Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-12-28
PHENOMENA.
Does the Earth GrOW kiekc

Ibis II question asked and partially an
zine, who proceeds to show that such epidem mics
as the plague of ancient times, and the cholera
OF more modern era, are always heralded by
peculiar phenomena, and sometimes by earth
quakes and volcanic eruptions. He sums up his
argument by remarking:
Those appalling clouds or fogs which ire
quently herald the coming of the plague, al
though most noted for the darkness which they
produce, sometimes gives sensible indication of
their mOrbihc influence. In the plague in the
year 262, when 5000 persons died daily at Rome,
EuSebIus states that the air was so corrupt as
to form on objects n mould resembling the
- turbid dew on dead bodies" Impressions of
curious figures on doors, garments and other ar
ucles were noticed during the plaques of 532
and coo; and of like nature were the erucicute
which were beheld with superstitiOus horror in
the pestilence of 1i6. A sinking mist" was
noticed during the visitation of the Black Death:
the fatal Angina Mahgna among cattle in 1861
" a. attended by blue mist of dew on the herb
age and pastures; and the cholera mist at Dant-
smell and taste, 20 that those who were ex-
posed to II were forced to wash their mouths
with water.
In the case of these fetid mists and ,lepositions
of mould, the air evidently contains deleterious
matter-either from its own disOrganization or
decomposition, OF from noxiOus exhalations
which are given forth from the earth. IL is well
known that various calculations occasionally
take place during earthquakes. Seneca states
that yapOT caused by an earthquake, in Gala
bra, destroyed 5000 sheep. During the erup-
"
including the birds in the air, persisted in great
-,nmbeTs. In like manner the earthquake in
. amalca, IN 1909, produded a general sickness,
- that 900 persons of those who hal survived
the earthquake, persisted by the subseouent
Pestlence. Among other well recorded instances
OF this escape or belching forth of vapors from
the earth during earthquakes, il is stated that at
Cairo during the earthquake OF I7T5, the river
opened and seemed 10 discharge an immense
quantity of Automatically gases which burst
forth from the earth by mOmentary crevices in
N fha too
IN Calabria, in loss, the sea wore a very unusual
appearance; those who have seen a lake during
a violent shower Of rap, says Father, Kircher,
may have an idea of This very extraordinary
agitation OF the seas surface. As there was
neither wind nor rain AT the time, the phenOme-
non could only be ascribed 10 an escape of air of
gaseous vapOrs from the bottom OF the sea.
a similar phenomenon has been observed
curing ylsitatiOns of pestilence, the surface of
PONDS becoming muddled or bubbling from an
escape of vapor, which would be invisible when
taking place on solid land. An instance of this
Kind was observed at Havre, in August, 1882,
when the cholera prevailed in France. The cit
adel OF Havre is surrounded BY deep ditch or
fOSse, and 4 was observed by many persons that
the water in the fOsse suddenly changed its
color and became muddy, while bubbles of air
rose TO the surface, causing an appearance of
ebullitiOn. At the same time the fish, chiefly
eeis. which usually remain at the bottom were
seen to spring above the surface of the water
with eOnvulsive movement, and then to drop
again, languld and heavy, and in a few hours the
surface of the fOsse was covered with dead fish.
The adjoining sea was likewise affected BY the
poisonous influence, for the shore was covered
Iktnoinenon tEat the cholera broke out
HavTe.
When the scourge of a great pestilence falls
that the beasts OF the frfd, the fish of the sea
and rivers and even the plants and crops of the
earth are affected TO an unusual extent with
disease. Webster has remarked that pestilence,
muTTain, and famine occur simultaneously.
= his was certainly the case As regards the ear
lest great pestilence of which We have a record;
for "a stated In Scripture, the plague of blOtches
and blains, murTain of beasts, and the blight
producing a dearth OF corn, all visited Europe
m close succession Let Us note some other in
stances. In A. ID. 1222 a pestilence which de-
strOyed one hundred thousand persons ragged in
Scotland. AMI simultaneously multitudes OF dead
fsh were washed ashore on the British coasts.
lin I240,' SAYS Webster, mortal diseases
prevailed" and authors relate that the tish ON
the English coast had battle, in which ele
ven whales and a multitude OF other fish were
slam and cast ashore. The cause to which
this phenomenon was ascribed,' he adds,
although ludicTous enough, is important; for
il strengthens modern observation that when
Pestllential diseases prevail on the surface of
the earth, fish often perish beneath the waters"
During the Black Death, especially, pestilen-
tial influence affected all kinds of the lower
animals, as well a man. y fatal murrain broke
out, and in England three thousand sheep died
III one pastUrage alone; and in this case, as also
during the murrain in West Africa, it is SAID
that both the birds and beasts Of prey refrain
tOuCulDg the CdTCd->tS- NJ the same IlIno
immense quantities of dead fish were cast ashore,
whose bodies were found to be covered with
blOtches- The birds OF the air likewise died.
And DimerbrOeck also states. a a fact which
he frequently observed, that whenever the birds
confined in their cages died, the inhabitants of
the house were invariably attacked shortly after
by the plague.
IL seems as though the cause of the grand epi
denies that from time TO time desOlate the
world lies beyond the sphere of human action,
and il To be found in a nOrbitc disturbance, or
sickening in the earth itself. Unquestionably,
those great plaques, like common diseases, are
intensified in their severity of defective sani-
tary arrangements, and are prOpagated by con-
tagiOn 10 some extent beyond the actual zones
or region of morbid telluric action; but still
like small pOX, typhus and some other diseases
whose origin may be ascribed wholly TO vicious
conditions of life-maladles which Swoop down
UpOn mankind from a higher world almost
beyond his ken-a NOR ifc breath which sweeps
over the face OF the earth, and which, although
exhalIng from our globe, has its exciting cause
in the varying governments and conditions in
he far-Off worlds OF orbs which surround US.