Characteristics of Qing government's response to plague in Northeast China

19 1010/On October 25th, the plague first appeared in Manchuria, and on October 8th,/kloc-0 spread to Harbin, the central city of Beiman. After that, the epidemic, like a river burst its banks, not only swept across the northeast plain, but also spread to Hebei, Shandong and other places.

Those who are seriously ill often have their whole families killed. The method adopted at that time was to burn down their houses, and the officers and men who went to perform the task also died one after another. For a time, from the city to the countryside were shrouded in the shadow of death. The great plague in Northeast China not only caused the death of a large number of people at that time, but also brought the pressure of survival and the overall panic of economic life. This plague is called "the most serious epidemic plague in the world in the 20th century" and claimed more than 60,000 lives.

After the plague appeared, the Qing government ordered all localities to take precautions. 1910/0 In February, Lian Dewu, deputy supervisor of Tianjin Beiyang Army Medical College, was appointed as the chief medical officer to go to Harbin, and the large-scale plague epidemic prevention work began. Subsequently, the medical staff of the Army Military Medical School, Beiyang Medical College and Union Medical College, as well as some doctors from Zhili and Shandong were transferred to the northeast. At the suggestion of experts such as Lian Dewu, the Qing government and local governments adopted scientific and effective epidemic prevention measures, such as establishing epidemic prevention organizations at all levels, promulgating various epidemic prevention laws and regulations, and taking specific epidemic prevention measures such as cutting off traffic, isolating patients and suspected patients, burning corpses, and strictly disinfecting epidemic areas.

In view of Lian Dewu's order to "burn the body", there are still twists and turns. At that time, after all kinds of scientific epidemic prevention measures arranged by Liandewu were fully launched, the epidemic situation was not contained, but intensified. Isolation, disinfection, blocking traffic ... everything we can do has been done, but the epidemic is getting worse every day. At this time, Lian Dewu suddenly realized that the key to the problem may lie in the burial of the body. Because Yersinia pestis can survive on corpses for a long time. There are only two ways to stop the plague from spreading through the corpse, one is to bury it deeply, and the other is to "burn the corpse!" The idea flashed through even De Wu's mind, and even he couldn't help shivering.

China people have always had the custom of being buried, and they treat the remains of their parents and ancestors with more respect. Under the traditional concept, "burning corpses" is simply unimaginable. Even De Wu, who grew up overseas, dared not rashly challenge China people's morality. He reasoned that only by writing to the court and asking the emperor to issue an imperial edict could people's opposition be quelled. Lian Dewu wrote to the imperial court, describing the present situation that Harbin's corpses were everywhere and could not be buried, and explaining that the epidemic bacteria contained in the corpses could threaten people's lives at any time. If it is not dealt with as soon as possible, the consequences will be unimaginable. Therefore, he asked the saints to issue an imperial edict to allow cremation. At the same time, officials and businessmen in Harbin also jointly interceded with the Governor of Jilin (Harbin belonged to Jilin at that time), hoping to approve cremation. I think Lian Dewu's request to burn the body was a great shock to the Qing government. So that three days later, they received a telegram from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Dr. Wu's request was allowed to proceed as planned.

Xuantong three years, New Year's Day. Most parts of China are celebrating the Spring Festival, but the graves in the north of Harbin are very cold. 200 workers piled 65,438+000 coffins or bodies in a pile of 22, poured kerosene and lit them. Civil and military officials in Harbin witnessed this shocking scene. More than 2,200 bodies were reduced to ashes. Subsequently, the Russian epidemic prevention department followed the Chinese practice and cremated all the infected bodies in the area, whether they died recently or rotted. In February, Russia burned 14 16 bodies, of which 1002 bodies were excavated from graves. By this time, a quarter of the people in Fujiadian had died of plague. It coincides with the Spring Festival. In order to dispel people's sad mood and cheer up everyone's spirit, the epidemic prevention department issued leaflets calling on everyone to set off firecrackers, which is unlucky. Strangely, since this day, the death toll of rich shops, which has been rising continuously, has actually dropped. 19 1 1 March 1 0: 00 pm. Everyone in Harbin Epidemic Prevention Bureau held their breath and waited for this moment. At that time, the clock pointed to midnight, and the death toll in Fujiadian was zero. Then, good news came from Changchun, Fengtian and Tieling ... major cities in northeast China. People who died of the plague: zero.

The plague that ravaged Harbin for half a year was finally contained by the people of China. Before the great plague, the enlightened attitude and decisive actions of the Qing government made all countries in the world sit up and take notice. The scientific measures taken by medical workers in China, led by Lian Dewu, in epidemic prevention have amazed the world medical community.