The Portland daily press., 1885-07-11
CHOLERA AT MURcIA.
Origin and Progress of the Plague In
An Ancient Spanish City.

A recent cable despatch to the New York
Herald says; Your correspondent has just
retured from a four days stay in Murcia,
which has been for the past two weeks the
most terribly cholera stricken city of Spain.
Beginning on June 5, the cholera has since
then attacked 1915 persons in twenty-f0ur
days, and of these 1860 bodies have been al
ready buried. Including the full normal
population of nearly 100000 people, one per-
son in each thirty has already had the
cholera, and one person in each
seventy-fiye of the population has
been buried within three weeks. Murcia
like all Spanish cities noted in this epidemic
for great mortality among its people, is the
centre Of fertile valley surrounded by high
ly cultivated fields and market gardens.
Through it flows badly smelling river, the
waters of which are twice damned near the
eity's centre and are distributed by many
canals over the valley. The streets are mar
row, with high houses, and In many places
the entrance of sunlight and air is still fur
ther impeded by curtains placed horizontally
across the streets from housetop to house
top.
Bishop Bryan, of Murcia, is now one of
the few brave men who are found always
where the cholera is worst. He has saved
many lives by the confidence his presence
gives to those who are sick, in the filthy city
tenements or in the still worse earth dens of
the suburbs. people liye' he said ''in the
utmost misery and filth. In one place | found
a woman i'll with cholera having in bed with
her two well children. | find the most
malignant form of cholera always near the
river or the irrigating bitches near the
Puente Toceno. In the suburbs | found in
the neighborhOod of 600 persons by whom
drfpSlan water alone nSpd. Among
them only two cholera cases and one death
occurred, although they were surrounded by
families ravaged by the disease. In one dis
trict of the suburbs | found that the number
of cholera cases had decreased 80 per cent.
within twenty-four hours without any known
cause
DR.. Ruiz, distinguished physician and
Recorder of the Board of Health, Said:'' OF
those who die there are 30 per cent more
women than men. Women do not die from
fear, as they are Drawer than men. A man
cannot generally be trusted to give correct
account of his symptoms. Women are gem
orally calm and unimaginative regarding
their symptoms When one member of
household is attacked the disease is apt al
though not certain, to run through all the
family.
The bacillus Uiryula is probably the cause
of the cholera, and the germ can be carried
alive in letters or clothes for fifteen or thirty
days. | know a family which fled from
Murcia to a city free from cholera. A roll of
goods coming from Murca was opened by
the servant of the uninfected city. This
servant died of cholera within twenty-fOur
hours, being the first case of cholera for
year in that city.
cone noted case" said DR.. Tapid, another
member of the Board OF Health, was as fol-
lows: Cholera infected clothing was packed
away for six years; yet the servants who
opened the trunk died suddenly, with all the
symptoms of true cholera. Fumigation or
boiling undoubtedly kills the germs, but |
doubt the value of ordinary dry fumigation
with sulphur. Cholera germs show decided
affinity for human lips; therefore fruit from
infected pistricts is dangerous. The orange
especially, or any fruit which, like it, is
washed with water before shipment is very
likely to transmit the germs. | think chole
ra is caused by germs taken into the stomach
with water or some liquid. Drinking boiled
water or artesian water from wells beyond
the reach of surface infltratiOn will largely
do away with the danger of infection. This
is shown by the case of three Valencian viii
lagos, all being within a five miles circle.
Two used river water, and the people were
severely attacked by cholera. The third used
only artesan water, and has not had single
case of disease to date.
Those having much to do with cholera pa
tlentS become in some way proof against the
disease | was inoculated at Valencia. Had
all the symptoms of mild cholera, including
vomiting, diarrhma and cramps. L believe
in the preventive effects of DR.. Ferran's in
efeffdtiie hpon the very doubtful point.
ly, the lengthso time the bacillus uirgltld lives
in the human blood incubation is without
value after the germs die. DR.. Ferran claims
twenty-five to thirty days life for them. Dr.
Pasteur claims only six to eight days. L
think DR.. Pasteur more right than DIR. Fer
ran. 1t is manifest that it would not be pos
sble to inoeulate town, much less all Spain,
once in eight days, especially when the re-
sulting illness is taken into account.