Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-08-13
CHOLERA'S TRAVELS.
Theories as to the Cause Of the
Epidemic.
The Terrible Outbreak and Fatality a Few
Years Ago on a Railroad Traini in
BengaI-The Unhealthy Con-
dition Of the Nile.


appear to be the more result of chance.
While leaving q long trail Of death be-
hind it as 1t sweeps over a line of cities,
1t viii suddenly pass over entire districts
and reappear on the other side Of them
and renew its fatal progress. 1t has
baffled the ablest physicians in the
world. They cannot tell whether 1t Is
In the air or in the water. All they
know is that it is.
The most general opinion held by
men who have had an opportunity oil
studying its characteristics in its natur-
al home, the East Indies, is that the
malady Is born Of germs that have
sprung out of masses Of decayed vegeta-
BILE and animal matter played upon
by .,.,..,..
that these invisible germs are borne
over the earth by the air currents, and
that they have an affinity for places
characterized by the decay and cor
ruption whence they sprung. This
theory is at least as plausible as any
other, though occasionally those who
hold that it belongs to bad water have
their theory supported by such awful
calamities as the one that that took
place q few years ago In Bengal.
On that occasion train packed with
natives started from Cawnpore for
Lucknow, q ride of about six hours.
When IL arrived at its destination the
sight presented to the officials was ap-
palliag. Hundreds Of men were either
dead or dying Of cholera. Some sur
viyers testified that the disease broke
out almost Immediately after q native
passenger had handed round to a few of
his acquaintance q drink of Ganges
water from his lotah. For four hours
these wretched people had been packed
i'm that train, surrounded by the revolt.
ing agonies of the dead and the dying,
ard several were taken out of it stricken
not with the disease, but with insan-
ity%
In many respects the Nilotic delta re-
sembles the Gangetic delta, where
cholera is believed to have first appear
ed. 1t lies low, Is covered with vegeta-
il always malarious, except in the win
ter season. The ravages 1t is commit
ing on the line between Damietta and
Cairo may be owing to the natural
causes over which man has no control.
This, however, is doubtful, for If it be
the csse-and all appearances show 1t
is-that cholera will settle down upon
q spot that is characterized by a defiance
of all the laws Of hygiene, while it will
pass over another spot which Is not so
characterized. The observations made
by well informed Egyptian correspon-
dents are suggestive of the fact that the
rulers of Egypt are greatly to blame
for the present deplorable epidemic. The
lakes around Damietta produce enor-
nous quantities of fish, which are i'm
perfectly cured, dried in the sun, and
eaten in an almost putrid state by the
poor fellaheen.
Vast quantities Of dead and rotten
cattle are east into these lakes as food
for the fishes. and travellers have been
frequently pulled up with disgust at
the spectacle Of bloated carcasses float
ing on the waters. The fellaheen would
probably gladly bury their dead animals
but, true to the characteristics oil
Egyptian misgovernment, one OF the
taxes Of the country Is raised on buried
cattle. What is the result? Rather than
paw the tax each fellsh throws his dead
animals into the canals or shallow lakes
and takes no further heed Of the trans
action. The Khedive has his yacht
ready on the Nile to bear him to Italy
IL the epidemic should travel to Cairo.
but il is to be hoped thas the British
officers who are continually jogging his
elbow will not permit him to leave before
he has seen to it that the fellaheen OF
the Delta are rewarded and not taxed
for burying their dead animals.
The Precautions
Considering the position which Egypt
occupies relative to the worlds conn.,
merce, IL is but reasonable that the
European nations should be demanding
the most vigilsnt precautions to nontine
the epidemic TO the circle to which 1t is
now raging. AL the commerce from
East to West must pass her gates, and
she may well, therefore, prove the
agency of distributing death over the
face of the earth. Quarantine regula-
tions must be rigidly enforced with re-
gard to every vessel that has passed the
feculent mouths Of the Nile. Italy has
already shown she Is determined to do
her duty, when she refused to admit the
Peninsula and Oriental mail steamship
Surat to land 3 single passenger at
BrIndisi. Such . course may be very
exasperating to the Anglo. Indian ladies
ana gentlemen on board, bat Italy was
simply performing duty which 1t
would be well for every other European
nation to emulate.
It ought to be particularly gratifying
to to this country that England Is tax.
ing steps to keep the cholera out OF
Great Britain, for there Is every reason
to believe that it 10 to her the people OF
the United States are indebted for their
previous visitations Of cholera epidem-
les. Something must be done by our
own mort officials, and they should
have the sense to do 1t without much
public pressure.