The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-07-02
THE WEEK.
In the United States and the
Old World.
CHOLERA IN SPAIN

Expcriments Regarding DIR. Ferran's
system--Bad state OF Affairs.
Scientific men outside of Spain will attach
little Value to the conclusions of the medical
commission, which confirm the Asintic nature
Of the epidemic now raging in Spain, and rec
ommend further trial Of DIR. Ferrans inocu-
laton system, Tho Investigations OF the COM
mission were conducted In such careless, IN!
scientific way that they prove nothing Before
forming an opinion regarding DIR. Ferran's
claims, it would DO advisable to await the re-
suit of tho fresh serious inquiries now being
made by DIR. Gibier, representing France,
DR.. Van Ermonger, representing Belgium, and
DIR. Mendora, ex-mamber Of the royal COM
mission. The first two gentlemen are hard at
work in room In Valencia placed at their dis.
posal by Dr. Ferran, who has returned
from Madrid. DIS. Gebier and Er-
menger, nlter careful microscope
examination of OBJECTIONS taken from the
sick bed OF patient, for the first time dis
covered the bacillus of DR.. Koch, and con-
WINGED themselves of the presence OF real
Asialic cholera Mt Valencia They have not
vet made up their minds as to the merits OF
DR.. FerrNn's vaccinations, nor do they admit
the statistic, published have any scientific i'm
portance, depending az they do upon tho relia-
bility of the officials who compile the statis-
tics, and more upon whether most OF the per-
sons when vaccinatad belonged to the rich, the
middle, or the poorer class; whether habitual-
" well, or ill-fed, clean or dirty; whether in
good or bad health when inoculatcd.
The cholera statistics are deliberately falsi-
fed. The number of deaths and cases is larger
than stated. At Valencia proper the average
is sill comparatively low, hut in the neighbour
ing villages the mortality is terrible. This is
not surprising The peasants herd together
like swine. whole family live in one room,
seldom paved, lighted bya few Sits in the wall,
maybe, one larger hole replacing the window.
The food of the peasants hereabouts i! usually
fish, little rice and fruit, washed down by
water from filthy streams.
A press correspondent visited Grao recently.
The harbor IS literally offensive. The road is
undrained and choked up with putrid refuse
and mud, in which children play bareiooted
with dogs and cats. AS you walk along, you
are pesterea by. thousands of flies, which the
doctors here are convinced greatly help in
. spreading the cholera. If they have
time, Drs. Glib and Van Ermenger may
make experiments to prove TINS.
Among the places which have snt,
.fered most severely is the little village Of
Torres, where the other day six out of seven
members of n well-to.do family were carried
off in few hours. Five other people on the
same day sent for medical assistance and in
the evening four were dead Yet, with death
so busy all round in Valencia itself you may
walk about for hours anil see NJ sign OF the
cholera Now and then you meet q man or
woman carrying home a tiny coffin. Now and
then you pass a procession of priests, bearing
relics Of saints and following crowd chanting
the CORA pro nobis, +" but this thing is excep-
tional. Life goes on MS usual. Shops, theatres
and markets are ms busy as ever. The cholera
seems to be dream
A Madrid dispatch says: In Madrid in one
day four sporadic cases were reported In the
town of Valencia, 80 new cases and l6 deaths
in the province of Alicante, As new cases ant
40 deaths,