, 1884-08-01
Consul Mason Makes an Inter
esting Report
Showing the Extent Of the
Cholera Ravages.
The Intensity of the Dreadful
Disease Abating.



of State received from Consul Mason. a
long report on the cholera epidemic now
prevailing at Toulon and Marseilles. The
Consul says in part: Both Marseilles and
Toulon suffered terribly in cholera cpl
demic in 1865. During nineteen years
that have elapsed since then, Marseilles
has been, in several important respects,
almost rebuilt. Her pavements, her
sewerage system, her water supply and
the method of cleaning the streets, re-
moving night soil, inspecting and regula-
ting markets; her quarantine regulations
and hospital facilities are all probably I'M
surpassed in excellence by those of
any European or American city. The
old quarters Of the city, the ancient
Marseilles, which was scourged so sharply
by the plague in former centuries, has been
pierced with broad avenues, streams of
pure water flow down the cutters of the
narrow streets and alleys and the princi-
pal th%oroughfares are washed and swept
with care and frequency which leaves
nothing to be desired. As there is no
tide to maintain the circulation of the sea
water through the enclosed ports the in
evitable result is the latter grows foul and
pestilent. The same conditions unmiti-
gated by equally vigorous measures pre-
vail at Toulon, and it is thought it was the
dredging of a disused dock there, during
the months of April and May which de-
yeloped the seeds of the present epidemic.
In spite of this a number of deaths occur
red in the ~cleanest and handsomest por-
tons of Marseilles. The attack of cholera
has been this year far more vigorous and
fatal than in the great epidemic of nine
teen years age, and all present indications
point TO a Summer of gloom and suffering
for the people of Toulon and Marseilles.
All that energy and liberality could per-
form, all that sanitary science could sug-
gest, has been done, but the pestilence is
here and defies restraint. The present
situation may be summarized as follows:
The epidemic which now prevails at Mar
seilles and Toulon, il Asiatic cholera ia
ported beyond all reasonable doubt from
Saigon, China, by the French transport
Sarthe, to the port of Toulon. At first
the disease was as a type medically CLASH
fed 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 department,
this Consulate has ascertained from off
cial sources that no cmigrants have re-
Gently 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
steamers leaving Marseilles usually
touch at one or more Mediterranean sta
tons before leaving their final point
of departure, and %emigrants usually go by
rail to this ultimate port of departure to
embark for the United States. 1t is,
therefore, respectfully suggested hat all
vessels 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, 10 the most careful
sanitary regulations. Clean bills of health
have been refused at this consulate to all
vessels clearing for ports in the United
States since 25th June, and none such
will be granted until Marseilles is officially
declared free from the contagion.
There is a marked decrease in the mum
of cholera cases throughout the district.
The Municipal Council resolved to erect a
tablet to commemorate the noble self sac
rifce of the doctors and Sisters of Charity
who we're victims III the epidemic. DIR.
P%otuas, who died yesterday, will have a
street named after him. There have been
seven deaths from cholera in the depart
ment of Ardeche.