Morning journal and courier., 1883-08-27
A Cholera Hospital in Cairo.
Who the Victims Are-Symptoms of
 Death-The VOmen's Ward.

Who the Victims Are-SymPtoms of
 Death-The VOmen's Ward.
 Yesterday, says the Cairo correspondent of the London Standard, under date of July 23d, I visited the Cairo hospital at Kasr -el- Ain, part of which has been set apart for cholera patients It stands back from the high road between the Ismailieh palace and the English and Catholic cemeteries, on the banks of the branch of the Nile which sepa- rates Rodah Island from the mainland. Its situation is low and naturally unhealthy. The different wards open of from large quadrangle, the entrance to which was plen- tlfully sprinkled with chloride of lime and other disinfectants. I wes conducted round the hospital by young assistant, who from time to time asked patient how he felt, and felt his pulse. From accounts I had heard from those who had visited the hospital pre- viously, had expected to find things much worse than they were Although the general atmosphere WAS unsavory, there was no vio- lent stench in the mems rooms, and the only real lack was attendance. Each ward was served by one native without any ex- perience-probably the first man who could
 be tempted out of the street by few pias- tres for the job. The linen did not appear to be changed at all, and was in filthy con
 dition, and one and all of the patients were crying out for wa z:, in lieu of which occa- sionally they were served with lukewarm camomile tea, which they generally spat out as soon as tasted The doctor assured me that they were allowed to drink water in small quantities, except in cases where life hung in the bale1ce. He also said that ice was given to them but failed to see even jug of water-nothing but uninviting tins of camomile tea. The supplications of She con valescents and the dying, who evidently had not more than half an hour to live, were heartrendirg, but failed to elicit any thing be- yond comforting word or dose of tea from the attendant. I remonstrated, and pointed out that when a man was past hope the least one could do would be to give him a cup of water; but was met with the unva- rying answer that they either had what they wanted or should get it directly.
 The first ward entered was the convales- cent room, where the patients were for the most part men who had been two or three days in the hospital, and had safely passed the crisis. They seemed comparatively con- fortable and grateful. next visited the for eign ward. where found two Italians-one who had just survived the critical moment and was expected to recover and another milder case The other three or four rooms contained the more dangerous cases. Az I passed into one of these dead man was be- ing carried out, and an attendant was at tempting to replace on his bed another who had fallen helplessly on to the ground in last paroxysm. Here saw one of the Turk ish police, who cried out as we passed, "Do you know Turkish ?" and, on answering him, he asked if anything could be done for him. 'tI am already dead up to the waist. can feel ants crawling up my legs, and my arms and my head feel as if they belonged to some one else. And what have done for this {? merely ate piece of lemon" And he began afresh to groan and beg for drink. insist ed on his having little water, but he could not speak his thanks. He must have died before we left. The attendant complacently 1-Gk 1A1r TA~z fourmilieres-signe de mortl" Further on we found an old man with the death-rattle in his throat. The attendant asked him how he felt. He said, ''WelI, thank God" which called forth again the opinion, 'Des hoquets -signe de m0rt!" One of the most pitiful sights was the number of children among the patients. Out of about eighty patients there must have been ten or twelve little boys. Another remarkable feature was the large proportion of black men. Nearly one- half of the sick were Sudanese, and when we con- sider the infinitesimally small ratio which eK- ists between the black and native Arab popu- lation, it is astonishing to note how the chol- era appears to have chosen it's victims from the negroes.
 I will pass on without further comment to the women's ward, which lies on the other side of the hospital. A narrow and dirty lane leads up to the door, which opens on to @ foul-smelling yard. A small flight of steps takes you to the ward, at the bottom of which is an open cesspool just opposite the door, where two women patients had just been brought in severely burnt from Boolak. With a cesspit filled with the refuse from the cholera ward opposite their door, and the cholera patients above them, it will be mirac- ulous if these poor creatures are not infect ed. There are two women's rooms which open, without doors, directly on to a long corridor, on the other side of which are the ordinary patients. An old hag is the only
 women's attendant. The stench in this room was quite overpowering. Whilst was there \ a woman was brought in from amongst g
 herd of some hundred and twenty prostitutes ! who occupy wing leading of, with open communication, from the cholera ward. I will not enlarge upon the inhumRnity of thus recklessly exposing life wholesale to cholers | infection, as @ promise has been made that the unfortunates shall be allowed to return | to their homes. Another case was also brought in before left, and, incredible as il may seem, the woman who had sunk down ir the passage directly opposite the open doc, leading into the ordinary ward, was m \ dressed there in the passage before being taken into the cholera ward. A new hospita \ will to-day be opened in Boolak, and thre, I others elsewhere very shortly, so that VI may hope all the horrors above described will soon be remedied.
 He arrived home from Europe a day ol | two ago. He hadn't the least idea that any | one would turn out to welcome him, and his \ surprise can therefore be imagined when ht \ reached the Central depot to hear 9 hurrah, \ and to see thirty or forty different persons | pressing forward to shake hands. "Ny dea, ! feIIow-toWnsmen. I-I-,n he began, as he | removed his hat, but he suddenly restored il \ to his head and made rush for the side door,