New York City Plague cases?

WABC ^ | 11/06/2002 | abc local

[Robert_Paulson2]

pets = pests

sorry for the typo.
of course dogs and cats beget fleas, so pets could be a problem, IF this were an active outbreak of the the PLAGUE...

[another cricket]

Does this mean I should get rid of my pet bats and leaches?

I would never get rid of Sippy! He is like one of the family.

a.cricket

[HangThemHigh]

"pets = pests "

I thought so, just a little humor at your expense.
Actually it's the rats and their fleas (just as in the Middle Ages) that will be a BIG problem if this gets a foothold in NYC.

[garyhope]

Did you mean the Democrats? (snicker, snicker)

[seeker41]

Did you know this

Officials say there are 20 to 30 cases of Bubonic plague worldwide each year. If caught early, the disease is very treatable, but it is often mistaken for a cold. If treatment is delayed, the plague can, of course, be fatal.

hmmm....And suddenly there are 2 cases in NYC.

[Aracelis]

Courtesy of the last Bubonic Plague

I was wondering if someone would post this. Great historical recollection!

[Aracelis]

"Prairie dogs and other rodents in the West are big carriers of the plague..."

As an interesting aside...my job this summer took me to a region where Prairie Dogs were plentiful. Being the naturally inquisitive person I am (and thinking Prairie Dogs are oh so cute), I approached one of their "holes". I was appalled at the thick cloud of fleas swarming around the entrance to their underground dwelling. No wonder we still get cases of Plague. I had never seen so many fleas in one place at one time.

[Aracelis]

"...presumably like the rats in NYC."

You mean, like Hillary?

[eastforker]

OK all you guys,fleas carry the plague,that I understand,they are carriers not generators.Where does it come from?How does it regenerate and does it kill the rodent host?If it is that prevalent out west why don't we see more human cases?Answers please from some of our resident doctors.

[DoctorMichael]

"...presumably like the rats in NYC."
You mean, like Hillary?

............or maybe the focus of infection was from a certain neighborhood in Chapaqua?

[Aracelis]

Here's some additional information:

Bubonic Plague

I know it is caused by a bacterium...where it comes from, I do not know. Perhaps someone much wiser can help?

[livius]

the thick cloud of fleas swarming around the entrance to their underground dwelling

I know - prairie dogs are sort of cute - from a distance! A great distance...

[TigersEye]

As has been pointed out twice before plague is endemic to New Mexico. Most commonly east of the Sandia mountains. Abq is west of the Sandias. Santa Fe is about 40 - 50 miles NE of the Sandias. There are a couple of cases there every year. This story is a yawner.

[RnMomof7]

It has to do with age:>)

[CJ Wolf]

Ashes Ashes we all fall down

Should be

Ashen Ashen we all fall down...

as in, ash-colored or anemic looking from illness or emotion; "a face turned ashen"; "the invalid's blanched cheeks"; "tried to speak with bloodless lips"; "a face livid with shock"; "lips...livid with the hue of death"-

However, it's a common mistake, a ring around the rosey cheeks was one of the first symptoms and the pocket full of poseys were an attempted herbal cure and hoped to ward off the worse....

Why do I feel like cliff claven now?

[CJ Wolf]

Ashes Ashes we all fall down

Should be

Ashen Ashen we all fall down...

as in, ash-colored or anemic looking from illness or emotion; "a face turned ashen"; "the invalid's blanched cheeks"; "tried to speak with bloodless lips"; "a face livid with shock"; "lips...livid with the hue of death"-

However, it's a common mistake, a ring around the rosey cheeks was one of the first symptoms and the pocket full of poseys were an attempted herbal cure and hoped to ward off the worse....

Why do I feel like cliff claven now?

[Aracelis]

It has to do with age:>)

I'm there with you..LOL!

[RnMomof7]

Actually I believe that the doctors sprinkled rose petals on the sick victims to 'cure them

The nursery rhyme "Ring Around the Rosey" is a rhyme about the plague.
Infected people with the plague would get red circular sores ("Ring
around the rosey"), these sores would smell very badly so common folks
would put flowers on their bodies somewhere (inconspicuously), so that
it would cover the smell of the sores ("a pocket full of posies").
Furthermore, people who died from the plague would be burned so as to
reduce the possible spread of the disease ("ashes, ashes, we all fall
down").