The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-07-22
THE CHOLERA SCOURGE.
How the Terrible Plague is Eagins
In Nurcia, Spain.

III Mufcldy Spdtns
A New York Herald correspondent telc
graphs from Madrid tho result Of four days
visit to the cholera stricken city of Murcia
Spnin. lie says:
has a population Of nearly forty thousand
and the suburbs about sixty thousand more
Thirty thousand persons have fled from the
place since the epidemic broke ont. Its street.
are deserted, eighty per cont. of its stores are
closed and hardly house remains in which 9
cholera case has not occurred The yellow
covered stretcher OIL which tho cholera strick
en- sick and dead arc carried through the
streets Is ono Of the commonest sights Deaths
have become so frequent that the tolling OF
the church bells usual thero on such events has
been forbidden.
Beginning OIL June S, the cholera has since
days. and of these 1860 bodies have been
already buried. Including tho full normal
population of nearly 100000 people, ono per.
son in each 50 has already had the cholera,
and one person in each IS of the population
has been buried within three weeks Under the
mos favorable conditions 1000 more deaths
are expected by the physicians before tho fall.
Under such circumstances the people have
invented new salutation. They no longer
say "Good day." but instead, "How manyn'
That is, how many have died to-day! And
for tho week the death rate was SO steady
that by listening for moment OH tho streets
even tho hour could be told. "Fifty" stood
for noon and 400" for midnight. Startling
incidents abound in such city.
A vlo smell came from one Of the many
closed houses. By order of the authorities
the doors were forced and then the rotting
bodies Of its inhabitants wero found. They
had apparently died of malignant cholera
after closing the house, and so suddenly that
they Ind been unable to summon aid.
Quacks of all kinds, who believe firmly in
the most extraordinary medicines, are the
natura! result of the panic. One man. a
out MEDICAL knowledge, is received with I'M
questioning faith By tho poor. He takes no
fec: on the contrary, lie gives to the poorest
such help as he can afford.
The epidemic has also its heroes. among
whom is the Count De Vale, one OF the rich
est land owners Of tho province. 1t is nota.
BILE that he goes among the sick fearfessly.
BY common report ho has already given
AWAY all his ready cash and has begun to
mortgage his real estate to raise more funds
for this purpose.
As the result Of many interviews with lend
ing men of Murcia your correspondent thinks
the following statements will provo true con-
corning the epidemic as it at present mani
tests itself
Tho cholera will extend throughout the
greater portion Of Spain. 1t may last until
late in the fall. 1t is not impossible that chol.
era cases may occur next year.
The disease soems to follow the course Of
rivers 1t spreads always below the place
first infected. Thus the head waters of the
Tagus being now infected, the cholera may
be expected to pass all quarLntines and enter
Portugal.
Cholera spreals rapidly with great viru-
lelce along tho course Of river. By land
its spread is uncertain and slow, depending
largely on personal contact between the in
habitauts Of neighborins towns.
a man of average health, not given to OK
cesScs, using only boiled water for even such
purposes as brushing tho teeth, who eats no
green, uncooked food, need not fear the cholera
in the least.
Anything which reduces vitality, even
temporarily, may at once lead to cholera.
Women have more to fear from cholera, but
with proper precautions there is little danger
Extreme fear of the disease very often leads
to m attack Of cholera.
DR.. Ferran's incubation will not play an
important part in this epidemic, however
great its part may be in the next one
Cholera germs live for IN uncertain period.
They are known TO live for months and vet
retain sufficient vitality to cause cholera in
persons exposed to them.
Great care regarding infected letters and
clothing is therefore necessary
Valencia oranges and Malaga rnisins Of
this years crop may carry cholera germs to
consumers even in distant countries They
are therefore among the things not to eat