The Sun.
London, England, 1865-04-01 00:00:00

The New Epidemic in Russia.

(REUTER'S EXPRESS.)
FLORENCE, March 28.

The Nazione of to-day says :—" Our esteemed
friend, Doctor Galligo, Director of the Medical
Journal L'lmparziale, has consented, at our request,
to favour us with the following summary of an
article upon the serious epidemic fever now preva-
lent in Russia, intended to be inserted in his journal
upon the Ist of April, next.
" We have received from our distinguished friend
Dr. Tillner, physician to H.I.H. the Grand Duchess
Maria of Russia (who has just arrived from St.
Petersburg) some important details respecting the
disease now raging in that capital, which has been
so much spoken of by the whole of the political
press of London.

" This malady appears to be neither a fever of
an intermittent or continuous nature, nor yet a
simple typhoid fever ; but it certainly is very viru-
lent and dangerous. According to the opinions of
the Russian physicians it is the same fever as that
which was observed for the first time in Scotland
in the year 1819, and denominated in that country
the intermittent fever, from the length of the inter-
missions and the prolonged attacks. This fever is
ushered in by cold shivering, alternating with re-
markable heat (from 40 to 41 degs.. centigrade or
106 degs. Fahrenheit), the pulse beating 130 ; great
prostration and disorder are observable in the nervous
actions, although the state of the mental faculties
remained unaltered, frequent pains are felt in the
head and limbs. Great pain is also felt in the left
hypochondriac region, and examination of the palpi-
tation and percussion proves the spleen to have im-
mensely decreased in volume. The skin is yellow in
colour, owing to the liver being likewise affected by
the malady. The initiatory attack of the fever lasts
from seven to eight days, and terminates with a very
copious perspiration. After the first paroxysm an
interval occurs of seven or eight days, during which
the patient appears almost as well as ever, but
at the expiration of that period a second attack
manifests itself like the first, but accompanied with
still greater prostration. This continues also about
seven days, terminating like the other, with profuse
perspiration. Sometimes a thirdparoxysm declares
itself after a further interval of seven days, one of
the symptoms being a burning thirst and complete
aneurism, and the patient sinks into the most pro-
found state of prostration. The rate of mortality
is 8 per cent., and the victims of this malady die
during the second attack, usually from a kind of
general paralysis, or through serious derangement
of the nervous organs, with real decomposition of
the blood, and an enormous increase in the spleen.
The liver becomes greatly enlarged, but the intes-
tines, on the other hand, are either found healthy
or else hardly congested.

"Everything has hitherto failed to shorten the
duration of the febrile attacks. Salts of quinine,
given in large and small doses, have been quite inef-
fectual to overcome the attacks characteristic of
this malady. In the second paroxysm, in which
there is increased prostration of the forces, the most
powerful stimulants have been administered, such
as moss wine, alcohol, ether, camphor, &c., but they
produce little or no effect.

The chief cause of this disease is supposed to be
the arrival in St. Petersburgh of an immensenumber
of workmen from the neighbouring provinces, and
even from the most distant towns. It is said
that there are just now in the capital forty-
three thousand workmen more than the usual
number. The consequence of this is, that
they cannot work, and are obliged to live in un-
healthy localities and to live upon the black bread,
which contains this year much more horned rye
than in previous years. It has been discovered by
chemical analysis that this bread contains one per
cent. of horned rye in the flour with which it is
made. Thus, every worl;ing man living on the
same may be calculated to eat 100 grains of horned
rye per diem. Besides this, the oxen, cows, and
other animals, being no longer slaughtered in St.
Petersburg, but at Moscow, whence the meat is de-
spatched ready prepared ; the heads, hoofs, feet, and
intestines of these animals, which previously formed
one of the staple articles of sustenance of the poorer
classes on account of their cheapness, are no longer
to be had at St. Petersburg, and the poor are now
compelled to live almost exclusively upon the above-
mentioned bread, which contains injurious sub-
stances partly contributing to produce the disease
in question.

" The Russian Government has been so impressed
with the great mortality, and the vast number of
sick which daily increases, that they have nominated
a committee which has instituted, and is instituting,
the most serious investigations with regard to this
strange and fatal malady, which, as aforesaid, is
exclusively confined to the poorer classes."

ELECTION INTELLIGENCE.

REPRESENTATION OF EVESIIAM.

The writ for the election of a member for this
borough, in the room of the late Sir Henry Wil-
loughby, was received here on Friday, and pro-
claimed by the Mayor; and the election is fixed for
Wednesday next. There is every reason to believe
that Lieut.-Colonel Bourne, the Conservative can-
didate recently announced in this journal, will be
returned without opposition, the liberals wisely de-
clining to contest the seat. At a meeting of the
Liberal party held this week it was decided not to
put forward a candidate on the present occasion.
Mr. Lange, it is understood, has abandoned any
intention of coming forward ; while Colonel Addi-
son and several of the Whig party from London,
and a Mr. Johnes, from Montgomeryshire, have
made an appearance in the borough, but on ascer-
taining the general feeling in favour of Colonel
Bourne at once withdrew their pretensions.
Lieut.-Col. Bourne not only possesses the united
support of the Conservative party, but has the coun-
tenance and sympathy of the large landed proprie-
tors of the district, together with all-important,
active support of Mr. Rudge, an influential borough
magistrate. Several influential members of the
Whig party have also accorded their support to Col.
Bourne, and there is little doubt that he will be
returned without any opposition on the present oc-
casion.