National Republican., 1883-07-04
Cholera.

Tho alarm created in Great Britain and on
the continent of Europe by the information
that over one hundred persons are dying daily
from cholera in Dametta, Egypt, and the
probable spread Of the disease to other eastern
countries, and thence to Europe, should warn
the government of this country to lose no
time in taking measures to prevent its advent
TO ourshores. The dangers to be apprehended
are real. Cairo, in Egypt, and Alexandria,
are both alarmed, but the authorities in both
places are engaged in disroputable quarrel
over the best means of prevention. Only
few days ago tho steamer st. Bernard, from
Bombay, with cholera on board arrived at
Havre, but, thanks to tho vigilance of French
officers, she was not permitted to land.
Asiatic or epidemic cholera has been known
in India for many centuries, and has several
times devastated the country. In l16i it de-
stroyed 10000 lives in upper Hindostan. In
1917, in the delta of the Ganges about one
hundred miles north of Calcut a, originated
the great epidemic of cholera, which traversed
almost the entire world For centuries the
disease was cpdcmic in the marshv region OF
the Gangos, but in that year it left lis usual
confines and ragged at Calcutta for several
months. Thence it extended northward to
Nepaul and southward to Madras, Ccylon
and Malacca. In 1919 It reached the Burmese
empire and the countries to the east, and in 1870
it arrived at Bombay, where 10000 per-
sons died from its ravagcs. From
Bombay il passed to Madagascar and the
east coast of Africa to Bornoo, Celebar, China,
and the Philippine Islands. In 1921 it ad'
vanccd to the nor thwcst, pursuing the course
of rivers and travelled roads to Persia,
| Arabia, and Asia Minor. Here for time it
seemed to have met with check, but in 1923
| it reappeared and devastated Central Asia.
In 1929 it appeared in Southern Russia, and
at Moscow in 1890. In 1881 it spread over
Central Europe, and appeared at Sunderland,
England, in October. In January, 1882, 1t
had found its way to Edinburgh, and reached
London in February. In March it was in
Paris, and spread rapidly all over France. On
the sth of June, 1892 1t made its first appear
ance on this continent at Quebec, and two
days artcrward in Montreal. Only eleven
days later it suddenly appeared in New York
and from thence spread to Philadelphia, Al
bany, and Rochester in July, and in August
had found lodgment in Boston, Baltimore, and
Washington. By October it had spread from
Cincinnati to New Orleans.
1t again visited this country in 1884, ant
since that time, though it has appeared a
different times in certain localities, it has no
reigncd as Sn epidemic.
English statistics show that of those at
tackled by cholera, 3S.5 per cent die. Ii
Great Britain there died from this diseas
10000, of whom 5000 died in London. II
Paris the mortality was $4,000, about 40 pc
cent. and in Russia it was 58.6 per cent
Enough has been said to show the terribl
ravages and rapid extension of this plague
and the great necessity for prompt action o
those to whom the management Of these i'm
portant matters are committed. Let us hop
, that nothing will be left undone by the con
stituted authorities, and let it be shown tina
modern science and sanitary hygiene car
when properly applied, accomplish a grca
deal in limiting the spread of disease.