Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-02-08
The Black Death.

st. Louis Tim%es-Journal.1
1t seems now to be generally under
stood that the terrible disease that is
spreading over Russia is the genuine
plague which 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 1868 it
prevailed in London to a degree that
was simply horrible. In June the
deaths were 800 in July, 4l29; in
August, 20,046; in September, 26.230;
in October, 14,373; in November. 3449..
and in December the mortality was
less 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 III was
on the throne-the plague visited
London. 1t exhibited itself in infam-
matory boils and tumors of the glands,
accompanied with burning thirst.
Sometimes inflammation of the lungs
and expectoration of blood or vdmit-
ings, with discolorations of the
skin and black spots, indicating
putrid decomposition. From this It
was called black death" Dogs, cats
and fowls were affected. and the cattle
died of murrain, In Florence 0 1909
people died: in Venice, 100, 900; in
Marseilles, in one month, 10000: in
Sienna, 10000, in Paris, 10000; at st.
Denis, 1900; in Ayignon. 10000: in
London, 100000. At that time SUI
perstition ran rampant. 1t was charged
that the Jews had poisoned the wells.
Twelve thousand of these unfortu-
mates were masSacred at Mentz. II
was supposed hat the disease com
mended in the kingdom of Cathav.
north of China, in 1888; thence il
spread to Constantinople, where il
appeared in 1347, and in l349. al
Avignon, in the South of France. in
Northern Italy, in Spain and England.
Despair seized every one, so frightful
was the mortality. The wealthydeed-
ed their estates to the church, while
the poor died in the fields. The
plague is the oldest of known diseases.
1t was well known to the Greeks. Ro-
mans and inhabitants of Palestine
In the year 1017 B. c. it carried off
10000 in Palestine, and 452 B. c. it
swept away half the population of
Rome. One hundred years later the
daily death rate in Rome was 10000.
In the year l26 B. G. 100000 died of
the plague in Numidia, and 20O.0 900 in
Carthage. From 205 to $50 B. G.. it
spread all over the known world. In
A. ID. 1905 historians estimated that
il killed one-half the entire popula-
ton of the then inhabited world.
Medical authorities do not agree con
cerAing the origin of the plague.
Some declare hat it is propagated ex-
clusiyely by a peculiar eOntagion F:
others admitting its contagious nature
contend that it may be spontaneously
e~ngendered By endemic or endemic
forces. Others reject the contagious
view, and assert that it originates ex-
clusiyely in local causes or epidemic
influences.
The disease now prevailing in Russia
is attended with alarming fatality.
Nearly all that we're attacked die
official reports say ninety-fve per
cent. In the village of Yietlianla.
out 6f a population Of 1900, not a soul
is left: Five hundred dead bodies
were left unburisd in the streets. In
Prischile, out Of a population Of $50.
go died in two weeks. The disease
advances through the country With
great rapidity, appearing simultane-
ously at different points ten miles
from each other. In four days il
advanced thirty yersts toward Erro.
taiersk. The Russian physicians de-
scribe the disease as commencing with
s%wellings in the groin the size Of hens
eggs, general indisp0sitiOn and violent
headaches which develop in a few
hours. Internal pains and violent
yomitings speedily ensue, and black
spots appear on the body, notably ON
the breast, forearm and top of the
back. In two hours after the black
spots appear, death invariably follows.
Such is the dreadful calamity now
speeding through Russia in spite Of
military cordons. Our sanitary author.
tiles at Washington should take pre-
yentlye measures against its crossing
the Atlantic.