The New York herald., 1879-03-05
THE EASTERN PLAGUE.
RUSSIAN ARMY SURGEON DIAGNOSES THE
DISEASE.

ST. PETERSBURG Feb. Is. 1879.
DR.. Depner. chief surgeon OF the. Astrak han Cos
sack army. who studied the development of the
epidemic in yietanka sends the following official
telegram to the Russian Minister Of the Interior
warded through the Governor OF Astrakhan:-
The first appearance of the epidemic was In the
habtants OF vietlanka. in the form fever accom-
panied by slight paroxysnis. and after seven or
eight days., began to develop swsllings Of the
ymphatic glands in the grons and under the armpits
18th of November. and found eight sick persons
not confined TO bed, had good appetites.
enjoyed natural sleep and also natural dis
glands In the groins under the armpits
appeared. which emitted pus. The duration OF the
disease from ten to twenty days. All the inva-
lids, as reported to me by the army surgeons
cred The same manifestations OF sickness had been
observed by and other physicians in May of
1877. at Cossack Bougr, upon fifteen invaids at
forepost Of forty men. and upon some of the inhab
tants OF the city of Astrakhan In all the devel
opment and the Termination of the disease was ey
actly identical. From November Z, reported
to me in vietanka there appeared kind of sickness
which attacked many and proved fatal to some. In
December visited Vietanka again, and found twen
ty-three invalids with the following symptoms
Terrible pain through the forehead and temples pain
through the members OF the body; transient mod
crate chills which succeeded by protrated and
intense heat in the face and eyes, the bowels were
hard; slight swelling OF the liver and spleen.
pulse 100 to 120, which state continued two three
days. and after, under favorable conditions although
such few. followed perspiration and
lessenng of all the symptoms; but in majority Of
the cases. after day two, the paroxysms were re-
newed i'll more violent form-deliriuni. sieepless-
ness resessness seized the patient heat reached to
AZ degrees r.; dryness and backness OF the
tongue; involuntary dark brown forces; scant highly
colored urine; death. The end followed after the
first second but rarely after the third paroxysm.
Under ordinary manifestations OF conic spasIDs in
under sudden failure of the energies
The corpse became rigid in short time. and spots Of
decomposition appeared after twelve more hours.
DEVELOPED.
From the 9th of November to the 9th of December,
out of 100 patients. 43 died and IA had entirely
recovered. From the 9th of December the character
OF the disease became more violent Under general
favorable state OF health new patients suddenly
seized with violent palpitations OF the heart. The
pulse too rapid to be counted dizziness,
difficulty of breathing splitting OF blood, vomiting Of
watcry uncoaguated blood countenance pale. ex-
preston apathetc eyes CLASSY and sunken and pupils
dlated After this attack which continued three four
or more hours, the patient was i'll state of entire
exhaustion and to this succeeded intense heat sleep
mess, slight deirium, cessation OF urine aud consti-
patton. After the 10th OF December, to all the pre-
ceding symptoms were added occasions
spots the body OF the size OF grain Of millet to
ten kopek ten cent piece and larger Patients emit
ted from their bodies peculiar smell. similar to
honey and death ensued during sleep under sudden
failure OF energy The corpse did not assume rgidity,
and in two three hours decomposition took place.
From the 9th of December the percentage of NOR
taty, gradually increasing reached up to the 14th
Vietanta saw only patients suffering from a re-
laxing fever, with slight knotty swellings Of the
lymphatic glands (Guzenger, and in that instance
reported to the authorities that that form of fever
ish disease decorating to Guzengerl may sometimes
be prognostic of a.more serious development Of dis
ease which proved by the succeeding develop
ment OF the same disease) into u violent epidemic.
My second visit to Veltanka and ten days of strict
with the undoubted character Of an epidemic.
showed me the reality OF the existence OF fever
with symptoms similar to remittent fever as pre-
viousy had the honor to report.
A DISEASE?
According to the report OF the army surgeons under
my control the disease which began the 9th of No
Ne
ease when there were already no invads with the
symptoms seen by me on the 18th OF November
am even ready to admit close relation between the
disease OF the 18th Of November and the which
appeared the 9th OF November. This
swellings and Inflammation of the lymphatic
glands with reverion into abscesses. unaccompaned
at first with ypic fever and the appearance OF the
parture from tho ordinary line OF symptoms in
severe FORM and which had seen with my own eyes
increase from the 9Th of December to state Of terri
BILE severity, and nearly all patients died within from
twelve hours to three days after being attacked The
dreadful symptoms or this disease give me founda-
ton to regard it as the most and malignant
typhus, a peculiar human plague PESTS IWdic1
GirSh. or as new disease hoveEing between typhus
and the plague.
TIE RUSSIAN GRENADA
Before accounting for the cause Of the epidemic
think that 1t is necessary to few words about
vietianka. v.etlantka is in Enotaievsk district,
about 19f versts from Astrkhan ten versts from the
village of Nieholsk. 1t lies the right bank Of tho
River Volga is OF moderate elevation. has hat and
open surroundings; the ground is clayey loamy
and with poor vegetation. such as wormwood and
desert royal. The town is about one hundred years
old. has LOO Inhabitants OF both sexes and has
800 wooden houses, small and not very clean
About three hundred yards from it, on slight eleva-
ton, lies the cemetery The occupation OF the in
habtants is exclusively limited to ishing. They
have no manufactures or workshops. Underneath
the mountain exists establishment for preserving
fish which belongs to private individuals This es-
tablishment passed unnoticed by the first committee
men OF Netlanka during che cholera they suffered
more than the neighboring villages. Thus in cpl
demc cholera, measles scarlet fever. &C., it the
largest percentage OF invads.
ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS.
Studying the last epidemic from November TO De-
cembcr a. the weather constantly damp, humid
teen degrees OF Il. No strong winds. and only
scant fan of rain On the 18th OF December there
slight fall of snow. which quickly melted
The described disease appeared and the most fu
rous during observation in the north part of tho
lanka on the 18th Of November, and visits
with DR.. kokh, used sulphate of quininia in large
doses aud chlorine water internally; and externally
assesses of glands already broken Tor pread
carbolic acid water On the swellings of glands not
open yet used mercuria ointment, aud after obtain
ing good results DIR. kokh departed from Vietianka
When again visited Vietlanka, on the 9th OF Decem-
Der, after the disease increased or appeared in a
new form of epidemic disease, found there Dr.
kokh. aud with him enforced medical measures for
the isolation OF invalds We divided the village into
districts in order to establish control the
inhabitants in the matter OF cleansing their dwell
ings. and enforced at length the rule OF the medical
police code (945-96Sth Art.l BESIDES this
cnes against feverish diseascs-nameiy, salcylic
acid water, nuriatic acid. sulphate OF quinia cold
baths, &c But all these medical aids proved fuilc.
DEATH ALL.
Almost all the patients died. Infection reached
the highest degree. All the medical officers, nurses
DR.. kokh and six army surgeons fell victims to the
epidemic. The priest died. and the Cossacks who
nursed the invads and buried their dead bodies
shared the same fate. Almost all who had been in
contact with the sick dead died. becoming sick
after three to six days. notwithstanding they
provided with precautionary remedies aud disinfoct
ants. Exceptions were very rare. Only the sudden
passage in the character of the epidemic, its stubborn
in the CHEST degree in yielding to medical and
sanitary measures the injection and rapid progress
of forced me to the conclusi passing by
all scientific discussions and doubts concerning its
nomination and definition oi the disease cpdcmic)
that there remains only method to arrest in-
terrupt the diselseviz.. quarantine. Sanitary pre-
cautions OF avail Relative to this
made official report the l1th of December 10
Colonel Pekhanon, and in consequence OF this an
ortor issued by the chief of military authorities.
Further observations was not able to continue, as