. The Australian Museum magazine. Natural history. THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. 117 ferinp: with tlio valvular action, allowen rep:nri>-itation of the contents of the sto- mach laden with plague germs into the puncture. It is stated that fleas mav remain infected for as long as 20 days. The occurrence of Bubonic plague in man is thus directly consecjuent on tlie presence of infected fleas and rats. If there ai'e no infected rats tlie fleas are harmless, if there vcvrv no fleas, in- fected rats would he liarmless. The flea is the direct medinni of communi- cation from rat to man. Plague i
. The Australian Museum magazine. Natural history. THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. 117 ferinp: with tlio valvular action, allowen rep:nri>-itation of the contents of the sto- mach laden with plague germs into the puncture. It is stated that fleas mav remain infected for as long as 20 days. The occurrence of Bubonic plague in man is thus directly consecjuent on tlie presence of infected fleas and rats. If there ai'e no infected rats tlie fleas are harmless, if there vcvrv no fleas, in- fected rats would he liarmless. The flea is the direct medinni of communi- cation from rat to man. Plague is distinctly a seasonal visi- tation and the season of maximum in- cidence in both rat and man corresponds with the season when rat fleas are most a])undant. In Sydney this falls in Februai-y and March. Weekly counts of the different species of fleas taken on rats have been made at the DeiDartment of Public Health since 1909 and these show a marked increase in the numbers of the Indian rat flea caught in Feb- ruary and March. T do not propose to discuss here the various methods of rat and flea destruc- tion, but it may not be out of place to stress the necessity for every individual in the community doing his or her share in the campaign for the control of these pests. The Health authorities can deal with areas in which plague is known to be existent, but they cannot undertake the task of destrojdng the whole rat popu- lation. The duty of rat destruction on any jiremises must fall upon tlie owner or occupier. If premises are rat-free and rat-proof no anxiety need be felt, but it is well to remember that any faulty construction will be found out by rats and full advantage taken of it. Cases of liuinan bubonic plague are jireceded by rat plague, but too often it happens that the first notification of the existence of plague in a locality is re- vealed only by the discovery of a human case. Here the public can aid the au- thorities by reporting the fact' soon as any mortality
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