Washington telegraph., 1865-07-26

The BLACK DEATH.-The Black
Death, like many other plaques Of its
class, can be traced far back into the re-
mote East, and there is no doubt that it
was the same disease which ravaged Chi
ma and Tartary in 1888, fifteen years BE-
lore is arrived on The shores of Europe.
There had been great famine in China,
preceded by foods and earthquakes,
which alone destroyed 10000 persons,
and in the following year no fewer than
100000 died ther. of this plague
From the remote East it made its way
into Europe some years later, for pesti-
lence often travels slowly; accomp panying
tue migrations of men, and being carried
about in their clothing and merchant Sc.
1t did not arrive in Europe until l3I7,
iifteen years after the outbreak in China.
From China" says Hecker ..the routes
OF the caravans lay to the north Of tile
Caspian sea, through Central Asia, to
Iaurls. Here ships were ready to take
the produce of the East to Constantine
pie, the capital of commerce and the me
dunn OF communication between Asia,
Europe and Africa Contagion made
It's way along these channels, and Con.
stantinople aud the seaports Of Asia Mi
nor were the foci whence the q sease was
carried 10 every country of Europe.
Making Its way across the Furcnean
continent, it committed its greatest raw
ages-save, perhaps, i'll L gland in II
ally; raging terribly at Florence, where
1t was observed and dercribcd by tba ~.
et Boccaccia
Passing along the shores of tile Medi-
terrdnean, 1t invaded France by wav ~
Avigaon, spreading thence TO ENGLAND
on the one hand, and to Germany on tbp
other; whence, ike the cholera of I'M.
present day. it doubled back. two wears
later, to Russia, aud so back 10 the east
The black death, SD called from he ranid
pntrefaciion Of the bodies of tie victims,
was of tho same na.u.e as the Oriental
plague viz: putrid typhus, only of
greater ma ignity. The Tolls and bubvns
OF the latter diseases We're found in the
former whenever the patient lived long
enough to permit their devel pment.
The inhabitants of Europe At that tine
have been computed at lOJ,OOO. 600 y
high estimate. Of these $50 900 600 ar
one-tourth of the whole persisted. In
England 1t was still more fatal, owinr
probably to the ruder habits Of the pso-
pie During the term of one wear. Viz ).
from August. l3I9, three. fourths Of The
whole population perished Indeed, if
We are to credit the analIsts Of the period.
not more than one-tcnth escaped. MANY
succumbed i'll a few hours. like Srnna-
cherib's host; none endured for three
days
Ia France numbers died on the spot
where they were first smitten, a. If struck
by Lightning! This terrible scouree.
having swept over the then known world |.
committing such des ruction Of life, and
leaving behind it such misery and mover
ty as the world never saw before nor
since, at length died out; never again. NJ
trust, to visit the earth ltsplrrd nei her
age, Sex, nor condition; the rich ala poor
alike succumbrd. There died in Venice
OF the "rIstocratic, 40 less than 100 600
persons; in Florence the refined, so 900.
IN Paris the gay, $1,000; in London IN.
wealthy, 100000; while in busy. rich. N.
dustrous Norwich, there died tie almost
incredible number of $4,000 persons
nearly the whole, one would suppose, Of
lis inhabitantsi Vt Avignon, tie deaths
occurred with such irigh fll rapidity a.
wholly to battle the attempts of the Hv
ing to inter their friends and relatives.
and the Pope was obliged to consecrate
the rhine t. allow OF the dead bodies
nno'hS haii"wed resting place upon its
bosom, until it finally committed them 70
the great deep!