Чума
Part I
Onthefourthdaytheyannouncedtheopeningoftheauxiliaryhospitalinaninfants’school.Thetownspeople,whouptothispointhadcontinuedtohidetheiranxietybehindjokes,seemedmoredepressedandlessvolubleinthestreets.
RieuxdecidedtophonethePrefect.
"Whatwearedoingisnotenough."
"Ihavethefigures,"thePrefectsaid."Theycertainlyaredisturbing."
"Theyaremorethandisturbing,theyarequiteunequivocal."
"I’mgoingtoaskforinstructionsfromtheStategovernment."
RieuxhungupinfrontofCastel.
"Instructions!Whatheneedsisimagination."
"Andtheserum?"
"Itwillarriveinlessthanaweek."
ThroughRichard,thePrefectureaskedRieuxforareportwhichcouldbesenttothecapitalofthecolonywitharequestforinstructions.Rieuxincludedaclinicaldescriptionandfigures.Onthatsameday,theycountedfortydeaths.ThePrefecttookituponhimself,ashesaid,tostepupthemeasuresbeingtaken,fromthefollowingday.Itremainedcompulsorytodeclarethediseaseandisolatepatients.Housesofsickpeopleweretobeclosedanddisinfected,theirrelativesputinpreventivequarantineandburialsorganizedbytheauthoritiesinconditionsthatwillbedescribedlater.Adaylatertheserumarrivedbyplane.Therewasenoughforthecasescurrentlybeingtreated,butnotiftheepidemicweretospread
