§ Mr. ALLAN BAKERasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he can say what precautions are being taken by the Chinese Government to ensure the safety of European doctors working in the plague district of Harbin?
Mr. McKINNON WOODHis Majesty's Minister at Peking reports that all the doctors have been inoculated with Haff-kine's vaccine. They are comfortably installed in a railway car, with the exception of one who is living with the British Consul. The Chinese Government have done their utmost for the personal comfort of the doctors, whose private letters show appreciation of their considerate treatment. They wear masks, oilskin boots, and complete overalls when dealing with cases of plague. The French doctor (Mesny), who was not inoculated, became infected owing to a patient coughing in his face while examining him unmasked. Dr. Jackson, the British doctor, died after continuous hard work among a crowd of infected coolies. It is believed that he was too exhausted to maintain proper precautions. The heroism of the doctors, Sir John Jordan reports, is beyond praise.