The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-08-01
The Epidemic Continues It's Deadly Work
Despite the Efforts of the Authori-
ties and Health Officers.
Indications that the Cholera Will Re-
main at Least Until Frost Comes,
The Mudir Of Dongola Achieves a Brilliant
Victory Over the Troops of the
Prophet Other Cable News
THE AsIATIC EPIDEMIC.
Suffering in Marseilles and Toulon-A Dis
couraging Outlook

Suffering in MarSeil1eS and TOulon-A Dis
couraging Outlook
WASHINGTON, July 31.The Secretary of
State has received from Consul Mason a long re-
port on the cholera epidemic, now preyailingsat
Toulon and Marseilles. The consul says in his
report
eBoth Marseilles and Toulon suffered terribly
in the cholera epidemic Of 1865. During the
nineteen years that have elapsed since Marseilles
has been in several important respects almost
rebuilt; her pavements, her sewerage system,
her water supply, and method of cleaning
streets, removing night SOIL inspecting and reg
ulating markets; her quarantine regulations and
hospital facilities are all probably unsurpassed
in excellence by those Of any European or Amer
lean city. Old quarters of the city Of ancient
Marseilles, which were scourged so sharply by the
plaguein former centuries, have been pierced with
broad avenues streams of pure water flow down
the cutters of the narrower streets ard alleys,
and the pavements of the principal thorough
fares are washed and swept with care and fre-
quency which leaves nothing to be desired. The
terrible lesson of former epidemics has been
well learned by the municipal government, and
long before the first rumor of trouble at Toulon
Marseilles was cleaned and made ready for sum
mer heats; but with all the intelligent hberality
which the city has evinced In the construction Of
her drainage system there is an insurmountable
difficulty which all Mediterranean cities are
alike compelled to face-their sewers flow into
tideless and generally placid sea. The harbor
of Marseilles is almost entirely artificial; the old
port is simply the estuary of a small creek
dredged out into large dock, with q narrow
outlet to the sea. The new ports are spacious
harbors, inclosed by miles of piers and
breakwater, and deepened to nayigable
depths by dredging and excavation. Into these
inclosed ports, which extend along two-thirds of
the shore in front of the city, the entire volume
Of sewage is poured. There is only the SUR
plus Of pure, fresh water of the city hydrants
to dilute this turbid how and as there is no tide
to maintain a circulation of sea-watep through
the inclosed ports, the inevitable result is that
the latter grow foul and president.
eThe same conditions, unmitgated by equally
vigorous sanitary measures prevail at Toulon,
and it is thought it was the dredging of the dis
used dock there during the months of April and
May, which developed the seeds Of the present
epidemic The Marseilles government relies sole
ly upon the most rigid and searching enforce
ment of recognized sanitary measures Dredg-
ing of the ports has been stopped, and
that source of miasma, as far
as possible, abated during the summer. Since
the outbreak at Toulon the whole city has been
literally washed with water and disinfectants
not once, merely, but daily and nightly. The
markets are carefully inspected, and immense
quantities Of stale and unripe fruits and vegeta
bles seized and destroyed; railway cars, stations,
omnibuses, street cars, even hackney carriages,
are fumigated and disinfected, and the smell of
chlorine sulphates and carbolic acid is every
where In spite Of this, a number of deaths oc-
CURED in the cleanest and handsomest portions
of Marseilles. The attack of cholera has been,
this year far more vigorous and fatal than in the
great epidemic of nineteen years ago, and all
present indications point to summer of gloom
and suffering for the people of Toulon and Mar
seilles. All that energy and liberality could
perform all that sanitary science could suggest,
has been done; but the pestilence is here and
dehes restraint.
The present situation may be summarized as
follows: The epidemic which prevails at Mar
seilies and Toulon is Asiatic cholera, imported,
China, by the French transport Sarathe, to port
Toulon. At first the disease was Of type med
ically classified as benign but its malignity
has since increased by its further diffusion and
development, under the influence of continued
hot weather.
In compliance with instructions from the de-
partment, this consulate has aScertained from
official sources, that no emigrants have recently
left either Toulon or Marseilles, by sea, for the
United States. It should be added, however,
that but few emigrants for American
ports ever embark here, as the
steamers leaving Marseilles usually touch at one
or more Mediterranean stations before leaving
their final point of departure, and emigrants
usually 60 by rail to this ultimate port Of de-
parture to embark for the United States. It is
bringing enigrants or baggage to the United
States from Bordeaux, Havrs, La Rochelle, or
any other French port not yet declared infected,
should be subjected, upon arrival, to the most
careful sanitary regulations. Clean bills of
health have been refused at this consulate to all
vessels clearing fer ports in the United States
since the 25th of June, and none such will be
granted until Marseilles is officially declared
free from contagion."