Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-08-11
THE CHOLERA EPIDEMIC.

A Comprehensive Review of the Causes,
Treatment, Fatality and Spread OF the
Great AslAtic SeourEe---Latitude Seems
to Have an Influence i'm the Disease
Lack of knowledge of the Malady.
WASHINGTON, August 9.-Frank Fl. Ma
son, United States Consul to Marseilles, in
a dispatch to the State department relative
10 the cholera in that place and ToulOL,
sayS 1T appears that Notwithstanding all
the progress in medical science and the
perfect arrangements for collecting ard
treating the stricken victims of the scourge
more than two-thrds of those + lat
tackled have died, even during the
first fortnight Of the epidemic,
and when all the sanitary conditions
were the most favorable. The almost i'm
mediate transmission OF the disease from
Toulou to Marseilles and the enormous
death rate, 70 per cent in the earliest stage
of the epidemic, seems to prove that SAM
tary science and medical skill have made
but little substantial progress in dealing
with
The Asiatic Cholera.
A second feature of the present epidemic
is the rigor and deadiness of its attack as
compared with that of the last great cholera
epidemic in the summer of 1865. The
rapidity and virulence of this devel-
opment are attributed in some measure to
the intense damp and sitting heat which
prevailed during the most Of the days since
the 3Oth Of June. There are physicians of
judgment and experience who
Maintain That
dessication is the only effective destroyer of
the ChOleraic microbe on a large scale and
that dry hot weather, while it may be unfa-
yorable for those already attacked, is not
in staying the spread of the contagion.
Another noticeable feature of the
present visitation has been the stimuli
taneous and sudden appearance Of
the malady in all parts of the city of Mar
settles. FugitiyeS from here have died at
AK, Grenoble and other towns in Southern
France, but the epidemic has thus far not
been kindled there, nor have any persons
attacked except such as brought the conta-
gion from this city and Toulon. In view
of the
Enormous Emigration
which has occurred since the outbreak three
weeks ago, estimated by good authority at
100, 900 persons from Marseilles and $4,000
from Toulor, and the distribution Of this
vast contingent throughout France Italy
Switzerland and the Netherlands, it is note
worthy and encouraging that no authenti-
Gated case of cholera las occurred among
this army of fugitives at any point
north of Grenoble Although great
number of Italian working people left the
two stricken cities for northern Italy dur
ing the early days of the epidemic, the
disease has not apparently been carried
with them or, ifit has, it is not vet develop
ed. Nothing in all the dispute concerning
the origin and cure Of the disease had ad-
ped any effectiveness to the means hitherto
known for treating the choleraic
patients, and the proportion OF deaths to
the eases appears TO increase rather than
diminish. A momentsry CLEAN of hope was
diffused by the announcement that patients
had been rescued from the collapse stageof
the malady at hospital in Toulon by the
inhalation of oxygen, but this encourage
ment has been clouded by the discovery
that the effect that this powerful statement
was but temporary, and patients thus. treat
ed finally died in the same latio as those
treated by other methods.