The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1879-02-14
THE AsTRAKHAN PLAGUE.
symptoms OF the Disease-Fsrmer Sistta-
fious of The s.Black Death.''

symptoms OF the eDisease-Fsrmer vista
tions of The sBlaek Death"
Cincinnati CommercisI
The disease now ravaging the districts
of Astrakhan is the "black death"
which for ages has had its homes in
Egypt, Sylia, Greece, Turkey and the
adjoining provinces of Russia, to which
count. lies it is now chiefly limited. The
people in the first infected districts are
dying, the report states, ike flies. So
rapidly has the disease spread that fully
ten per cent. in the newly infected dis
tricts have died. No one dares touch
the dead, and they lie unburied in the
streets.
In the commencement of the disease
there is feeling of WEAKNESS aud IA
tigne. saiSfrin nausea and sieknss =,
confusion Of IDEAS, gfddiness and pin IN
the Ioins. These are quickly followed
by increased stupor and delirium, by
pal!or and flushing of the face, and B
feeling of intense binding or construction
about the heart. D4rting pains are felt
in the groins, armpits and other parts of
the body. The Emphatic glands be-
come enlarged and csrbuncles appear.
The tongue becomes dry and brown,
and the gums, teeth and lips are covered
with dark fur, while the bowels.
which are at first constipsted, become
relaxed, and dark, offensive and some.
times bloody discharges are frequent
The will loses its control over the mus
cles. About the second or third day
livid spots and stripes appear upon the
skin. In fatal cases-and most are fatal
the pulse gradually sinks, the surface
becomes cold and clammy, the blood
oQzes from the mucous surfaces, and
there is either coma or delirium. The
victim usually fingers five or Fix days,
and may pass away without struggle,
or in convulsions. 1t is ssid that infect
ed persons might visit every country in
Europe before the symptoms were
recognized, and in this way endanger
the whole world.
The plague may be spontant ously en-
gendered by endemic or epidemic inAu-
ences; it may originate from locsl causes,
and may be propagated by peculiar con
tagion. Temperature seems 10 exert q
very great influence over it. In tropical
climates it is not known, and it does not
long Withstand the cold of northern
climates It's particular harvest time in
Europe is late 10 the summer and early
in the fall, especially in September.
Like the germs of yellow fever, it has
thus far evaded the examination OF
chemists and microscopists. As soon as
absor bed it alters the composition of the
| blood and the condition of the tissues.
There is no universal cure for it. In
occasional instances fresh air may be OF
benefit. Cleanliness is generally pre-
ventive, and it is due to this and superior
ventilation that foreigners in the Levant
are comparatively exempt.
In 1888, 50 Chinese historians tells us,
there were great commissions ia nature,
and earthquakes and foods, which were
|
and lakes disappeared, and the gases
rising from the earth and decaying veg
/ tation and animals, rendered the air
excessively impure. Following these
commissions came the great plague, and
before it entered Europe, 1900, 900 OF
people in China and %, 900 600 people in
Western Asia and North Africa had
died.
1t appeared in Russia, near where il
now prevails, in 1348 Constantinopie
was attacked, and from there 1t spread
over all Turkey. The disease WAS carried
to Italy, and from thence to France
England, Germany end the Low Coun
tries. From England it was conveyed
10 Sweden, and passed over the Baltic
sea into Northern Russia. In only three
years it covered the whole of Europe
Half the population Of Italy died of it
Fifteen continental cities lost 300,00(
inhabitants, London 100, 200, and il
Europe $4,000, 900 people perished.
The terrible disease was attributed by
the superstitious to the jews, who were
accused of poisoning the wells, go tha
the water would breed pestilence. En-
tire colonies of Jews were massacred
and thousands were 30 terrified tina
they took their own lives. The diseas
WAS extensively spread by numerou
bands of religious zealots, who visite'
town after town, torturing their bodie
in the vain hope of expiating the sins 0
the people. These Flagellants, as the.
were called, comprised both men an
; women, who went about nearly naked
and each one wore red cross upon tn
breast. The church reaped rich han
vest, for many of its frightened subject
gave to it their all. The donors wer
obliged to throw their gifts over the wal
of the enclosure, for the monks wer
afraid to come in contact with them, sn
shut the gates Multitudes sought I
3 escape the disease by living in caves an
> woods, and starved. Some endeavore
: to escape by the sea. They died, an
the sailors who picked up their boa
9 shared ths same fate. Rotted bodit
e hoated down the streams, pollutiDg thel
!, and filling the air with contsgiol
Some of the delirious victims rs
+ through the streets of the villages, tea
ing the hair and scratching the faces
: every one they met.
The plague of 1868, 1864 and 166
the last that prevailed very extensivel
produced fewer deaths. In 1920 Ma
!. settles was almost depopulated. and
1870 Turkey, Poland and Russia we
again visited. From all reports Il
present p'ague promises TO destroy
. many lives as those of former years.