The Times of Wednesday and Thursday contained two deeply interesting
articles from its Peking coorespondent upon the epidemic of plague in Manchuria. For the last sixty years plague has been endemic among the marmots or tarbagans, which exist in immense numbers in the country traversed by the Manchurian railway. The marmots are hunted on account of their skins during the early autumn, which is also the season in which plague is most prevalent. The Mongols and Buriats, who formerly hunted them, could recognise the plague-stricken animals and avoid them. But recently, owing to the increase of trade, large numbers of Chinese have been attracted to the business, and, through their ignorant handling of the animals, have been infected. The infection was apparently direct, for there is no evidence of the presence of any parasites upon the marmots. The hunters on their return from camp were crowded together in closely packed inns and caravanserais, and the disease spread rapidly. The Russian authorities were able to deal with it effectively, but the Chinese were less successful, and by the beginning of November plague had established itself firmly in the large city of Kharbin.
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