Washington telegraph., 1853-12-14
PcStrIonces.

! Among the numerous other exaggerations which
nave been rife abroad relative to the late endemic
IN New Orleans, it has been no unusual thing to
/ assert that this epidemic rivalled and even sur
passed m the extent and rate Of its mortality the
great plague of 1865 in London and the nlagues
winch have visited Asia aud Europe in ancient
ana modern times. AS fa.al as the late disease
winch prevailed in New Orleans was Il cannot
rank with the plaques which have devastated
from tlnoe to time, Earope, Asia, and Africa
Even the epidemic in New Orleans of 1892 we
/ apprehend was considerably more fatal as II mn
douhtediy was more prolific of suffering than that
o. is53 '''1'
The first plague of which history gives us a de.
| saled account, is that which ravaged Athens in
the year 43o before Christ. whilst that CITY was
oelns pesiesed by the Spartans during the Peo-
ponesian war. According to Thucvddes the
mortality was terrific. Joscphus furnishes us
with an account of plague which devastated Je
rusalem IN the year A. d. 70, whilst that CITY was
besleged by the Romans. The plague visited
Rome In the year d. II, also in 17O when it
ragged over almost the whole Of Europe and Asia
IN 1S9- and again in 262, when il is recorded that
1000 persons died daily in that city From that
time down TO recent dates, this disease has fre-
quently ravaged italy, Greece, Asia and Africa.
1t has appeared in Constantinople in London and
Germany "''
1t is not certain that all the pestiiences which
nave been described under the name of-plagne are
the same disease, but they have appeared under
similar circumstances and been attended with
similar effects The descriptions we have of
then are also very similar After making all
due allowances for exaggeration. there are Yer,
lew OF tlese scourges with which the Now a.
leans epidemic of 1853 can compare in the FRIGHT
iul extent and rate of the mortality. The absence
oi oiiciai mortuary statistics of the plaques in ear
tme9 prevents, oi course, the institution of GER
fectly accurate comparisons between the r,ort,E
ty Of those diseases and tina: of modern aa;de,;s
But near enough approximation NAV be made
to coyince US that the world is improving in nv
giene.
In 5d4 one thousand grave liggers are said TO
nave been insufficient for the interment of the
dead IN Constantinope. For portion of the
time during the prevalence of this p,arue. which
ravaged the Roman Empire at briefintervals. for
hlty years, 10000 persons are reported TO have
died daily IN Constantnople. Glbbon coroputes
the mortality from the plague durin. these iifty
years at l00,000ooO. Some Two centuries later we
learn that 200, 900 persons were svent ayav hv
another Visitation OF the plague in Constantinople
During these early visitations whole cities were
sometimes depopuated. During the middle aces
the plague prevailed at different times in Eur9ne
with terrible violence, especially in the latter half
OF the fifteenth century. At time the popula-
ton OF London did not exceed 100000. it carried
off in that city alone $4,000 OF one fourth OF aI
its inhabitants. Fifty years later 10000 per-
sons perished in London OF the plague In the
early part of the sixteenth century. we are told
that the epidemic called the Sweating sicknessD
and known the Continent as the .sEnglish
sweat" deprived the principal towns of England
of halt their inhabitants. In 1903 the plagu, an
peared again in London and swept off 10000 per-
sons. About the same time 100000 people per-
ished in Constantinople of the same disease
In 665 what has been called the great plague
appeared in London. The mortality of this epi-
denic does not appear 70 have elualed that of
many preceding ones. but the vivid descriptions
which bave been handed DOWN of it. have given
it preeminence in the popular mind The pop
uatiou Of London at this time is computed at
about half a million Two hundred thousand of
the nhabtants, however, fed the city in the be-
ginning of the epidemic, that the number of in
habitants, Who remained in the city 10 encounter
the pestilence did not exceed 100000. OF these
100000, or one-thrd Of the whole population
were carried away by the disease. The mortali-
ty reached as high 900 a week
In 1920, G0.000 persons perishcd in Marsciles.
amounting TO one-half of the entire population
In Barbary, Syria and Egypt the mortality from
the plague was often trebled, and sometimes even
quadrupled that Of the late epideu,ic of this CITY
N. Q. Weetiy picayane.