Praise the plague

Surat, a town in India, was the epicenter of the recent plague outbreak. Its tremors shook the world. Then is it crazy to praise plague. Let's see.

Take the private doctors in Surat. They fled Surat when rats, fed on decayed carcasses "even the vultures would not touch," brought death to their door-steps. At the sight of death they ceased to be doctors. Became lawyers. And things looked different: A doctor's job was to health; not to confront or contradict death. So they declared plague a health problem. Then, again if doctors did not flee and arrest attention would any one have believed that the plague of the history books had already come back? Be that as may; but thanks to plague, the world has learnt: there are no anti-biotics for cowardice.

Next, take the people of Surat. The world was aghast that instead of standing up and taking it they ran helter-skelter. In the melee it was unfortunate their voice was not heard. To them plague was not a pestilence but a wrath of a Goddess. (The Jakarta Post piece on plague Oct. 20 refers to it as 'Princess,' an infradig). They ran deserting their jobs and sacrificing their incomes and thus propitiated the Goddess.

When about half a million fled Surat, plague was mollified. Gave up its initiative and momentum. So, those who fled were not health refugees; health warriors in action. The valorous action by Suretees, emulating the charge of the Light Brigade, resulted in an ironical twist. Plague has now recanted: that it is not a rampaging wrath and that antibiotics can defeat it.

Next we go to the all-powerful bureaucracy, the big "B." B is always cocky. So its initial reaction was one of righteous anger "Plague. My foot, who had started this grandma's tale." Then news poured out, bursting at the seams, it was peeved and indignant. "Why are they not sending reports? Hands were wrung. Then the reports came: Plague was, indeed, stalking. It swung into action. But "B" was misunderstood. People forgot that it is responsible to Ministers, not to people. So it advised the ministers; "Plague is formless. A mere whiff of it and you catch it; and pronto, you are gone. Forget a helicopter ride, and using plague to give a political message. Air is the threat and it is everywhere. So stay at home. It is the only way you protect your position that you are servants of the people at large. Not a sacrificial goat to the people of Surat."

Reasoning that politicians cannot stay at home while children keep going to school, the schools were ordered to be closed. Plague has shown politicians in their true colors; safety first, pleasure next and service, forget it. Will you?

Cleanliness buffs praised plague for throwing up the question of cleanliness with force and establishing the need for it "beyond reasonable doubt." Some even quoted Indian sages: Cleanliness is next to Godliness. However, plague stuck to its point: that it is a product as much of unclean minds as of unclean surroundings.

Then we saw the world wetting pants at the mere mention of the word, plague. Many countries, even friends and hosts of plague, declared that India was a slime-ball, sinking under a stinking cess-pool. India was stung. But plague is supportive. It pleads. India, make me a martyr, please.

Lastly, enter WHO. Plague's nemesis. Plague in India provoked a piece on Asian Wall Street Journal (Oct. 18). It said that WHO was too Worldly-in Delhi they pay themselves US$ 400 per day when the average salary in India is less than $ 4; a bit Hideous--they remorselessly spend $ 8 to plan how to spend $ 2; and some what Outlandish--that they chew cud and voraciously churn out" over 100,000,000 pages of report, a year."

Yet, one would say it was a charitable report. For, it did not mention that none in WHO has ever healed even a sick-dog and it did not also raise the question how an organization whose existence is co-terminus with the existence of vermin could fight for its eradication and extinction.

Has plague suddenly scaled new heights: calling WHO a mud- horse, and getting away with it!

How do you feel about plague now? Ready to applaud. I would; for, it has shown that the world we live in is not only full of rats but ratty too.

G.S. EDWIN

Jakarta