Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-08-10
FRANCES OF DEATH.
CONSUL MASON AGAIN PICTURES
DIARSEILLES' MISERY.

UeWdMQ loE QeUNlA6 anu duLNcnklC
tion concerning the nature and special char
acteristics OF the cholera epidemic which is
now prevailing IN this city, the preventive
and curative measures which have been
adopted in resisting the scOurge and the ef-
feets OF such measures have the honor to sub
NIT the following report, which Will embOdy
some OF the most striking facts that had been
observed during the first three weeks Of the
epidemic. AS was stated in the recent report
from this consulate the city of Marseilles had
from principle and habit made elaborate and
careful sanitary preparations for the summer
before the disease appeared at ToulOn, and
was, in fact, clean and well administered, and
on Wednesday, June IS, three weeks after
the cholera had been announced at
TOulOn, the aggregate deaths at Marseilles
numbered only Is, or less than twO-t thirds the
nominal average death rate for that season.
CHOLERA's ENTRY INTO MARsEILLEs.
Notwithstanding this favorable situation
cholera was transferred from ToulOn to Mar
seilles within a week after its outbreak. In
the former city, although at first pronounced
q "benign" or mild type, the disease rapidly
assumed malignant and. fatal form,
as is attested by the following
results: From June 30 till July II
430 cases of cholera were officially recorded
at Marseilles. OF these 294 died and the re-
manning 1856 were. at the date Of the report
from which these figures are quoted, In
various stages of cOnvalescence. 1t therefore
appears that notwithstanding all progress in
medical science and very perfect arrange
victims Of the scOurge, more than twO-thirds
OF those attacked have died, even during the
first fortnight OF the epidemic, when all the
sanitary conditions were most favorable.
MEDICAL SCIENCE POwERLEss.
These two facts, the almost immediate
transmission of the disease from TOulOn to
Marseilles, and the enormous death rate of 20
per cent. in the earliest stages of the epidemic
seem to prove that sanitary science and medi-
cal skill have made but little progress in deal
Tr1gr v-ifh cholera q no
OF the present epidemic is the rigOr and dead
lIness Of its attack as compared with that of
the last great cholera summer in
1867. In that year the disease
broke out on June Is and lnCuDated
so slowly that until Aug. the deaths did not
exceed the N aximum Of daily. The most
fatal day OF that year gave only a death re-
cord OF 63. This summer, on the contrary,
the death rate rose on the third day after the
first outbreak at Marseilles to s, and on the
eleventh day thereafter to "A.
The rapidity and yirulence of this develop
ment are attributed in some measure to the
intense damp, stifling heat which has pre-
vailed most of the days since June so.
There are physicians Of judgment and
experience who maintain that desiccatOn is
the only effective DESTROYER of the choleraic
microbe on a large scale, and that drv bot
weather, while it may be unfavOrable for
those already attacked, is the most effective
In staying spread and contagiOn.
ALL PARTS OF THE CITY ATTACKED.
Another noticeable feature of the present
visitation has been the simultaneous and sud
den appearance of the malady in all parts OF
the city OF Marseilles. Fugitives from here
have died at AK, Grenoble, Mines, and other
towns In Southern France, but the epidemic
has thus far not been kindled there, nor have
any persons been attacked except such as
brought cOntagiOn from this city or TOulon
In view of the enormous emigration which
has occurred since the outbreak three weeks
ago, estimated by good authority at 100000
persons from MarseilleS and $4,000 from Tou-
Ion, and the distribution of this vast contin-
gent throughout France, Italy and Switzer-
land, II Is noteworthy and encouraging that
no authenticated case OF cholera has occurred
among this army of fugitives at any point
north of GrenOble. Although a great many
italian working people left the two stricken
cities for Northern Italy during the early days
of the epidemic, the disease has apparently
not been carried with them, or, if il has has
not made its appearance.
CHOLERA's IMPORTATION.
Concerning the dispute as to the real origin
of the chOleraic contagion of 1854, the absurdly
contradictory and peremptory opinions and
diagnoses OF various official and unOffi-
cial physicians, and the internal con-
trOversy which has arisen as TO
whether the responsibility of bringing Asiatic
cholera from its breeding place through the
Suez Canal to Egypt sand Europe rests upon
France or England, 1t is not within the
province of this report to speak. The emil
nent German saVant, DIR. Koch, has visited
the hospitals at TOulOn and Marseilles, and
demonstrated by post mortem examina-
tiOns that the disease is true Indian
cholera. He has announced that the cpl
demlc will spread to Northern France, Ger
many and other European countries. and has
pronounced against the free use of water in
cleansing the streets and cutters, as it is by
water that the germs of cholera are most ef-
tectively kept alive and transmitted. Most
Of DR.. hOch's opinions have been promptly
attacked by the French Government physi-
clans, who have hastened to show that the
q fa fWOf OWN hna
discovered by DR.. Koch, was announced and
described by an Italian physician named Pa
cini, in Tuscany, during the epidemic OF 1854
THE DISPUTE VALUELEss.
Nothing in this dispute has added any effec-
tiYeness to the means hitherto known for
treating cholera, and the proportion Of deaths
TO cases appears to increase rather than di-
minish. The mOmentary CLEAN of hope was
0lnused by the announcement that patients
had been rescued from the collapse stage of
the malady in the hospital at TOulOn by the
inhalation OF oxygen, but this encouragement
has been clOuded by the discovery that
liant was but temporary, and that
patients thus treated died. In the meantime
commerce. manufactures and all the local
business q Marseilles and TOulOn have been
Frustrated, and the army Of destitute and un-
employed has grown and multiplied day by
day. 1t was found that of the daily new cases
of cholers large proportion were Pied
montese, many of whom, as it is now
stated, had consumed during the day preced-
ing their attack nothing but fruit and water.
FRUIT KEPT OUT OF PARIS.
The municipality Of Paris had interdicted
the import of fresh fruits from infected dis
tricts, and an enormous crop of peaches,
plums AMI other perishable fruits in that sec
tion had become thereby worthless. Poor
laborers deprived of work and driven to the
last extremity Of hunger had deVoured these
fruits in quantities and saked their thirst at
the public hydrants. A more fertile and ef-
fective stimulant to the cholera epidemic
could not be conceived of and the municipali-
ties of Marseilles and TOulOn, supported dur
ing the past few days by the French
Government, has begun systematic
defence against this growing peril. Soup
kitchens have been established for the poor.
A permanent free dinner of plain food has
been spread in one of the theatres Bread
and meat are distributed gratis, and labor on
certain suspended public works will doubtless
be resumed to give remuneration and work
TO the unempl0yed.s Ihls is apparently the
most obvious and effective step that has been
taken since the outbreak of the
present epidemic, and every large city
preparing for an expected visitation of the
cholera must take into account as a most diff
1cult part the care of its poor and the thrOng
Of deserving people who are inevitably thrown
out of work by sudden suspension of Ordi-
nary business. There Is no material so easily
kindled by a pestilence as a thrOng Of idle,
hungry people inundated by fear OF sudden
death.
1t is thought to be largely due 10 the meas
ing the destitute that the death rate at Mar
seilles continues TO decrease. The intense,
sultry heat declined to "a on July II, to IS on
the 10th and 56 on the 18th.
The situation at TOulOn is relatively much
worse than at Marsellles. The daily death
list during the past week has ranged from
80 to 50 and includes a growing percentage
of cases, illustrating the extreme type OF
Asiatic cholera, in which the patient dies
within three or four hours after being at
tackled in terrible cOntOrtiOns and suffering.
UPPER TENDON STRICKEN.
At TOulOn numerous deaths have recently
occurred among people in the highest rank
of society. From the old and densely built
portion of the city the scOurge has spread to
the handsome modern quarters and the su-
burban villas. At the hospitals the percent
age of deaths to TOulOn's cases has
steadily increased. Every effort has been
made to cleanse and purify the city, but its
construction and sewerage system are so de-
fective that effective cleansing has been found
extremely difficult. OF the $4,000 inhabitants
Of ToulOn probably thirds will have fed
before the close of another week.
Incompiance with instructions from the De-
partment of State a competent medical inspec-
tor, DR.. Emile -Engelhardt, has been appoint
ed by this consulate to examine all vessels
which may leave this city for any United
States port during the prevalence OF
the cholera. Two ships bound
for New York, whittier they are to sail to-
morrow, were inspected this afternoon by Dr..
tsnia, Of this port, is new iron ship whose