Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1885-08-01
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CHOLERA'S MENACE.

iAeIA NAN v"
Now that Asiatic cholera in Europe
is so menacing it is desirable that pub
lie attention should be called to a coin
cidence observable between the district
III Spain being ravaged by cholera and
that ravaged last year by floods.
On the 23d of May, 1884, the rivers III
Valencia and Alicante overfloWed their
banks and the towns and country IN the
vicinity were inundated. Three days
later Il telegram announced that the
floods in the southeastern districts OF
NIurcia and Alicante had become alarm.
ing, the inundation ''e~xceeding that OF
1879" and whole towns were cut on
from communication. The town OF
Murcia was then reported to have been
specially the prey otthe rushing waters.
Since the close of May, 1850, the pestl-
lence has brooded over the flooded area
of Spain, without making any very Tor
midable encroachments on other dls-
tricts, so that it seems as II the area Vi
greatest cholera infection were very
nearly coterminous with that OF com
paratively recent Spanish foundations.
II is not unreasonable to infer that
this is something more than a cOlncl-
dence, Great yernal floods in countries
covered with luxuriant vegetation nave
ALWAYS been regarded as precursors OF
pestilence in one form or another. II
is Uncomfortable that a vast quantity OF
veoetation can be torn from its roots
and washed down river beds, to be de-
posted on the populated banks, there
to undergo putrefaction, without sup
posinp that-other conditions favorlng
disease will eventually result. Hum
boldt recorded.th fact that during IN
undations Of the Orinoco, the waters
acquire a yellowish brown color ana
have ssthe smell of ~sulphuretted hydro
GEM and a temperature exceeding
ninety degrees. Were the delta OF the
Orinoco thickly populated there is no
reason to doubt that it would become
as famous a home of choleraic diseases
as the delta of the Ganges. An eminent
Massachusetts hygienist asserts that
..charging the air with the products OF
the decomposition of leaves, wood and
all forms of vegetable life, mingled
with whatever the soil may add to these
products, or changed, as the soil alone
seems to have power to change them, Is
of all others the most frequent cause
assigned for the production of epidem'
les Of typhoid fever" If the soil is m
preqnated with both animal and vege-
table refuse, the strong presumption, to
saw the least, is that under our glowing
july and August suns it will present
the requisites for a nest OF cholera as
much as for one OF typhoid fever.
If there is anything in the theory
which connects epidemic diseases with
terrestrial exhalatiOns (due to decompo-
sition of vegetable and animal matter
and the evolution of organic emana-
tions). we may draw some very piausi-
ble differences as to the spread OF the
Spanish epidemic. That it will diffuse
itself over Europe generally is mot at all
probable. But that its appearance may
be expected in alluvial districts and in
valleys which have recently been inun-
dated, where sanitary measures are not
enforced, is certainly reasonable.
In the United States the most vulner-
able points of attack would appear to be
cities on the Atlantic and Gulf coast
which lie on the estuaries of large
streams. Great as is the vigilance de-
manded to prevent its Introduction at
our northern ports, still greater care
should be taken to guard against its in
production at Southern and Gulf ports.
Much has recently been said of the in
eulCdCN VI Iidl aiitihS
out the great plague. But beyond all
rational question it will be the height OF
madness to relax II quarantine regu-
lations on the theory that the disease,
once transported to our shores, would
probably find all inlet despite the quar-
antine.
Whatever theory may be held as to
the origin of cholera, it can hardly be
denied that historically its inroads have
always been made in alluvial districts
and river valleys. The coincidence,
therefore, between the geographical
area of the Spanish foundations and the
Spanish Oh olera epidemic affords very
practical lessons. 1t apparently illus
trates, in a most striking way, the main
physical condition under which the
plague can flash up into epidemic vic.
ience and also indicates the regions ant
localities which will be most exposed
to it on its future travels, while it point.
with fresh force the moral of universe
sanitation as the only security agains
tho Iraa6 ScOuroa