North Manchurian Plague Prevention Service reports (1911-1913) / edited by Wu Lien-Teh (G.L. Tuck).

Date:
1914
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: North Manchurian Plague Prevention Service reports (1911-1913) / edited by Wu Lien-Teh (G.L. Tuck). Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    I. Introduction. Immediately following on the International Plague Conference held in Mukden in April, 1911, the Chinese Government, anxious to carry out the recommendations of the Conference, instituted the North Man¬ churian Plague Prevention Service. The chief of these recommendations were briefly : (a) Systematic investigations should be made as to whether epizootic plague occurs among Tarbagans and other rodents, and, if such exists, an accurate investigation should be made of the nature of the infection.. (b) A general improvement in the sanitary condition of cities and villages, especially with regard to overcrowding, is desirable. (c) Education of the public by lectures and the issue of pamphlets and handbills, explaining preventive measures in simple language. (cl) The need for isolation of pneumonic-plague patients being urgent, permanent hospitals should be available. (e) Hospital accommodation for suspected cases of plague should be provided. (f) Contact quarantine stations should be constructed1. The primary object of the scheme was the formation for North Manchuria of a medical service equipped and ready to act and control any situation that might arise through an outbreak of plague in the district, and also to maintain hospitals at Harbin (the headquarters of the Service), Aiguu (Taheiho), Sansing, Lahasusu, Manchouli, and any other town in the district where such an institution might be necessary. In addition medical service was to be given to the poor and destitute, and when the hospital accommodation was not required for plague cases, general medical, surgical and infectious diseases were to be treated in the wards. Further, medical officers in the Service were to instruct the people in general hygiene, etc. It was hoped that the Service would develop into a Public Health Service for the whole of China. The funds for building the hospitals were to be derived from the current revenue of the three Manchurian Provinces, while the Service was to be maintained out of the Maritime Customs dues. 1 Incidentally, it may be mentioned that the Chinese Government had already established isolation hospitals and segregation camps, each capable of holding from 400 to 2000 persons, at the important railway centres of Shanhaikuan, Mukden and Koupangtzu and at the sea-port of Yingkow (Newchwang). The director of the N. Manchurian Plague Prevention Service is consulting physician to these establishments.