The New York herald., 1879-02-15

Salonica Syria and the islands of the Archipelago
DANGER OF THE INTRODUCTION OF THE DISEASE
INTO THE UNITED sTATEs-THE PLAGUE IN
THE PAsT-LETTER OF SURGEON GENERAL
wooDwoRTH TO THE COMMITTEES ON EPI-
DEMIc DISEASES
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
WAsHINaToN. Feb. II. 1879.
The following letter received to-day by the
Chairman of the Senate and House Committees on
Epidemic Diseases, and will be laid before the CON-
mittee at joint meeting Monday next
OFFICE OF THE SURGEON GENERAL OF THE J
UNITED STATES MARINE HOSPITAL SERVICE
WASHINGTON, Feb l3 1879.
To the Hon. IsHAM G. HAnRIs Chairman of the Senate
Committee bn Epidemic Diseases, and Hon. CASEY
You've. Chairman OF the House Committee ON Ep-
GENTLEMEN-I am constrained to invite your
attention to what conceive to be matter Of
s@heen' lien p%ttees cnnaress se n Eo
dcnic Diseases. From the imperfect accounts which
come to this country of the prevailing epidemic
in the province Of Asrakhan there to be little
room for doubt that tho disease which has broken
out there with such deadly effect Is the plague sim
guarly fatal infectious disease. accompanied by
Swelling and sometimes gangronous condition OF the
glands of the body, and in many respects resembling
malignant typhus fever
ACCOUNT OUTBREAK.
The account of the outbreak. which is generally
credited in Europe and in this country, IL to the
effect that sOluler returning from the
brought q shawl with him and gave it to girl. who
sckened and died two days after from this supposed
infection. The disease spread with great fatality.
About three weeks elapsed before the Russian gov
ernInent officially notified of the facts, and
other week passed before any measures adopted
to check its spread. The Russian government as
well as the people. now thoroughly aroused
Sanitary lines and quarantines have been established
and cordons of soldiers have been placed around the
infected villages. Europe has become alarmed. and
commerce with Russia has been interdcted except
under strict quarantine rules but in spite of the
penditure Of money and the strong military arm of
the government the measures of prevention appear
to have been too long delayed aud the plague is
rapidly spreading.
Should the plague appear in the countries of Eu-
rope with which the United States has commercial
intercourse. there would be great danger of the dis
ease reaching shores. In fact the danger exists
at present through ships from the Caspian and Black
seas. The latest arrival at New York from the Black
Sea was in December last.
DANGER or INTRODUCTION
Considerable danger may be apprehendcd from the
introduction of infected clothing into this country
brought by Russian emgrants. especially the Men.
nonitcs from Southern Russia. large numbers of
whom ship ut Liverpool
The board of yellow fever experts unanimous
In opinion that United States medical officers health
should be stationed at LIVERPOOL and at some
point in the Mediterranean. and that they
should be subject to orders ~ visit places of out.
break of infectious epidemic disease so that definite
reliable and prompt information may be given to the
health authorities of our seapors. Twelve thousand
dollars per year would maintain two such medical
officers abroad and pay their travelling expenses and
in my opinion II would be an investment worthy OF
great cOnlfncrclal NATION.
PAST.
The people of this generation have considered the
plague a scourge belonging only to the past. and a
fcw words in reference to it's former ravagcs be
interest The great cpdcmics of this disease have
followed q sequence to wars In unsanitary
countries or to great religious pilgrimagcs.
The plague prevailed in earliest historic
times. The first epidemic of which have any
definite record occurred nearly three Thousand years
ago in the time of David Next is the great plague
which commenced T67 years before Christ which la
said to have spread over the whole.world The
epidemic which commenced in the time of Justnan,
5ll or 542 years before Christ. is said to have
..almost consumed mankind" II commenced
in Egypt and spread To all parts of the
then known world. making destruction It's only
business and sparng neither island. nor top of
mountain where mankind inhabited" When the
pcstilence was at its height in Constantinoplo
that the dead lay without buryng. Procopus com.
pares the number who pcrished to the sands of tho
sea. Another general epidemic of the plague pre-
vailed in the year $50 B. c. and especially
I'm Athens. During the Christian the plague has
frequently visited Europe with great fatality,
ea,allcd by any other epidemic disease.
Ii IL estimated that there were forty five
epidcmics of the plague during the seventeenth
century. Fourteen of these referred to Holland
London in the year 1865 terrible the great
fire of 1866, which put u stop to its ravages. The
lowest estimate OF deaths In London alone in 1865 is
given as 800
IN MODERN TIMES
In the present century the plaguc has occurred
chiefly in the countries OF the lower Danube and the
Black Sea- The last epidemic in Western Europe
Cured at Marscilcs and vicinity in l12O and 172l
causing the death of over two hundred thou.