Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-07-25
The Plague-Its History, Symptoms and
Character,

Approximations have been entertained that tho
pestllence known as the 4" Russian Plague" and
now apparently epidemic in Western Siberia,
would come westward to Europe and thence to
this continent, Many Of our physicians have
endeayored to allay fear by declaring that the
malady was only species Of typhus or typhoid
fever, oecasioned by improper habits, and was
not likely, therefore, to be conveyed into the
better regulated cities of the West Whether
these declarations are entitled to confidence, not
enough is yet known to determine.
Rumor has already declared the Russian pesti-
ence to be identical in form and symptoms with
the Great Plague of two hundred years ago and
the Black Death Of the fourteenth century and
tits the DUTY Of medical men to become familiar
with the facts, that they may quiet uniounded
apprehension and lortily themselves IN case Of
threatened invasion. Cholera is already ravag-
ing Arabia and the Delta OF Egypt, with ev-
dent indications of coming westward and in
view Of this prospect, tho apprehension of an
other pestence becomes alarming diseaee
surrounded with mystery and apparently ruth
less in ts operations, will exotic deadly terror,
when the facts and symptoms attendant upon it,
If made known, would as5uage whatever alarm
might be experienced.
There is a great deal OF popular misapprehen-
sion in regard TO epdemlcs. Many seem to
suppose that they may be engendered by the ex.
halati0ns Of foul and putrid matter and every
time that street dirt, stagnant water and refuse
from houses are suffered to accumulate in cities,
the penny-aner chronicles the fact, and adds
bis ofeboding Of epidemic disease. Either be.
cause Of ignorance or professional pride, no one
Ia him II 10 ten tb,E
aocnmulstions poison the air. and afford indus
aud medium for sush disease but they are hard
ly sufficient to create it alone. Epidemics are
produced by causes which seem to be beyond
these local agencies and manifest the pecu iarlty
Of modifying the endemic diseases 80 as 10 con-
form them more or less to the type Of the prev
alent malady
sYDENuAM's THEORY or EPIDEMIC DISEASE.
Epidemic diseases, Sydenham declares pro-
ceed from laent and iuexplicabe alteration of
the air. injecting the bodies OF men and not
from any peculiar state or disposition Of the
blood and Juices any further than an occu 1t In
haence OF the air may communicate this with
the body. They continue only during this one
secret state or constitution Of the air, and rage
at no other time. Hence years, perfectly agree
ing as to the manifest temperature of the air,
have, nevertheless, produced very different tribes
of diseases, and other years which were marked
by dssimiar, have been characterized by dis
cases Of like type There are, therefore, he
thinks various general constitutions Of years
that owe their origin neither 10 heat, cold dry
ness noE moisture, but rather depend upon
certain action in the bowels Of the earth which
impregnates the air and subjects the human
body 10 particular distempers 20 long as that
kind Of constitution prevails These distempers
all differ in kind from those VIII ich have the
same name, but are produced in another con.
sstution.
HISTORY on THr PLAGUE
1t Is supposed that the plague has ragged in
Asa and Egypt from remote antiquity. Pesti-
lence scourged the Israelites in The desert OF
Arabia, and depopulated Athens during the
rule Of perices. But we have no data to as-
sure US Of the precise nature Of these maladies,
and cannot authorIatlyely pronounce upon their
identity with the epidemic that now beers the
name Of plague.
Since the Christian era the history OF this
posuencl has been better understood. In the
yea j42 it appeared in Greece and two years
aieward trayaged the city Of Constantnople.
Thence it proceeded to Western Europe and in
54l Theodebald, King OF the Franks, became
its victim The next century it again visited the
countries Of the Mediterranean, spreading over
Syria in 639, and prevailing at Rome twenty
five years aitervsrd. Wighand, Saxon priest,
visited Rome to be oonsecrated archbishop of
Canterbury, and died there Of the plague 10
l67. In 746 thi, pestience was again rapidly
depOpulatlng the countries on the Leyan,.
So severe at one period was this disease at
fNnnutan.tp,t.la 40 tat tknuoauH
said to have died daily. The symptoms were
shlyerings aud fever, 80 slight at first, as to
alarm neither physiciap nor patient but with
in one or two days, or even in a few hours only,
would appear Inflammation OF the glands Of the
mouth, armpit and groius, with oafbunoles and
gangrene. Often the patient would perish to-
fore these signs Of the disease had become yisi-
BILE
The plague has prevailed since that time at
short intervals in various parts Of Europe as lGte
the seventeenth century. 1t was so regular in
England that Sydenham mentions 1t as cause
of thanktulness that it seldom ragei violently
above once in thirty or forty years. The wars
so frequent during the Middle Ages aided to
disseminate it over the countries. In the year
ll72, the Venetians, being at war with the
Hungarians and the Roman Emperor at Con-
stantiuople, brought it home IN their shattered
feet 1t again devastated Italy in 1910, and
breaking GU in the army OF the Emperor Henry
II, the Empross herself fell victim
THE " BLACK DEATH
In 1882 Chna was severely afflicted by famine.
Floods and earthquakes preceded it, destroying
about hall million Of persons. The next year
the plague followed, and more than Eve millions
persisted, Tartary was next visited, the pesti-
lenco taking the route OF the caravans into
Russia. 1t passed by the north OF the Caspian
sea to the Tauric peninsula. Here ships were
at hand to convey the merchandise OF the East
TO Constantnople, and they also took on board
the dreadful cOutagion. All the seaports and
provinces OF the Eastern Roman empire became
focuses Of tho plague. It's lorm was that OF
putrid typhus, more malignant than the COM
mon soourge of the East. fne boils and gland.
ular swelllngs were frequently undeveloped,
death occurring too suddenly. Modification
set in 50 speedily that the pestilenoe every.
whore bore The name OF the black death"
Europe seems to have undergone a similar
preparation for its advent TO that Vt China. In
autumn Of l3i5 excessive rains prevailed in
Italy, Spain, France aud other countries, pre-
venting the sowing of gnin,and rottlng it where
il had b1en sown. The next year universal
famine ragged throughout Italy, and the famine
plague had already begun its deyastations when
It was ovofpovofed and lost sight of by the ter.
riblo pestlleuce which some uenoeas vessels had
brought from the Leyant.
Language fails to describe tho horrible scenes
that attended its rapid progross The des true
tion Of human lite was without u parallel,
Whole families everywhere psrisbei together,
or escaped in part by the dissoying Of the best
feelings and affections OF our nature. They
who were yet ut-strcken stunned and aod