Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1865-11-29
A few words about Cholera.

In the year 1929, Bontius, a Dutch
physician, residing at Batavia, in Java.
made the civilized world acquainted with
the existance of that terrible pestiIence,
the cholera, which had, doubtless, since
the organization of society, prevailed
with more or less violence IN India and
the islands along its coast. His obserVa-
tions were scarcely needed outside of the
scientific world for which they were in
tended, and notwithstanding the fact
that the disease was subsequently recog-
nlZed by British physicians in the East
Indies, and by travellers of other nations,
Europeans gave themselves very little
concern in regard to a disease which,
however viTulent and destructive, was
not likely to extend its ravages as far to
the westward as to invade their houses.
But in this expectation they were wo-
fully mistaken. In the year 1917 it rag
ed with great violence at Jessore, a large
town near the mouth of the Ganges. It
spread, not very swiftly, yet with awful
certainty, in all directions, and by Au-
gust of the following year had reached
| Bombay, on the western side of the Pc
ninsula. Thence it travelled through
Arabia, Persia, Mesopotamia, Syria, etc,
on its westward course, and, continuing
to extend itself eastwardly from its place
of origin, invaded the Burmese Empire,
Siam, Java, China, and other popnlous
countries of the earth.
Still, its progress was very slow. Sew
sral days frequently elapsed before it
passed from one town to another, only a
few miles distant The means of COM
municatlons were, inthe regions where it
prevailed, very Imperfect, ,aud to thiscause
its sluggish movements may be attribu-
ted. In these days of steam its course is
more rapid.
Up to 1923 its Iavages had not extend
ed beyond Asia; but in that year it ap-
peared ct Orenburg and Astrachan, two
towns situated on the eastern frontier of
Russia. Here it remained until 1928,
when it increased in violence. attacking
tenth of the inhabitants of the prov
ince of 0renberg, and proving fatal to 3
fourth of those affected.
In 1880, it re-appeared at Astrachsn.
In less than month 1900 persons died
of it in that city, and over q 900 perished
from it in the province. Ascending the
Volga, it reached Moscow, destroyed
thousands in that city; and, continuing
its fatal course, appeared at st. Peters
burg on the Goth of June, 1881. From
Astraclan it also diverged along the
northern coast of the Black Sea, and
thence spread into Austria, Poland,
Prussia, and Northern Germany general
ly. In August 1881, it was conveyed to
Cairo by caravan from Mecca. Thou
sands persisted from it on the road, and
over IS, 200 died from it in the former
city.
On the 10Th of October, 1881, the dis
ease appeared for the first time in Eng
land, at Sunderland, town situated on
the North Sea. near New Castle. 1t was
supposed to have been introduced from
Hamburg, by n returned collier. 1t
showed very little disposition for some
time to pass beyond the limits of the
city, and was mainly confined to the
worst parts of the town according to q
statement made at that time, it crept like
skulking hyena from one dirty lane to
another, affecting localities remarkable
for their filth, poverty and wretchedness,
and carrying off those who, from decrep-
| itude, drunkenness, hunger or uncleanli-
ness, were already fit subjects for the
grave.
From Sunderland it spread slowly thro'
the northern part of England and Scot
land, and did not break out in London
till the 14th of February following, when
some persons living in the immediate vi
cinity of the shipping were attacked. In
this city, as in all others in which the
disease had made its appearance, the dis
tricts mainly affected were those chiefly
distinguished for their filthiness and an
utter disregard of all.sanitary regulations.
Thus, for instance, the streets of st o.
i've, st. Thomas and WhiteehapeI, the
great majority of its confined and crowd
streets, courts and alleys, were without
ventilation, water or sewerage. In LAM
beth, where it prevailed extensively, the
cleansing, draining and water sudply,
were either totally wanting or grievously
defective. 1t was invariably noticed
that the disease was especially prevalent
in those sections where the typhus and
typhoid fever and other affections due to
dirt and overcrowding were most liable to
occur.
On the 9th of June, 1888, the cholera
broke out at Quebec, this being its first
appearance on this side of the Atlantic.