The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1871-09-07
The Asiatic Cholera.

The accounts from different foreign
countries of the re-appearance OF Ash
attic Cholera, have very naturally CIV
en- rise to apprehensons in this coun-
try, for our safety against the vista
ton of this much-dreaded sc0urge.
Its progress is slow and not such as to
cause any serious alarm of its appear
ance in the United States during the
present year. 1t has not crossed the
line that divides Polish Russia from
Germany; and such sanitary meas
ures have been taken as make it
doubtful whether it will penetrate far
into. Western Europe. Medical science,
Boards Of Health, and municipal reg
ulations have robbed the disease of
much OF its terror, though none of
them have provided specific against
it. 1t has not, however, manifested
itself this year in so malignant form
as In 1866, or on prior occasions, and
should it reach our shores, will proba-
bly, have taken much milder form
than has heretofore attended it.
The cholera as an epidemic first ap-
peared in this century in 1917, and had
its origin in the usual breeding place,
the Delta OF the Ganges. In 1918 it
had difiused itself irregularly over the
whole Of the Indian Peninsula-some
districts along the lines Of its move
ment escaping the scourge altogether.
During the same year, 1918, it ravaged
various countries OF Eastern Asia,
reached China In 1920, and in 1921
passed slowly over the Islands of the
Indian Archipelago. In 1921 it tra-
versed the shores Of the Persian Gulf,
and after touching various parts of
Persia, Arabia, and Syria, closely
threatened Europe. In 1923, two years
later, it appeared in the Russian Ter
rltOries. During the next four years
all traces Of the pestilence disappeared.
In 1928, it broke out suddenly in Oren-
berg, but almost as suddenly ceased.
In 1929 it broke out in the same Dis
trict, and gathering strength and viru-
lence as 1t moved, advanced, in 1880,
through Southern Russia, reaching
Moscow in September and Petersburg
the year following. In March 1881,
Warsaw, in Russian Poland, was at
tackled, Danzig in May, Berlin, Prus-
sia, in August, and Sunderland, Eng
land, In October. In 1892 it appeared
almost simultaneously in London and
Paris, and four months later crossed
the Atlantic and struck the seabOard
cities of the United States. After this
the epidemic appears to have spent it.
self, for we hear nothing Of it until
1913, when it again spread from the
Ganges over India, reached Russia in
lS47, Paris and Glasgow in 1S4S, and
London, and other county towns in
England, in 1919.
On the latter occasion it can scarcely
be said to have crossed the Atlantic Mt
all. Some few cases were reported,
but the disease did not become epi-
demic.
From these accounts Of the previous
visitatiOns of the cholera, it will be
noted that its course from India and
Persia has always been steadily west
ward, but with northerly detlections.
1t has also been remarked by those
who have studied carefully its course,
and the time at which it has made its
appearance in various places, that its
rate Of progress has thus far invariably
been uniform. Bearing this fact in
mind, it will be noticed that the course
Of the cholera at the present time is
along the same line Of route it took in
1917 and 1913, and that, in the former
case, it struck the British Islands at
Sunderland in October, 1881, and in
the latter, at Glasgow in 1913. In the
first case it did not make its appear
ance in London, until February, 1882,
and did not reach the United States
until June OF the same year. 1t was,
therefore, eight months from the time
of its appearance at the English port
of Sunderland, wi ere it is again said
to be, before it reached the United
States. When, fifteen yeaIs later, it
proved so fatal in London and Paris, it
scarcely touched the United States.
We may, therefore, fairly conclude,
from this sho wing, tnat this terrible
epiderlic is no. likely to make It's pre-
scnce felt among us during the present
year, and possibly it may not visit Us