The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1879-02-25
THE PLAGUE.

The plague that is now causing Rus
sia IN particular and other European
nations both fear and trouble first ap-
peared during the fourteenth century,
when il desolated the world. One OF
names il has borne was the Black Death
from the black spots denoting putrid
decomposition which, at one OF its
stages market the sufferer. The ao-
counts then furnished are incomplete
and inexsct, as they necessarily would
be at such an epoch OF semi-civiliLa.
tion; but they are sufficient To show n
state OF horrors and agony hard to ex-
ceed. The course aud symptoms of
the dreadful malady varied al different
times aud in different countries, and
greatly changed towards the close
Q34s-5D Of its ravages in Europe
Among the concomitants Of the peril
lence were noticed palsy OF the tongue,
which became black, as II suiTused
with blood; putrid inflammation Of the
lungs; fetid, pestiferous breath, and
eApectoration Of blood. When it
spread to Europe. fever, evacuation Of
blood, and pulmonary carbuncles
proved mortal before other symptoms
had been declared. In wellnigh all in-
stances death ensued in two or three
days after the attack. Spots and
tumors were the seals of doom, which
medical skill had no power TO avert
aud many sufferers anticipated by
suicide.
The rise and progress of the plague
in the fourteenth century has not been
clearly or consistently related; but
there seems 10 be- no doubt that IL orig
mated in China. There is also concur
rent testimony that the cooperating
causes existed and acted at least fifteen
years before the outbreak in Europe,
and are TO be sought as far back as
1888, in a series OF mighty commissions
Of nature which continued for twenty
six years TO effect and derange the nor
NAL condition of animal aud vegetable
life. The precise date OF the begin
ming OF the plague in China is not
known; but from 1888 TO 1340 that
country
SUFFERED PAINFULLY
from drouths, famine, floods, swarn.s
of locusts, and earthquakes that over
threw cities and lovelled mountains,
and these catastrophes were followed
by tho scourge. At the same time the
order OF things seemed to be reversed
in Europe. Thunder-storms occurred
in midwinter, ice formed in summer,
tornadoes swept regions that had never
felt them before, volcanoes, long
thought extinct, blazed with fury, aud
water-spouts rose in placid seas.
The mortality was hidden in the East
and West, aud it is believed that the
great activity OF the globe, accom-
panied by decomposition Of vast organ
ic masses, myriads OF locusts, bodies
OF bruites and men, produced some
change in the atmosphere
HOSTILE To LFE.
II is stated in the progress OF the
plague westward, the impure aud pois-
oned air was traceable as il moved on
laden with pestilence and death. A
writer Of the times remarks: "a dense
awful fog was seen in the heavens ris-
ing in the East, and descending upon
Italy" The inhabitants of Europe are
also thought 10 have been predisposed
TO the pest partly from scarcity, and
partly 20 the inadequate mode OF liv-
ing. The theory is very plausible that
IL sprapg directly from atmospheric
poison, acting on the respiratory or
gans, which were the first 10 be attack
ed. Still, while impure air and defec-
tive physical conditions may have fed
the pestilence, largely, il, doubtless,
owed its extention almost entirely TO in
fection and contsgioD. IL seems il had
appeared in Europe in milder form in
l342, but II had come 20 an end, and
there is little reason 30 hold, a. has
been held, that il bad in the interval
remained latent until new causes had
requickened IL six years later. The in
vasion Of l348 may be
DISTINCTLY TRACKED
in its advance from China along the
caravan routes toward the west, The
northern coast OF the Black Sea sent
plague 10y contaeion 10 Constantinople:
thence in the same way il reached the
ports Of Italy. aud was so difrused
throughout the remainder of Europe
It's progress may be followed through
Germany and France 90 England.
whence u was transmitted TO Sweden.
Three years elapsed from its appear
ance In Constantinople until ID crept by
n great circle 30 the Russian territories:
and the fact OF its contagious commu-
nication has started the speculation
whether by rigid quarantine il might
not have been excluded altogether
from Europe. Such rules have now
long been enforced at many points TO
prevent Introduction into the west #
the plaques Of the Orient, but they
have been insufFicientjn the present in