The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-02-15
GREAT PLAQUES.
DOES THE EARTH GROW SIcK?-CURI
Gus SPECULATIoNs.


oeeds to SHOW that such piGemics as
the plague of sncisnt times, and the
cholera OF a more modern era, are
always berslded by peculiar phenom-
sns, and sometimes by earthquakes
and volcanic eTuysinns &c sums up
his argument by remarking.
Those appalling clouds Or logs
which frequently herald toe coming
OF the plague. !snt Ggh most noted
for the darkness which they produce,
sometimes give sensible indication of
their morblfic influence.
In the plague in toe year 262. when
5, 900 persons died daily at Rome,
Eueebius states that the air was so
corrupt as to form on objects mould
resembling the 'turbid dew on dead
hodies." Impressions OF curious fig.
ures on doors. garments. and other
articles were noticed during the
plaques of $50 and 900; and of like
nature were the cTucicutOe, which we're
5eheld with superstitioas horror in
the pesti encs OF TAG. A Sinking
mist" was noticed during the vista
ton OF the Black Death; the fatal
Angina Moligns among cattle 10 1862
Was attended by blue mist of dew
on the heritage and pastures; and the
cholera mist at Dantzic, in the pres
ent century, hsd3s disagreeable smell
and taste, go that those who were ex-
posed to it were forced to wash their
mouths with water.
In the case OF these fetid mists and
dispositions of mold, the air evidently
contains deleterious mstter-eitber
from its own Reorganization or de-
composition, or from noxious exhals-
tons which are given forth from the
earth. 1t is Well-known that various
exhalstions occasionally take place
during earthquakes. Seneca states
that vapor caused by an earthquake
in Oalsbris, destroyed 5000 head OF
sheep. During the eruptions in Italy,
in 1929, every species OF animal. in
Guiding the birds of the air, persisted
in great numbers. In like manner
the earthquake of Jamaica, in 1890
produced q general sickness, so that
3 900 persons OF those who had sur
survived the earthquake perished by
the subsequent pestilenoe. Among
the we'll recorded instances of this
escape or belchirg forth the vspors
from the earth during earthquakes it
is stated that at Cairo during the
earthquake OF 1775, the river opened
and seemed to discharge an immense
quantity of systematically gases
which burst forth from,the earth by
momentary crevices in the bed OF the
river.
Previous to the earthquake in Gal.
abria, in 1858, the sea wore a very
unusual appearance; those who have
seen lake during q violent shower
OF rain, says Father Kircher, may
have an idea of this very extraordi-
nary agitation of the seas surface.
As there was neither wind nor rain
at the time, the phenomenon could
only be ascribed to an escape of air
or gaseous vapors from the bottom of
the see. A similar phenomenon has
been observed during the visitations
of pestilence, the surface of ponds
becoming muddled or bubbling from
the escape of vspor. which would be
invisible when taking place on solid
land. An instance of this kind was
observed at Havre, in August, 1882,
when the cholera prevailed in France.
The citadel OF Hsvre is surrounded by
q deep ditch or fosse, and it was OBJ
served by Lnsny peesons that the
water in the fosse suddenly changed
its color and became exceedingly
muddy, when bubbles of air rose up
quickly to the surface, causing an ap-
pesranee of ebulition, At the same
time the fish, chiefly cells, which
usually remain at the bottom, were
seen to spring above the surface OF
the water with a convulsive move
ment, and then to drop again, languid
and heavy, and in few hours the
surface of the fosse was covered with
dead fish. The adjoining sea wa.
likewise effected by the poisonous in
fuence, for the shore was covered
with quantity of dead fab. 1t was
Immediately after this phenomenon
that the cholera broke out in Hsvre.
i When the scourge Of a great pes
thence falls on the human species, i
is too often the case that the beasts O
the field, the fish of the sea and rivers
and even the plants and crops OF tn,
earth are affected to an unusual ex
tent with disease. Webster nas re
marked that pestiIence, murrain anC
famine occur simultaneously. Thi
was certainly the case as regards th
earliest great pestilence of which vi
have q record for, az stated in scrip
ture, the plague OF blotohes ant
blsins, murrain Of beasts, and th,
blight producing desrth OF corn. al
visited Europe in close succession
Let Us note some other instances. Ii
A. D. 1922 a pestilence which des
troyed 100, 900 persons, ragged in Scot
land, and, simultaneously; multitude
of dead fish were washed ashore Oh
British coasts. in 1249," says Web
ster, moral disease prevailed" ont
authors relate that the fish on tn
English coast had battle, ia which
eleven whales and q multitude O
other fish were slain and cset ashore
The cause to which this phenome
non was ascribed," he adds, "al
though ludicrous enough, is import
ant; for it strengthens modern obset