The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-08-12
THE CHOLERA IN RUSSIA.
The Dread Pilgrim on the March-Pre-
cautions Advised.
From the London Lancet.l

The rumored extension of cholera from Rus
sa Into ehe Baltic Provinces Of Prussia has
very naturally caused ALARM, lest the maladyi
should again spread to West Europe, and
thence to this country. The news requires
confirmation, and much Of the alarm depends
upon "a mistaken notion of the raptdtty .of
diffusion In the direction of progress of the
ease as having made its way in the familiar
cholera route, from Persia through Russia to
the shores of the Baltic; and the
registrar general, In his last weekly report,
writes that "Asatie cholera las 1t was
painful duty to announce early last
June) is entering Western Europe through
Russia, where, Dr.. lnelzer says, It Is
the second week of this month 1t broke out In
Wllkowyskl, atown In Poland, on the road to
Koenigsbere, west of the Niemen,) where thir.
ty-fosr deaths occurred within a few days.
The epidemic has prevailed In wilma for four
weeks, and from ten to fifteen deaths ore re-
ported daily. At It's present rate OF progress,
It may reach Germany In two or three weeks"
The progress of the present epidemic q chole-
ra in Russia and Its relation to epidemic chole-
ra In Persia, have formed study of altogether
exceptional interest In epldemiology; aud the
different facts throwing light upon the subject,
particularly upon the chronological succession
of the more important local outbreaks 10 the
two countries, have been systematicsly
The existing epidemic In Russia apparently
a recrudescenre of the epidemic OF 1861 began
In December, 1869. In the course OF that
month the disease appeared at 0rel, ~ the
Government of Smolensk, and In the city Of
Moscow. During the earlier months OF 1870,
the malady prevailed slightly In the localities
named; but in July and Angust IL spreso a
widely in the southeastern districts OF Russia
in Europe, and throughout the autumn it was
more or less prevalent In many Russian ports
of the Black Sea. On the 29th OF August, 1870,
the epidemic broke ont In st. Petersburg, and
from ti1at date to the 9Th instant there had been
not less than $3.50 cases of the disease 10 tnat
city, of which 2178 died. On the 9Th July
there were 1886 cases reported to be under
treatment. From St. Petersburg the disease has
been scattered In various directions In West
Russia: and 1t was present In wilma IN April.
The epidemic Is now prevalent, more or less,
at various parts In West, Central and East Rus:
sa, In Europe. The, iprotracted duration Of
this epidemic in Russia, and Its Limitation TO
the present time ESQ far as Europe Is concern
ed) to the provinces OF that Empire, ls a phe-
nomenon OF very remarkable interest In the
history of the epidemic diffusions of cholera.
From the close of 1859 the presence OF the
epidemic In Russia, we have reason to know,
has been source Of constant anxiety to the
officials of the Privy Council Office,
whose duty 1t Is to watch over the health
welfare OF the Kingdom, and we
ourselves have spared no pains to bring
the different facts, which would throw Hght
upon the probable. future OF the cpl
demic, to the knowledge of the profession. as
vet we have no certain information that the
malady has become actively migratory, and
that 1t has extended across the Russian frontier
into West and Central Europe. But that this
danger Is Imminent, and has been imminent
at any period since the winter OF 1859 is Ger;
have raised the question of the start of our
protectedness against the epidemic. Upon
This question we do not propose now to dwell
further than to remark that 1t Is one upon
which no donbt can rest as to the duties OF
the local authorities, who are responsible for
the administration of the sanitary laws.