New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-05-03
The Endemic in Russia.

1 Mr.. Simon. the medical officer OF the Pnvy
Council Of the Queen OF England has reported 10 oru
Granville the result of the official inquiries which nave
been made respecting the epidemic IN Russia ana ,he
disease which prevails In North Germany. Win re-
spect 10 the former he saws: $50
As regards ST. Petersburg the epidemic which is
preyog IN that city consists Of two forms on l''eI
which are known in this country rs rel pslng 'eyer ana
styphus OF relapsing fever (Which also rom tne car
cuDstances under which IL prevails is iannldTy known
by the name Of famine feyer) we have had no large
perence in this country since the years lsi6e when
consequence o. the Irish distress the disease INST
became epidemic Ireland and next ragged ~ LIVER
Dool and many other Of our chief towns 20 which ~
contagion was brought by Irish immigrants Typhus.
the other hand probably never absent oM among
Dpnc the Inst two or three years there has been
almost UNPRECEDENTED amount q 1t In London and, as
your Lodsnp aware inquiries relating 10 very large
cpdemcs OF 1t in Liverpool. Greenock ana BrlsioL
have during the last few months been required o the
Nedical Department Of the Council Office. In times
when relapsng fever preyails-and always they are
times Of national scarcity-typhus always or nearly
talwavs coaxsis with II. IL was so at Liverpool IN
I47 II il so al St. Petersburg ~ present The mixed
1epGemic wherever 1t occurs tesiihes TO the miserable
tate of a starving and oYer-crowded proletarat and
there seems 10 believe that If the 81 Petersburg
epidemic is OF than common severity tins Is only
i'm result of extremely aggravated conditions OF prNr
ston OyererOwding. filth and district un"hOiesoh,
tness operating ON large masses oil the lowest popa
lton. r. ,
IL is probable that the relapsng fever has cansed
partcua alarm in ST. Petersburg from the fact thai
tbeen much known anywhere in Russia But 1t ID a dis
case greatly less dangerous than rphus 10 persOn
whom they respectively have attacked IN TINS country
ttyuhus has been seven eight times as fatal ns re
Iapsing fever Both typhus and relepsing fever ar'
IcOnmunicable from person 10 person ny means oi t'
general exhaatiOns Of the sick ana the danger OF uci
contagon acquires it's utmost development when masse
3of ilfed population are crowded together IN places
which are insuscepuble Of ventilation II seems proba
bic that the fevers prevailing III ST. Petersburg are
not only extensively dihused but IN their respective
kinds are Of fully average severity
The reapsing fever Ii causing more than lts usuh
proportiOn OF dca and is notably attended, wth those
Ei.namrnatory swelings which are known by the name
Of buboes Although the reports which are before me
do not state the relative frequency with winch The lat
symptom Is observed yet from the fact 81 s being
mentioned in very general report on the epidemic,
Infer that IL has been more than commonly frequent
and doubtless it from this Circumstance that there
the rumor Of plague; 1t is therefore requisite tt
lmention that buboes by means exclusively char
acteristc Of plague that typhus in this country
not very unfrequeDy attended by them, aud that slst
other forms OF fever they are sometimes though
far less frequently observed
4 TIE great Importance. however. Of the question
(which is involved in that symptom OF bnboes was
nain reason for your Lordslps thinking II desirable Il
Have an English physicians report on all the elements
of the ST. Petersburg epidemie; ana II was therefore
THAT under your Lordshp's orders i instructed DIR
WHITLEY 10 proceed TO St. Petersburg for the purpose
tmakng personal examinations in the matter. He ar
rived al St Petersburg Saturday night last and hi
Telegram which received on Tuesday, informs me II
positive terms that nothing resembling plague La
II been ODscINtu.
Il The disease in North Germany no describes as hav
Hing no dependence on the Russian fever:
L "That disease Che North Germany is one OF whic.
hitherto England has had general experience Ever
IN foreign medical literature mention of IL but com
paratiyely recent and the knowledge which relates u
Il IL nconplete Ii is febrile nervous affection OF
very painful and very dangerous KIND BY u.s. for prac
teal purposes il may be regarded az new disease
but in truth il mas for the last 2c years been prevai
livery extensively in successive small epldemics bot u
Europe and in America throughout the entire breadtI
Eof the north temperate zone"
DR.. Sanderson was instructed TO visit those place
about the Lower Vistua where the singular disorder
prevails and he has reported that he hnds no feHeoi
oI regarding the disease as personally communeaoe
Ethat he has "met single instance IN which NOR
than member OF the family has been attacked
nor has there been any diffusion OF the disease III an
Of the hospitals" Mr.. Simon sums up bis report a
follows:
From the foregoing statement your Lordship WI
Ihaye gathered that neither Us regards the feves Wci
are present III st. Petersburg reg ards the neTv
Eons disease which Is occurring in North Germany, arr
1.-THE circumstances such have former occasions lee
TO the adoption Of quarantine by this country that az
Regards the mportablity Of the disease, on
danger IN communicating with the Baltic portf-uolef
Ithere were moye psnt of masses Of infected population