The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1879-02-27
An AWFUL SCOUKGE.
Ravages of the Plague in Brazil-Half a MILL
ion of People Swept Away-A Horrible
From the Chicago Inter Ocean.

the plague in Europe has been allowed
to escape the notice of the newspapers.
but the great calamity in Brazil has re-
ceived comparatively little attention.
Some months ago brief dispatch no.
ticed the ravages of the smallpox in
connection with the drought and famine
In one of the northern provinces, but
this and subsequent reports were con-
fined to generalities, and failed to give
an adequate idea of the horrible vista
ton.
Last year, when the yellow fever des-
olated so many districts in the Southern
States, the sympathetic people of our
enterprising nation had railroads, steam
boats and the telegraph at hand to en-
able them to render efficient service and
prompt assistance. Under the most
favorable circumstances the scourge was
terrible enough, and the deaths in the
infected regions reached a total of
nearly $4,000. But in the stricken
provinces of Brazil the deaths, in popu-
lation of 100000, numbered nearly
100000.
The particulars of the great calamity
are given in letters from Ceara, Brazil,
to the New York Herald. The writer
penetrated to the infected districts, and
speaks from personal observation, pic
turing scene of desolation and terror
that scarcely has it's equal in the his
tory of famines and plaques. sa
The province of Ceara is about as
| large as the Middle States, and was in
habited by class of people dependent
on the crops of their small farms for
support. There were no manufactures,
no industries, no trade with other re-
gions, few roads, no railroad, and no
telegraph. The principal commercial
town on the coast, Fortaleza, has no
harbor, and reports of the famine, which
began in 1877 were a long time in
reaching the Government or the out
side world. By the beginning of 1878
the mortality from starvation was ter
rible, and the panic-stricken and starry
ing peasants focked to tS.,e larger towns.
Here there was little to give, and Gov
eminent aid came slowly. Men fought
like tigers for refuse, women died with
starving children in their arms, and, in
some cases, men and women devoured
the dead bodies of their own children.
It is estimated that 10000 people died
from hunger.
At last supplies reached the famine
districts, but the ignorant people were
denloralized, and it was difficult to en-
force sanitary regulations. The dead
bodies of those who had starved were
in many cases not buried, and in other
cases only few handfuls of earth had
been thrown upon them. The surviv-
ors huddled together in the towns lived
in filth ana idleness. The whole poo
ulation of the province was gathered in
strip of territory along the coast not
more than seventy-fve miles wide. The
drought still continued, and birds, in
sects and animals died. The people
were fed by Government rations, but
the fearful death-rate continued, and it
was discovered that smallpox had
broken out among the refugees. This
was in June, 1878, and the disease spread
rapidly to all classes, including the
weather. and aristocratic people of the
cities. Up to this date the Govern
ment had had the advice and air of these
Now all became panic-stricken, and a
reign of terror was inaugurated. In the
10000 people gathered in and about For
taleza, the death-rate in the latter part of
November was over 500 per day. On the
last day of November there were STA
deaths, and during the month nearly
$4,000 interments had taken place in
the two cemeteries, and thousands of
dead bodies lay unburied in the forests
At this date over 10000 people were
sick, and, on Dec 10, the deaths from
smallpox were nearly 1000. This was
the death-rate of the great London
plague, but there was there population
of 100000. At Fortaleza, with a popu-
lation of only $4,000, there were 1000
deaths in a single day. The deathrate
decreased from that date, dropping on
Dec. 20 to 400, and by Dec. 80 to 200.
The registered deaths for the month
were 81, 900. ,
In the midst of such a pestilenee
there was necessarily much carelessness
as to burial. Dead bodies were laid in
trenches and light covering of sand
was thrown over them This careless
ness in due time added new horrors to
the situation, andcontributed, no doubt,
to the inauguration of new disease re
sembling the black plague now raging
in Russia. A1
Scenes like those described at Forta-
leza were common in other towns of the
province, and, as has been stated, out of
a population of 100000 only 10000 re-
main. The Brazilian Government made
all possible effort to stop the ravages of
the smallpox, and in some localities
their agents were successful. AS it is
the province is, in truth, desolated, and,
if the new disease at Fortaleza is the
plague, more disastrous consequences
are to follow The Black Death has
never appeared in America before, and,
if the reports as to its existence in
Brazil are true, there is need for pre-
cautionary measures in this country as
well as in Europe. Fortunately the in
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