plague, plage

[Lat. plaga =a blow, stroke, or stripe, implying that a plague is a blow divinely inflicted, and, presumably, on account of sin; Gr. plège a blow, a plague; O. Sp. plaga; Sp. llaga; Ital. piaga; Fr. plaie.] IMG:content-1160.png:[blocks in formation] IMG:content-1161.png:[blocks in formation] In the summer of 1896 a very malignant form of The belted plaid is plaited and bound round the disease, known as the "bubonic" plague, made its appearance in Bombay, India, and spread with great rapidity. The number of cases and deaths finally became so large that a panic ensued, and more than 450,000 people-one-half of the popula. tion, fled from the city. The bubonic plague receives its name from the fact that it attacks the lymphatic glands in the neck, arm-pits, groin and other parts of the body. In general, the disease is spread in the same manner as cholera, except that the cholera gern must enter the intestinal tract, while the germ of the plague may attack any part of the mucous membrane, or be attended by even the minutest abrasion of the skin. But while this germ is so virile and so easily taken into the system it is one of the most easily killed by disinfection. One per cent. of quicklime will destroy it. The Ten Plagues of Egypt : Script., .: Ten inflictions divinely sent upon the Egyptians to compel them to emancipate the Israeli tes from bondage and allow them to quit the land. (Exod. vii. 14-xii. 30. For the use of the word plague see ix. 14, xi. 1.)