Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-07-05

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All Europe is alarmed over the threat
reached its doors-the Suez Canal-which
has. indeed, appeared in the very harbor
of Marseilles, the great port OF the Medl-
terranean. There is every reason for this
fear. Sanitary science has made great
prooress since the last cholera visitation,
and a more efficient and thorough system
of quarantine has been devised, but
with all this, there is no disease
more difficult to keep out
than this cholera. It infects the water,
it infects the ships, it is borne on the very
breezes. Europe has fought it for years,
but it cannot boast that it has ever kept
back this disease, which comes with GER
tain but irregular tread. There is one
favorable feature about the propagation
of this disease-the slownesS with which
it moves. Eugene Sue, in his CIV ander-
ing jew" figured it as travelling only as
fast as weary old man! which is, indeed,
its ordinary rate of progress. The first
epidemic that reached Europe originated
in India in 1877, but did not reach West
ern Europe until fourteen years after. 1t
is noticeable, however, that each subse-
quent epidemic has moved more rapidly
than its predecessor, due, probably, to the
fact that travel has become more eXpe-
ditiOus in this age of steam. Thus, of the
6DlQGIllCS
liZed world during the present century,
the first took fourteen years to get from
Bengal to England, the second six, the
third three and the last barely one year.
The newspapers have generally predict
ed the cholera this year on the ground
that it is a siXteen-year disease. This
coincidence, its occurrence once every
sixteen years, is not so remarkable after
all if we consider its cause, the disease
fc hn Isn6 Tor
pilgrimage to Hurdwar, when 100000 or
more pilgrims visit that place. These
pilgrimages, occurring at fixed intervals,
it is not extraordinary that the cholera,
which springs from the filth generated
and from the unsanitary condition in
which the pilgrims live, should also
come in cycles of sixteen years. The
first epidemic of the century reached
Western Europe in 1881, the second in
1S47, the third in 1853, the fourth in 1867.
Another epidemic, therefore, would, by
this rule, be due this year.
While much is vague and uncertain
about this disease, its origin and course
of travel never varies. The cholera is al
ways born in India, on the banks of the
Ganges. Its route to Europe is always
the same westward to Egypt and Persia,
and thence into Russia. 1t nearly al
ways fingers in that Empire year or
more, and suddenly makes its appearance
in the north of England. From England
it travels to France, thence through
Southern Europe, from which it springs
suddenly to Canada and New York, to
make its way rapidly through the United
States into Mexico and South America.
1t never travels from Egypt direct to
Southern Europe, but always takes the
same circuitous route via Russia and
England. Whether, however, the Suez
Canal will change its route this year re-
mains to be seen.
All the countries of Europe, Great
Britain excepted, are making earnest
preparations for this disease, the greatest
enemy the human race knows. All the
power all the science that civilization
boasts are united against this dread de-
strOyer, this Eastern pOtentate, King
Cholera. 1t remains to be seen whether
they can keep out this great enemy, who
counts his victims by thousands and mil
lions.