Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-02-17
Sae Daily grss and putstaixu.
YANk TON. DAKOTA.
Monday Evening, Feb. u, 1879
the BLACK DEATH.

"emetnlng About the Past History OF the
Terrible Russian Plague.
st. Louis Times.Journal.
II seems now to be generally understood
that the terrible disease that il spreading
over Russia is the genuine plague vhicb
Defoe and John Wilson immortalized In
prose and verse. This dreadful disease
the Black Death-has at various periods Of
the worlds history, both in ancient and
modern times, ravaged the world. In 1865
It prevailed in London to . degree that was
simply horrible. In June the deaths were
5OO in July, 4,129; in August, 2O.O46; in
September, 1920; in October, 1873: in
November, 3,449, and in December the NOR
tally was lees than 1000. This would seem
to indicate that cold weather acts as a check
on the disease yet the plague is unknown
IN tropical countries. In the year l348-
when Edward Ill. was on the throne-the
plague visited London. 1t exhibited itself
in infiammatory boils and tumors of the
glands, accompanied with burning thirst.
Sometimes inflammation Of the lungs and
expectoratiop of blood or vomitinps. with
discolorations Of the skin and black spots.
indicating putrid decomposition. From
this it was called "Black Death" Dops.
cats and fowls were affected, and the cattle
died Of murrsin. In Florence. 10000 peo.
pie died in Venice, 100000; in Marsaiiles.
in one month, 10000; in aiena, 10000; in
Paris, $4,000; At st. Denis, $4,000 in Ayie-
non, 10000; in London, 100000. At that
superstition ran rampant. 1t was
charged that the Jews had poisoned the
wells. Twelve thousand Of these unfortu-
mates were mastered at Mentz. It was sup.
posed that the disease commenced in the
Kindom of Cathay, north of China in 1888
thence it spread to Constantinople, where II
appeared in l347, and in 134S, at Ayienon.
in the south of France, in northerly Italv'
in Spain and England. Despair seized every
one, 80 frightful was the mortality, The
wealthy decided their estates 10 the church.
while the poor died in the fields. The
is the Oldest of known diseases.
was we'll known to the Greek.
Romans and inhabitants of Palestine. In
the year 1917 B. c. it carried off 10000 in
Palestine, and 452 B. G. it swept away half
the population of Rome. One hundred
years later the death rate in Rome was JO.-
600. In the year 126 B. c. 100000 died of
the plague in Numidia, and 100000 in Car
thage. From 255 to $50 B. G. it spread all
over the known world. In A. D. zoos his.
torians estimated that it killed one-half the
entire population of the then inhabited
world. Medical authorities do not agree
concerning the origin of the plague. Some
declare that 1t is p~ropagated exclusively by
q peculiar contagion others admittiI e its
contagious nature contend that it may be
engendered by endemic or
epidemic forces. Others reject the conta.
gious view, and assert that it originates ex-
in local eau sea or epidemic in.
Fences.
The disease now prevailing in Russia is
with alarming fatality. Nearly
that are attacked die-oAicial reports say
per cent. In the village Of
Vietlianka, out of a population of LOO, not
soul is left. Four hundred dead bodies
were left unburied in the streets. In Pris-
chile, out Of a population Of $50, 500 died
" weeks. The disease advances through
he country with great raqidity, appearing
simultaneously at different points ten miles
rom each other. In four days it advanced
hirty versis toward Errotaiersk. The Rus
ian physicians describe the disease as COM
nencing with dwellings in the groins the
ize Of hens eggs, general indiaposition and
'iolent headaches which develop in a few
lours. Internal pains and violent vomit.
ngs speedily ensue, and black spots appear
N the body, notably on the breast, forearm
nd top of the back. In two hours after the
spots appear, death invariably follows.
'uch Is the dreadful calamity now speeding
Russia in spite of military cordons.
Dur sanitary authorities at Washington
hould take preventive measures against it's |
the Atlantic.