First revealed in The Age on September 16, 1921
BUBONIC PLAGUE SCARE
Extraordinary Secrecy
PRECAUTIONARY METHODS THWARTED
A rare angle seems to have been adopted by the Queensland State well being authorities in reference to the outbreak of the bubonic plague, which is now greater than three weeks previous. The division not solely hid the knowledge {that a} loss of life had occurred from the general public, however withheld recommendation from the Federal Division of Public Well being, which is chargeable for all precautionary measures between states.
The Federal Director (Dr Cumpston) was in complete ignorance of the existence of the outbreak till Wednesday, three weeks after the affected person had died. This angle is of course resented by the Federal authorities, who really feel that the work of stopping the unfold of the illness has been gravely and unnecessarily handicapped.
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Dr Cumpston said final evening the Dr Elkington, the Federal officer at Brisbane, had conferred with the State authorities and determined upon the plan of action. These measures ought to have been adopted three weeks in the past.
So far as the Federal division was involved, extra precautions had been being taken to see that the no rats had been taken aboard vessels loading at Brisbane. Packages which weren’t clearly ratproof could be opened on the quay, and each precaution could be taken to see that plague-infected rats weren’t transported to different ports within the Commonwealth. He didn’t assume there was a hazard of a variety of the illness by means of railway communication. So far as Brisbane itself was involved, the marketing campaign carried out by the State authority could be vigorously directed towards the rats.