The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-02-01 00:00:00

THE PLAGUE IN RUSSIA.

The appearance of the plague in the Astrachan
government has revived the memory of the terrible
outbreak in Moscow during part of the years 1770 and
1771. Its first victims were the soldiers whom shot
and steel had spared during the war waged against
Turkey. It then made its way into Russia from the
south-west, extending as far north as Serpukhof. It
first began to declare itself in December, 1770 ; but
it was for some time ignored or denied, the Empress
Catherine 11. writing to say that if any one
said there was plague in Moscow he lied ;
nothing but fever was to be feared. But, after
being kept under by the winter's frost and
officially protested against during the summer, the
pest burst forth in the autumn with a fury which even
ukases could not control. By the middle of September,
1771, the condition of Moscow was terrible. From 800
to 1,000 deaths took place every day. The upper
classes fled from the plague-stricken town, and the
populace took to rioting. On the 16th (27th) of
September broke out what is generally known as
the " thumny bunt," or plague riot. The popu-
lace assembled in crowds before one of the gates
of the Kremlin, wishing to avail themselves of
the good offices of the Bogolynbof miraculous
Madonna. The Archbishop Ambrose Zertis-Kameusky
prudently ordered the picture to be removed from
its usual locality to a more open spot, in order to
avoid the danger likely to arise from the thronging
together of so many plague fearing worshippers. A
cry was raised that he was stealing the holy portrait,
and that he must therefore be put to death. He fled
in disguise from the Kremlin and took refuge in the
Donskoi Monastery. Thither. however, he was pur-
sued, and there he was torn from behind the altar,
"For two hours," according to the evidence of an eye-
witness' he was beaten with a cudgel. Then he was
left for dead. But after a time his right hand was
seen to move; whereupon tlacs rioters again attacked
him, beating him on the head till he died. Only by
grape-shot was the riot suppressed. A few days later
arrived in Moscow Count Gregory Orlof, sent expressly
by the Empress, to put down the plague. The city, so
long deprived of guidance, received him with rapture.
And in truth he deserved to be hailed with acclama
tion ; for he attacked the plague with such vigour that
he overcame it. Drawing a number of sanitary cor-
dons round Moscow, he maintained so strict a quaran-
tine that even the dogs which ran across his lines and
the crows which flew over them were shot. All
popular gatherings were prohibited; no burials
were allowed within the city ; and the faithful
were even prevented from entering the churches, ben g
obliged to listen to divine service from without.
Before Count Orlof's arrival, the common people had
shown a decided aversion towards the hospitals, in
which they were roughly treated and badly fed by
coarse and iiknorant medical practitioners. Orloff
inspected the buildings set apart for the sufferers,
visite 1 them frequently, and soon brought about a
change greatly for the better in the treatment of
the patients. The number of daily deaths soon fell
to 300, and then became smaller and smaller until the
plague was stayed. Count Orlof ;was enabled on
November 28 (0.5.) to leave Moscoverejoicing over a
clean bill of health. On his return to St. Petersburg
the Count was received with many manifestations of
joy and triumph. A medal was struck in his honour,
bearing on one side his portrait, and on the other a
representation of Curtius leaping into 'the gulf ; with
an inscription proclaiming that "Russia, too pos-
sesses such sons." Hercules slaying the Lernoan
Hydra would have formed, perhaps, a more appropriate
image.--Pall Mall Gazette.