The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-28 00:00:00

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THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, AUGUST 28, 1865.

GREAT ST. JAMES'S-HALL.—WORLD of
MAGIC, Second Sight, and " Begone. Dull Care,"
every evening at 8. A Day Performance. Saturday, at 3.
" The most varied entertainment in the metropolis."—Vide
the Press. Admission, is.

The Cholera in the Mediterranean.

brought to the knowledge of the respective Euro-
pean Governments.

(Front the Times' Correspondent)
VALETTA, Aug. 22.

In this memoir Colucci Bey stated the opinion,
already shared by all physicians and enlightened
men in Egypt, that the cholera, which first made its
appearance at the commencement of this century,
and has since several times completed the circuit of
the world, sacrificing many million victims in
thickly-peopled Europe, had its rise in Iledschaz,
the Holy Land of Islamism, and notably in the
cities of Mecca and Medina, and upon Mount Ara-
rat. The Kurban-Bairam, or Feast of Sacrifice,
which falls in the first half of the month Zil-hegge,
and forms the object of pilgrimage, annually as-
sembles in the holy city 700,000 or 800,000 pil-
grims, who congregate from all points of the Is-
lamitic compass, in order then to return home with
the title of Hadji. The unreasonable manner of
life, the nameless filth in which these pilgrims exist
during the whole period of pilgrimage, is sufficient,
combined with the murderous character of the
climate, to kill a large number. The dead
are not regularly interred in the hurry of
this wandering life, but hastily shuffled under
the desert sand, subject to be uncovered by
moderate wind, so that they after a short
period infect the air. Added to these miasmata come
the exhalations from the garbage of perhaps two
million sheep offered as sacrifices to the Deity, for
even the poorest pilgrim must offer at least one.
The flesh is consumod by the devotees, but the offal,
blood, bones, entrails, and even the skin soon de-
compose in that glowing atmosphere, so that ulti-
mately a deadly epidemic could not fail to issue from
that abundance of stench. This was also the case
in the present year, when the festival of the Kurban
Bairam fell in the first week of May. It was im-
possible but t hat cholera should proceed from such
a centre of decomposing animal matter, and it broke
out with such violence that in the space of a fort-
night 100,000 pilgrims died. The scanty reports
that have been this year received from those regions
are positively appalling, and an-agent of the Egyp-
tian Government writes-from Mecca itself that the
corpses of the dead waiting for burial were piled up
in all the mosques of the town.
It is a Mussulman prejudice not to change the
clothes during the entire period of pilgrimage, but to
wear them constantly until return home, when they
are cut into pieces and distributed as memorials
among relatives and friends. The clothes of the
dead, however dirty and filthy, are carefully packed
up as sacred relics for the same purpose. Can it
therefore be wondered at that these Mecca pilgrims
form the epidemic telegraphic wire along which this
murderous disease is diffused over the entire world ?
Can Europe ever be regarded as secure from the
cholera or any other disease which may follow, just
as cholera has followed plague, so long as this
barbarous practice of pilgrimage to Mecca is not
abolished, or, at least, kept within reasonable
bounds ?
This is the gist of the memoir submitted by
Colucci Bey to the Egyptian Ministry. He fully
admits that the subject upon which he invites dis-
cussion is far beyond the competence of the Egyptian
Government, or even of the Porte, and that it can
only become an object of serious negotiation by the
intervention of the European Powers. But it is
nevertheless an undoubted fact that the wretched
custom of pilgrimage is the true cause of the great
epidemics which periodically return to devastate the
European continent, and regarded from this point
of view the present memoir seems to deserve con-
sideration.

The outbreak of cholera in Constantinople and its
appearance in other parts of the Mediterranean have
caused fresh alarm and anxiety to a considerable
portion of the inhabitants of this island, lest the epi-
demic now existing here, but which appears to be
declining, should receive additional strength and
vigour by new arrivals from infected countries. The
native papers are earnestly calling on the Govern-
ment to increase the quarantine. Two petitions to
the Governor—one in English, and the other in
Italian—having this object in view, are in circula-
tion, and have been numerously signed. The Eng-
lish one is as follows :

"Respectfully showeth,—That your petitioners have
learnt with regret that the terrible scourge--the cholera—
which has unfortunately visited this island, and which has
made its appearance in various parts of the East, is assum-
ing a most virulent character in the Turkish capital, where
hundreds of persons aro daily falling victims to the dis-
ease. That your petitioners are informed that several mer-
chant steamers may be daily expected in Malta from Con-
stantinople, and it is not unlikely that they will bring nu-
merous passengers who naturally wish to be spared from
the fearful ravages of the cholera in that capital, and take
refuge in Malta; that, at a time when the epidemic is for-
tunately on the decline in this island, and when hopes are
entertained that the danger will soon pass away, it be-
comes necessary that all precautionary measures should be
adopted, and that a most rigid quarantine be established
with the view of preventing the spreading of the disease.
That, according to reliable intelligence received in Malta
last week from Ancona, the cholera is also fearfully raging
in that city ; but, nevertheless, no quarantine has as yet
been imposed here on arrivals from Ancona and from other
infected towns along tho shores of the Mediterranean.
-Wherefore, your humble petitioners most respectfully pray
that your excellency will be graciously pleased to take the
above facts into kind consideration, and direct that the
quarantine of seven days already established by a Govern-
ment notice of the 18th July last for vessels arriving from
Constantinople should be extended to such term as the local
Board of Health may deem right and fit ; that quarantine
should likewise be imposed on all arrivals from Ancona and
other infected towns along the shores of the Mediterranean,
and that orders be given for the performance of quarantine
on board the steamers or vessels in which the passengers
arrive ; and your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever
pray and be grateful."
The following is a translation of the'petition in Italian :
" The humble petition of the undersigned inhabitants of
Malta, showeth,—That these islands being afflicted with
Asiatic cholera, imported from Alexandria of Egypt while
it was raging terribly there, proves that the very brief
period of quarantine lately established on arrivals from in-
fected countries is not sufficient to prevent its introduction.
That, moreover, the insufficiency of the established qua-
rantine is not only of very grave peril to the lives of the
inhabitants, but exceedingly prejudicial to commerce, as
all the countries with which these islands early on most
traffic, especially in articles of primary necessity, have
cut off communication with them, or imposed a long
quarantine on arrivals—as, for instance, Sicily, the ports
of Barbary, and even Alexandria itself ; in consequence
of which, owing to the exceptional circumstance of these
islands being incapable of providing for themselves, the in-
jury occasioned is very groat; that unhappily the cholera
has spread to such an alarming extent in Constantinople
that an emigration from that capital to these islands has
already commenced—an emigration which threatens to be-
come very groat, so that the inhabitants of these islands are
becoming alarmed, being sure that if for arrivals from Con-
stantinople the same measures shall be adopted as those
established for arrivals from Alexandria the disease will
certainly be developed to a most fatal extent, the country
being already infected with it, and the inhabitants therefore
more disposed to take it. The undersigned, therefore, in
submitting to the consideration of your Excellency that the
inhabitants of these islands are deeply convinced that the
disease cholera is contagious, beg your Excellency would
deign to order that arrivals from infected places, especially
from Constantinople, be subjected to a full quarantine of
40 days, with the application of the most rigorous sanitary
measures ; such quarantine to commence, for vessels not
having sickness during the voyage, from the day of
arrival ; and for those with sickness to commence 15 days
after the cure. Finally, the undersigned pray that your
Excellency would deign to reform the Board of Health,
and appoint to it more efficient and independent persons,
the majority now composing it being ignorant of medical
science."

A writer in a contemporary says :---I beg to place
at your disposal the following extracts from letters
I have received from Constantinople relative to the
state of affairs produced by the visitation of cholera
in that densely populated city. They have been
written by a resident whose avocations prevented
his leaving the spot at which he had been stationed.
This was in the midst of the pestilence, and in close
proximity to the hospitals recently established by
the Government. lie professes himself to have been
an observer uninfluenced by the panic almost uni-
versally prevalent, and the statements he makes are,
therefore, untinged with the excitement which fear
produces. To those who are familiar with the his-
torical narratives of Thucydides, the more recent
graphic description of Boccacio, and those incidental
to the great plague of London, the similarity of
events produced by like causes cannot but be in-

The cholera has somewhat decreased during the
last few days. Yesterday there were only four
attacks, and no deaths, in Valetta. It is most pre-
valent at present in the cities of Cospicua and Vit-
toriosa, on the other side of the Grand Harbour,
which are very thickly populated by the lower
classes, and badly drained and ventilated. It
having broken out among the 2d battalion 22d Re-
giment, quartered in that neighbourhood, the bat-
talion is about to be placed under canvas. Quar-
termaster Walter Jones, of this regiment, died on
the 18th inst. A few cases continue to occur in
other regiments. The epidemic has been particu-
larly fatal to the women and children.
The following are the cholera returns for the
civil population in Malta since the date of my last
letter :

* * *

teresting.
" Aug. 2.—Signs of sickness, death, and panic are mul-
tiplying fast. The spirit of fear has conquered the
spirit of mammon. The Bourse is closed. The bazaars are
shut up. Business is nearly at a stand still, and the mer-
chants have shut themselves up in their country seats. You
see women unable to resist the fascination of fear looking
eagerly out of their windows, and pedestrians shrinking
back and putting their handkerchiefs to their noses as the
coffins go past. Bodies of those scarcely dead are thrust into
coffins and hastily hurried off for burial. You call at a
shop ; the master or one of his friends is groaning in bed.
You go to visit a friend; he has just been buried. Pro-
cessions of overworked priests fill the streets and pray for
the cessation of the pestilence. Five hundred at least died
at Stamboul yesterday. In the papers the total number of
deaths is stated to have been 320. This is wholly untrue.
The most respectable of the missionaries out here, a man
of undoubted honesty, told me that 26 bodies passed his
door alone. Another man, upon whose veracity I have full
confidence, residing in another street in the same quarter,
stated that 25 went past his door. Both live in retired
streets in a healthy part of the town. What must the
cholera be in the unhealthy localities ?
"Aug. 3.—Another act of the tragedy is being performed.
The Sultan has given orders that all classes are to make
merry, so bad brandy, raki, and Turkish music are the orders
of the day. So with the unceasing tramp of the hamals, carry-
ing the dead, the streets resound with monotonous twanging,
drunken routs, and howling. For the last few days the wea-
ther has been almost unbearable. The sun rises red hot.
The wind neither brings freshness nor the night coolness.
In the sun the glass is at 133 deg., and in the coolest room
'in the house 85 deg. At Galata it ranges from 90 to 92 deg.
After a sleepless night I rise with hardly strength to dress.
Hundreds of silly stories are going the round of the place.
Here is a sample :—A pious Turk at Stamboul had a dream.
He was addressed by a venerable man when he was lying
half awake, who said to him, ' Why do you pray so much,
my friend; do you not see that God has sent this scourge
to punish the wicked, and do you think he will alter his
decision for you ?' Then the visitor vanished. More lying
bulletins ; 270 stated to have died before yesterday. I be-
lieve I understate the number when I say 1,000 die daily.
I cannot shut my eyes to the truth. Here are two facts :
The young gentleman to whom I- alluded as having
adopted a strongly astringent diet as a precautionary mea-
sure of safety went to make a call. Two persons had
just died in the house. He rushed away to another. There
were three dead there. Coming back he met the dead cart
with at least 100 bodies inside. The same day an English-
man saw a number of corpses buried in an adjoining ceme-
tery. He counted 120. I learn that six medical men have
succumbed to the disease. •
"Aug. 4.—There is the greatest difficulty in finding
medical men. I had occasion to go for one yesterday, but
there was none to be found in Galata for love or money.
By the merest luck I met with one at Pera. The doctors
are overworked and they shut themselves in, and say they
are ' not at home.' As to myself lam as well as usual. I
don't fear. I eat fruit in moderation, and bathe, in defiance
of the doctors. This is a good time for making some curious
studies in human nature. Some of those who have studied
Renan's book, and are convinced of the truth of his argu-
ments, now crowd into Christian churches in abject terror,
and make not very successful attempts at praying. Others
who have led lives of gaiety have now assumed the garb of
Puritans, and denounce their fellow-sinners as the cause
of the pestilence. One poor creature who had been thus
assailed I saw go past with quite a hunted look in her
countenance. Every one is complaining of domestic mise-
ries of a minor character. Servants leave and no fresh ones
are to be obtained. Hamals are departing in hundreds.
Yeast to make bread cannot be had. Meat has risen to an
i enormous price.

Aug. 18

Attacks.
44
37
46

Deaths.

„ 22
The Gove

"Aug. s.—The cholera has assumed most frightful pro-
portions. Two thousand at the very least perished yester-
day. The papers, of course, still conceal the truth. The
chief of the municipality unblushingly avowed his right to
do so. I seem to be living in the plague of London, so
much do the general features of the times begin to re-
semble those narrated by Pepys. The little cemetery
behind us is full of corpses, buried only 15 inches under
the soil, and the municipality has forbidden any more
burials there. Yesterday two large barges as high as a
first floor window► from the ground ware taken up the
Golden Horn for burial. On the same day several hundred


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