The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-04-22
The Asiatic Plague.

The ASiatic Plague.
Adyices from Constantinople inform
us that the pestilence commonly known
as the ''plague'' is now prevailing to an
alarming extent about Bagdad and
through Southern Turkey. So great Is
the public dread Of this fearful visitation
that the people about Constantinople
are demonstrating against the sultan's
proposition to draw troops from those
portions of his Empire Tor reinforcing
his. armies now gathering against the
revolted Provinces of European Turkey,
lest the pestilence attack Cohstantinople
itself. This circumstance must be ac-
counted as an additional misfortune to
the troubles already surrounding the.
Sultan. ..... ............ .....I
With war upon one hand in his Euro
pean Provinces, and the plague on the
other ravaging his Asiatic dominions,
the Turkish monarch needs but one mis-
fortune more TO complete the trinity of
desoIation, famine, pestilence, and the
sword. And, in view OF all the proba-
bilities, even that element Of scarcity
Of food may not long be wanting
to the catalogue Of miseries now
affecting that misgoverned Empire.
More than that, should the plague at
tend the gathering ana follow the march
OF the Turkish armies to the conflict
with the Insurgents, now impending,
the introduction Of that pestilence into
the countries and cities Of Europe would
be among the strongest of probabilities,
In which case, the fearful rayages of
the plague would doubtless be more
dreadful and desolating than ever were
The invading armies of the Turks them
selves.
Asia was undoubtedly the original
home OF the human race. Tradition,
history, and even revelation, all point
to that conclusion. Asia seems also'to
have been the original source Of the
direst diseases that have ever afflicted
the human race. The leprosy, the
smallpox, the cholera, the plague, all
had their origin in that part of the
world. WHY such should be the fact it
would be difficult to explain; and yet the
fact is indisputable.
The leprosy, always so formidable and
so fearful among Asiatics, has been in a
great measure confined to Asiatic coun.
tries. The smallpox and the cholera
have spread and become dOmiciled In all
regions Of the globe within the torrid
and temperate zones. The plague has
from time to time, within the historic
period, made visitations into European
countries, with desolating effects; but
has generally again retired to its Asiatic
home, sometimes lingering among the
oriental cities Of the Levant.
WHAT may be the peculiar exciting
cause for such outbreaks Of the plague
has never been well determined. Thomp-
son has POLITICALLY denominated the
plague "the offspring of inclemenJ skies
and OF legions of purifying locusts.'
But this would scarcely account for the
outbreak Of this pestilence in regioni
where Iocusts never come; even as tal
0Ofbu db Inc OIIbteu lclSes
The first recorded general plague oc
CURED In the year Te7 before Christ. II
634 before Christ, the plague ravaget
Western Asia and spread over the Med
iterranean coasts of Africa so that Car
thage was almost depopulated, and LEI
the people in their terror to sacrific,
even their own children to appease TIL
anger OF their gods. Pliny gives an ao
count OF an outbreak of the plague Is
years before Chrlst, that ravaged th'
Greek Islands, Syria, and Egypt, de
stroying 1000 persons every day. In A.
DIS the plague visited Rome in the
wake Of her armies returning from sy.
ria, and carried off 10, ,0o0persons daily fol
days in succession. In A. D. TAG this pes
tileheef attacked Constantinopie and de
stroyed 100000 OF its population. Thi,
plague ragged for three years, desolatin,
what is now known as Turkey, Sicily
ana Greece. In A. d. 954,. Scotland los
10000 of her people by the plague
In A. d. 1895, and again in 1112, bot
England and Ireland were ravaged b,
this pestilence. In 1862, and again il
1867, London and Paris suffered dread
full mortality from the plague. Fort
years lsier, in i4o7, 10000 persons. pei
ished OF this dreadful disease in Londol
alone. In 1900 1t again broke out, an
became so fearful that King Henry VI
and all his court sed from England q