectants.
PLAGUES IN HISTORY - Naples, 1656 - 300,000 died in 5 mths. London, 1665 - 68,596 out of 460,000, 2/3 of whom fled to avoid it. 1835, Cairo - 1/3 to 1/2 of population died. 1840, Dalmatia, 1841, Constantinople 1843-4, eastern part of Egypt Since 1850 oscillated b/w east and west. - Not til 1894 was "positive knowledge" of disease discovered. Koch and Pasteur - "fathers" of bacteriology Dr Kitasato (from Koch's lab) and Yersin (Pasteur's lab) - specific discoveries on plague Plague - malignant polyadenitis -> septicaemia Glands most commonly affected - groin, thigh -> then axilla and sometimes in neck. - Death rate in Hong Kong , 1894: Chinese - 93.4%, Indians 77%, Japanese 60%, Eurasians, 100%, Europeans, 18.2%; small rate amongst Europeans because of European blood and stamina and to early treatment and confidence in European medical attendant. - cause of infection still being discussed -> the ground may become so infected as to establish endemicity; rats catch it from miasmatic emanations from soil. - Wharf labourers in Launceston strike over fears of catching plague. Tas. Govt. declares Sydney infected. Precautions in Brisbane
