The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-12-05

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OF l3 1872, no less thsB ,l4l died of cholera,
and between four and five Thousand were aff1ict.
ed with it during the passage 1t appears that the
disease breaks out two day after the vessel
leaves port. and in the majority Of cases ceases
when she comes souuoi, g,. This was the case
with the Constellation which lost 100 out Of 922 pas
seDgers. We visited thus vessel, and had an oppor-
tunity of seeing and learning for ourselves the con-
dition aGd treatment of passengers on board OF
her. The Constellation exactly thirty-three
days at sea- and was but two days out when the
cholera made its appearance III its most virulent
form among her passengers the majority OF xhom
were Irish. She had six fr-t cabin and eighty
second cabin passengers, = it Is fact worthy of
particular consideration, that there we're only four
deaths among these, while among her steerage pas
sengers The number of deiens amounted to ninety
six. There were as mauy as eighty persons sick at
one time and ten died in one day. Some Of these
died about ten hours after they first announced
their sickness to the sulp's doctor, but it is
probable from the acc UNITS we have heard
FROM the passengers themselves that they did not in
form him until two or three DAYS after the first symp
toms made their appe irance. These were dyspep.
STA and diarrhGa, which continued or two days,
before tbs patient was seized With cramps and vo-
mitiDg, the last and fatal stages of this disease
There can be no doubt that it dered more
v,ruient 10y the Impoverished and miserable condi-
ton in which large number Of the emigraats went
Oh board, maLy Of whom mlseraby deficient
the provisions requisite for q sea voyage aad we're
consequently dependent, TO q great extent tae
weekly rations which they received on the ship
This is rendered still probable by the a. tia.
the excessive mortality confined to the steerage
Passengers, while those who are lodged 10 the first
and second cabins, generally es APE the draaiful
scoUrge. This is proof thai it is either supsrin
autsJ by their previous Impoverished condition, or
that It's virulence Is greatly increased thereby.
We of the opinion, too that the crowded state OF
our eni2raat vessels, even permitted by law, is
mott Injurious to the health Of the passengers, and
has q strong tendency to engender disease among
them. The space allowed to each passenger is four
teen feet-seven feet long by two feet widebut the
Constellation had eleven less than the Law permits,
according to this measurement II must be remem-
bered however, that the passengers are nearly all
confined between decks during the principal part o.
the voyage BY Sickness ao are compelled to breaths
the lcahsome and fs.d atmosphere of the steersge.
AS many OF ou- readers have little or no idea what
scE'~e it before proceeding further It is, in fact,
nothog more or less than large apartment between
decks from fifty to one hundred feet in length, by
about thirty in width and Eight or niue in height.
The size, Of course, varies with the general dmen
sions OF the ship. The walls Of this apartment
are lined with two rows Of hunks, or ber.hs
placed above the other, and each Of
these is capable Of accommodating from two
to three persons. The berths are kind
OF temporary bedsteads and Consequently made
in the toughest style, and Of plain pine boards
Each passenger has to fad his own bedding, aud
this, may be supposed, is generally very scanty
and of the poorest description This apartment is the
Iny sleeping place Of several hundred persons, of
both sexes and Of ell ages, for one, and sometimes
ortws months, and 1t not unrequently happens tina.
hree fourtbs Of its occupants confined to their
beds for two or three weeks. Many OF them una
BILE during that time from sickness, to go upon
deck. and when they arrive, in such an enfeebed
state tbst the doctor is compelled TO serd them to
the hospital on their arrival. In this apartment
there sie no windows, and the only means by which
it is vest,ated and lighted consists of hatch or
opening in the deck about four feet by six. When,
therefore, the cholera breaks out, it is no wonder
that should be attended with such fati Effects
II e Law must be moofed, and more space allotted
to each passenger. Before its passage, 1t was pro
posed to allow thirty feet on the Arst deck and
twenty On the second but this proposition was re-
jeced, and the space was limited TO fourteen feet.
The scenes which occur on board OF these plague
ships are of the most melancholy character. Three
or four children are sometimes left without parent
and occasionally whole family is swep. of by the
epidemic. In that crowded steerase, ten persons
have died and eighty Frustrated with the cholera
and of these several are in the coAvulve struggles
of death. If you could stand over the entrance to
this loathsome abode, the vapor that arises from it
would affect you with the most sickening nausea.
Yet SIX seven, eight hundred are daily breathing its
infected atmosphere for they have not the streng a.
il they had the DESIRE to make their way up into the
fresh air of heaven. They become hopeless and re
gardiees Of everything, and lie In state OF des
yor deocy till death puts . period to their snfer
sng. Here is o young woman, whose ch'l
yss al,eady been committed to the deep, 10
ahe last sgonies Of the plague She has nc
sends or relatives on board, and was on her way W
;join her husband, who is in Michigan, spx'od,ly
y eaitins her arrival. We saw bis anectiols letter
to her, enclosing the money with which to ptf hcr
expenses, and fun Of the most hopeful antcipa'ioD'
~ seeing her again after long years q separation
Yet be Is but one out OF hundreds Who Ill look il
y,a Cor the arrival OF their friends and relatiyei
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