Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-08-01

= which developed the seeds of the present
epidemic. On the other hand, and this Is
but one Of the euriously contradictory
features Of this perplexing subject. If il
said that the old port Of Marseilles, the
main cesspool of sewage was almost
entirely exempt from cholera during the
epidemic of 1865, but one death having oe-
Cured on all the shipping there assembled.
1t is stated in explanation Ofthls paradox
that the miasma OF that particular place
acted on homeopathic principle as an
antidote to the venom OF the epidemic,
but however this seeming paradox may
nave been in 1865. the AiarseiIles govern
ment OF to-day relies solely on the most
rigid and searching enforcement of
recognized sanitary measures. The
dredging Of the ports has been stopped,
and that source CT miasma as far
as possible abated during the sum-
mer. Since the outbreak at Toulon
the whole city has been literally washed
with water and disinfected daily The mar
kets are carefully inspected and immense
quantities of stale and unripe fruit and
vegetables seized and destroyed.
THOROUGH DIsINFEcTIoN.
Railway cars, stations, Omnibuses and
haekneys are fumigated, and the smell OF
| chlorine, sulphates aud earbolic acid is
everywhere. The Chateau PharO the inn
! perial palace built by Napoleon III. upon
a promontory in front of the city has
! been converted into a hospital. An am
/ bulance corps has been organized, which
/ patrols all quarters of the city to provide
immediate transportation for the stricken
to this spacious and airy asylum. Indus
trial guilds and civic associations have
offered their services to the city to perform
under official direction the most danger
Gus and menial services that may be re-
| quired IN treating the disease. During
this period thousands of people have re-
moved to suburban residences or the in
terror. Many pathetic and distressing in
cidents have occurred during this sudden
and precipitate exodus, but in general
the department of the people has been
| courageous and admirable. The uniform
courtesy and consideration for the troubles |
of each other which the people of Mar
seilles have displayed during the past two
weeks has been remarkable in people
noted for politeness.
MARsEILLEs' FUTILE HOPE.
1t is now something more than week |
since the first two deaths from genuine |
Aslauc cholera occurred at Marseilles. |
For several days after these cases the |
deaths remained so small and the daily |
number OF new cases so stationary that il |
was hoped and believed that the vigorous |
sanitary measures which had been taken |
would restrict the outbreak in the city to |
a limited area, and in short time suppress |
1t altogether, but the intense sultry heat |
continued throughout. A swarm Of fugi- |
tlves from TOulOn continued to pour into |
the city without restriction, and on Sat |
urday and Sunday, July and 6, |
both Toulon and Marseilles found |
that the epidemic had escaped control, |
and realized that the worst, which had |
been feared, had come. The record of |
cholera deaths on those two days are 16 |
and IL respectively at Marseilles and |
Toulon, so that the fact is apparent that |
Aslatlc cholera brought thither from |
Toulon has been distributed and taken |
root throughout this city.
The cholera of 1865 began June 16, and |
for SIX weeks underwent period of in
cubation, the deaths to Aug. /, ranging |
from one to five per day. On Aug. 81
they had risen to thirty per day, and on
sept. 16, the death rate attained the max
imum, siXty-three. From that time it
gradually suDsided.
1t thus appears that the attack of chol-
era has been thus far this year greater
than since 1865. All that energy and lib
erality could perform, all that sanitary
science could suggest has been done, but
the pestllence is here and defies restraint.
SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION.
The present situation may be, there
fore, summarized as follows: The cpl
demlc which now prevails at Marseilles
and Toulon is Asiatic cholera, imported,
beyond doubt, from Saigon, China. by
French transports to Toulon. At first
the disease was of the type medically
classed as "berggn, ,"but its malignity has
since increased by its further diffusion
and development under the influence of
continued hot weather. . At ToulOn the
epidemic has spread in some degree to
neighboring villages, and from Marseilles
1t has penetrated as far toward the inte-
rior as AK, IN the province of Seagoing.
The commerce of MarseiIles is for the
time almost entirely suspended. Italy.
Spain, Tunis and Algeria impose quaran-
tines of from seven to fifteen days upon
all vessels from the two infected ports.
The Ottoman ports absolutely refuse
entry to such vessels upon any and all con-
dltlons. A strict quarantine of seven days
has been established on the land frontiers
OF Italy and Spain against all persons
coming from France, and the conditions
OF these frontier quarantines, in respect
to baggage and merchandise, are daily
becoming more rigid and exacting.
COMMERCE. PARALYZED.
Under these hopeless conditions nearly
all steamship lines between Marseilles |
and other Mediterranean and Eastern
ports have suspended operations. and
have or will soon close their offices in
Marseilles. On the French island OF |
Corsica no vessel from Toulon or Mar
seilles is permitted to land passengers,
baggage or merchandise. In Lyons and
at Paris, the terminus of the Paris,
Lyons and Mediterranean Railway, ali
passengers baggage and freight as well ]
as cars coming from Marseilles are fumi-
gated, disinfected and subjected to the
strictest surveillance. In compliance with
the instructions from the department this
consulate has ascertained from official
sources that no'emigrants have recently
left either Toulon or Marseilles by sea
for the United States. 1t should be
added, however, that few emigrants
for American ports ever embark here, as
the steamers leaving Marseilles usually
touch at one or more Mediterranean sta
tions before leaving their final point of
departure, and emigrants usually 90 by
rail to this ultimate port of departure to |
embark for the United States. 1t is, there
fore, respectfully suggested that all ves-
sells bringing emigrants or baggage to the
United States from Bordeaux, HaVre, La
Rochelle, or any other French port not
yet declared infected should be subjected
upon their arrival to most careful sani-
tary regulations. Clean bills of health
have been refused at this Consulate to all
vessels clearing for ports in the United
States since June %, and none such will
be granted until Marseilles is officially
declared free from cOntagion.
GUARDING DELAWARE.
The Treasury Department has issued
instructions for the establishment of
national quarantine at Delaware Break
water to guard the entrance to Delaware
Bay, and has ordered the revenue steamer ?
Tench Coke to duty at the station as a |
quarantine steamer. Passed Assistant
Surgeon G. w. Stoner, Of the Marine Hos
pital Service, has been assigned to the Yes-
sci as quarantine officer. This action is
based on the application of the Boards of
Health of Philadelphia and Wilmington.
BURIED HIS SON WITH HIS OWN HANDS.
ARIES, July 81 "A sad incident in con-
nectiOn with the cholera panic, happened
recently near this city. A lad at work on
a farm was seized with vomiting and his
employer refused to allow him to enter
the house, and the poor fellow died in the
field, without care and alone. When the
father Of the lad arrived he was not per-
mitted to place his sons body in stable.
but was forced to leave it in the omen air
while he went to town to procure a coffin.
He then conveyed the body on wheel ,
barrow to the burying ground. The au-
thorities refused to give him assistance. /
and the father was finally compelled to
bury the body in the cemetery alone.
THE ROLL OF DEATH.
PARIS, July 31.-There were three
deaths at Marseilles, and three at Toulon.
! =