Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1879-02-06
THE PLAGUE.

The plague which is causing such
sensation in Eastern Europe at present
was frSt heard Of from Astracban on
the Bird inst. when II was reported that
Of 1875 cases on the FIRST two days Of the
year l43 had proven fatal, a rate OF NOR
tally sufficient 10 exclude the Idea that
the disease was typhus. II had shown
itself previously, and the occasion OF
the sudden extension was a thaw. It's
first appearance was in the Cossack viii
Iage OF Vetlysnka soon after the return
Of two Cossack regiments from the war
in Asia Minor. TyPhus had prevailed
among the men, but their clothing and
effects had been fumigated-probably
imperfectly-and to this the disease
was traced, being announced as typhus.
Sickness began TO prevail towards the
close of November; in the second week
OF December the daily mortality in a
village oil 800 souls was 8 per cent:
then panic seized the people, who
would neither succor The sick nor bury
the dead, and they fed, carrying the
infection and terror with them. Even
when il became clear that the disease
was not the typhus, but the plague, the
Russian authorities were remiss in
checking il and preparing for it. This
remissness is the more inexcusable,
apart from the question Of international
obligations, because Of the peculiarly
dissdvantageous circumstances under
which Russia finds herself,-with
population never notable for its obser-
vance OF sanitary laws, and al present
enfeebled by the hardships consequent
upon war and partial famine. and with
an extremely limited body Of medical
men which the war has greatly deplea-
ted. The disease has spread along the
course Of the Volga towards the north
and west, till now il threatens Moscow
aud Europe generally. Expert physi-
clans declare IL TO be the plague, and
the symptoms which are described
headache, accompanied by fever and
swelling of the glands"-are those of
the plague. The true plague, accord
ing to McCready. sis q contagious fe- |
yer characterized by an eruption of car
buncles and buboes," and il is added |
that cases in which these glandular
swellIngs appear are attended with a |
higher grade of fever, and with pro-
founder depression Of the vital forces;
headache, restlessness. chills and ver-
tigo are commonly present." &C., &c.
Morbid anatomy hitherto has added
nothing TO the knowledge of the DIS
ease, OF which majority Of the patients
die in severe epidemics, convalescence
being tedious IN the event Of recovery.
Of the treatment all that can be said is
That local applications have to be made
10 the eruptions; the patients strength
should be supported and the most ia
9oFable hygienic conditions possible be
sstablished--the rest is with nature.
The last appearance Of the plague ia
Europe was in 1874, aud thereafter till
1858 Il was not recognized as existing.
Since the latter year il has been occur
ing at intervals in the form Of scattered
ocal epidemics in various parts Of Per-
ia and Arabia. Three years ago Mr..
Netten Radcliffe called the special at
tention Of the English Society of Medi-
ral Officers Of Health 10 the threaten
ing nature OF these epidemics and the
high probability that the disease, if il
should assume an active character of
would penetrate not only
INTO Europe but also to Great Britain,
he seats of the disease beng in close
Ind constant communication with Rus
III by land and the Mediterranean ports
~ sea. There seems little reason to
lOubt that The plague has gradually as
'uned an increasing degree OF virulence
md of infectiyity. and that the out
freaks in Astrachan and the adjoining
PROVINCES are links in a chain Of con-
inued progress towards the west. Less
han two years ago the plague visited
2esht, Persian town at the southwest
ngle of the Caspian. which in 1892 was
milten By the pestilence. 10000 Of ats
%, 900 Inhabitants falling victims in a
ew weeks and the city being reduced
Turing the panic to the condition of "a /,
harnel-house, . city OF the dead; no
wing creature was 20 be seen In il, and
hose who had been abandoned by their
Ticnds died Of sheer wsnt." Rsshtwss