Bubonic Plague in Sydney 1900

Bubonic Plague in Sydney 1900

• Bubonic plague, also known as the Black Death, struck Sydney in 1900.
• It was a pandemic, the third global pandemic and spread from China and India.
• The plague mainly affected areas near the harbour.
• Mortality rate was approximately 50%.
• Victims died in agony.
• No sure solution or treatment was available at the time.
• Wealthier citizens fled to Katoomba, while Chinese residents faced scapegoating.
• Sydney Council's response was slow in combating the plague.
• Premier William Lyne appointed Dr George MacCredie to head the city's plague department and the intervention included Dr John Ashburton.
• Dr Thompson's Report emphasized the role of insects in plague transmission and prompted the government to implement improvements, including slum clearance.

Plague Prevention and Measures in Sydney

• Quarantine and removal of rats, particularly from poorly constructed wharves, were employed.
• Removal of noxious substances was undertaken.
• The number of infected citizens remained low (approximately 300 cases) with a moderate mortality rate,
• Many people were sent to North Head Quarantine station to contain the outbreak and avoid panic.
• The Burley Griffin incinerator as well as garbage disposal facilities were built.

Impacts on Houses and Health

• Houses in Mount, John, and Bowman streets were described as dilapidated in the 1860s and '70s, with poor sanitation and drainage systems.
• These issues frequently led to flooding and created unhealthily unsanitary conditions.
• These unsanitary conditions were contributing factors to disease outbreaks.
• People turned to cheap protein sources like from abattoirs, alongside cheap bread, potatoes, and treacle, for sustenance.
• Cooking was done on open fireplaces which may have contributed to the spread of the disease.

Other Diseases and Epidemics in Sydney

• Smallpox in 1789 and subsequent outbreaks of epidemics like measles, scarlet fever, and the flu influenced community health.
• The anti-Chinese protests of 1890 further complicated and contributed to other outbreaks.
• Quarantine and isolation measures were adopted in response to these outbreaks to help contain further disease, particularly the flu in 1890 to prevent the spread.

Explore the devastating impact of the Bubonic plague that struck Sydney in 1900. This quiz covers the pandemic's origins, affected demographics, government response, and preventive measures implemented to combat the outbreak. Test your knowledge on this significant historical event and its consequences.