Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1879-02-20
The A.srakhAn Pnague.


ria, Greece, Turkey and the adjoining
provinces of Russia, to which country it
is now chiefly limited. The people in
the first infected districts are dying, the l
report states, like hies. So rapidly has
the disease spread that fully ten per cent.
in the newly infected districts have per-
ished. No one dares touch the dead, and
they lie unburied in the streets.
In the commencement of the disease
there is a feeling of WEAKNESS and fatigue,
shivering, nausea, and sickness, confu-
sion of ideas, giddiness, and pain in the
loins. These are quickly followed by in
creased stupor and delirium, by pallor
and flushing of the face, and feeling of
intense binding or construction about the
heart. Darling pains are felt in the
groins, armpits and other parts of the
body. The Iymphatic glands become en-
iarged, and carbuncles appear. The /
tongue becomes dry and brown, and the /
gums, teeth and lips are covered with a /
dark fur, while the bowels, which at first
Iare constipated, become relaxed. The |
will loses its control over the muscles. |
About the second or third day livid spots
tai cases-and most are fatal-the pulse
gradually sinks, the surface becomes cold
and elammy, blood oozes from the mueu-
GUS surfaces, and there is either coma or
delirium The victim usually fingers
five or six days, and may pass away with
, out struggle or in eonvulsions. It is
said that infected persons might visit ev-
cry country in Europe before the SYMPTOMS
were recognized, and in this way endan-
( ger the whole world.
The plague may be spontaneously en-
! gendered by endemic or epidemic infiu-
j, ences; it may originate from local causes,
/. and may be propagated by peculiar con-
: tagion. Temperature seems to exert
T very great influence over it. In tropical
! climates it is not known, and it does not
a long withstand the cold of Northern cli-
i, mates. Its particular harvest time in Eu-
rope is late in the summer and early in
1 the fall, especially in September. Like
I the germs of yellow fever, it has thus far
d evaded the examinations of chemists and
/ microscopists AS soon as absorbed it al
y ters the composition of the blood and the
e condition Of the tissues. There is no uni
n versal cure for it. In occasional instan-
:. ces fresh air may be of benefit. Cleanli-
# ness is generally a preventive, and it is
n due to this and superior ventilation that
$ foreigners in the LeVant are eompara-
. lively exempt.
In 1888, so Chinese historians tell us,
there were great conyulsions in nature,
and earthquakes and floods which were
followed by drouths and famines. Hills
and lakes disappeared, and the gases ris-
le ing from the earth, and decaying vegeta-
to tion and animals rendered the air excess
Of lively impure. Following these conVul-
i sions came the Great Plague, and before
I it entered Europe, 100000 people in
It, China, and %, ,O0O, 900 people in Western
ce Asia and Northern Africa had died.
S, 1t appeared in Russia, near where il
N now prevails, I34s. Constantinople was
r. attacked, and from there it spread ovel
n, all Turkey. The disease was carried tt
e. Italy, and from thence to France, Eng
land, Germany, and the Low Countries
Us From England it was conveyed to Swe
Id den, and passed over the Baltic Sea int,
an Northern Russia. In only three year
it covered the whole of Europe. Half tn,
II population of Italy died of it. FifteeI
Of Continental cities lost 300, ,0OOinhaBitants
I'd London 100, 900, and in Europe %, ,000, ,0O'
1t. people perished.
n; The terrible disease was attributed b!
nd the superstitious to the Jews, who wer,
re accused of poisoning the wells so that tn
ID, water would breed pestilence. Entir
colonies of Jews were massaered, an
thousands were so terrified that they too
of their own lives. The disease was exten
ere sively spread by numerous bands of re
le- ligious zealots, who visited town afte
ick town, torturing their bodies in the val
ms hope of expiating the sins of the people
ry- These Flagellants, as they were called
hd comprised both men and women, VIII
* went about nearly naked, and each on
liu wore red cross upon the breast. Th
1lt- church reaped rich harvest, for man
neF of its frightened subjects gave to it the
EN- all. The donors were Obliged to thro
an an their gifts over the walls of the inclosur
dld for the monks were afraid to come in col
dd' tact with them, and shut the gate
Multitndes sought to escape the disea
by living in caves and woods and starve
res Some endeaVored to escape by the Sc
NO They died and sailors who picked u
ing their boats shared the same fate. Rotte
i a bodies foated down the streams, POLL
no ting them and filling the air with Il
was contagion. Some of the delirious victim
you ran tbrouoh the streets Of villages. tea
she ino ont their hair and scratching the fac
ing of every one they met.
her The plague of 1868, 1854, and 1865, tt
ere last that prevailed very extensively pr
the duced fewer deaths. In 172O Marseill
at was almost depopulated, and in 179
say Turkey, Poland and Russia were aga
hsF visited Cincinnati Commercial
nth --.-.
ats Among number of letters to the la
Joshua R. Giddings, published in t