Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-08-29
THE DREADED sCoupCr
Will 1t Reach This Country1
INTERESTING DATA CONCERNING acHoIER.
YEARS."

From the New York.Sun. |
Up to last Sunday there had been 81 ,52l
deaths from cholera in Spain, since the begin.
ming Of the epidemic, out of q total Of 1907
cases. At the present rate Of its ravages the
deaths in that country will reach 90 900 by the
end of this week, and the total number of the
attacks nearly 100000. In Marseilles, Toulon.
and other parts Of southern France the scourge
maintains its foothold.
Thus it is clear that while last year the excite
ment and terror over the presence of cholera In
Europe may have been greater, the present
year has been far more terrible in its ravages.
The deaths from this pestilence In Italy during
1884 were computed at 10000; but already
during the present season those OF Spain have
been six times many. 1t is further evident that
In spite OF modern experience and appliances
the present visitation OF cholera in Europe Is
The Persistence Of the epidemic and its great
~ increased fury during the present season are
very suggestive. The notion that because
cholera did not reach England and America
last year, and has thus far not reached these
countries during the present year, there is now
less likelihood OF its attacking them, is not In
accordance with historic facts. The conception
OF Its progress as being like that OF nre on the
prairie, which swiftly passes and leaves It's ruin
gains a foothold in a country il invariably occu-
pies 1t for several years, breaking out again and
again In the same or some fresh quarter. Before
several OF its visits to America it had first
ravaged Europe during several successive
years.
Thus the epidemic of 1882, the first that
afnicted America, had been raging In Europe
nearly two years before it crossed the Atlantic.
1t appeared first at Moscow on the 2Sth OF Sep
tember, 1880. During the entire year 1881 1t
swept all Europe east of the Rhine, causing
probably 100000 deaths in Germany alone.
1882 it spread over Great Britain and France,
mated at 10000. It was during this second
year OF its European course that 1t found its
way to America.
", no
1S4S, had broken out half . dozen years earlier
IN India, and thence had spread through Persia
between the Black and Caspian seas to Russia,
ana then, like its predecessor, was carried TO
Berlin, Hamburg, Bremen and Havre well
as to the cities of southern Europe, and so
found Its way to this country after years of de.
struction in The Old World.
The epidemics of 1854 and 1865, on the con-
| trary, were fully developed in this country not
many months after their appearance inEurope.
That of 1878 reached this country after ample
warning, there having been 10000 CASES OF
cholera In Germany alone during the prcced-
ing year.
Of the present epidemic We know that It
began its westward march four years ago; that
II was In Egypt in 1888, and in France and
Italy in 1854. Instead OF relaxing efforts to
keep 1t away from America on the false theory
that it would have reached this country before
had II been coming at all, We should remember
that cholera has repeatedly harassed Europe
for years in succession before crossing the
Atlantic.
Even in this country. while we habitually
speak for convenience of the epidemics OF 1882,
lSIS, 1873, and SO on, as If these were the only
years of their continuance, the uniform rule is
that they have ragged from three TO five years
successfully, and occasionally much longer.
The first epidemic in this country did not SUBJ
side until the lapse of five years; and two years
after its first appearance ii ragged furiously.
Some authorities have declared that in New
York city there was scarcely year from 1882
to 1854 without well-defined cases OF cholera.
But the first year is the one of terror and ex-
element; and II a season In which $4,000 vic
tins perish is followed by Others in which the
losses are only 5000 or 10000, these latter are
apt to attract little notice. This unfailing
quality of persistence and reappearance through
successive seasons should be a warning to con-
tinued vigilance against the pestilence. The
progress OF cholera is not only a march, as it Is
often called, but a conquest and prolonged &C.
cupatiOn.
Encouragement, it is fair to add, is afforded
by the success which has hitherto attended the
corraling of the pestilence in the southwestern
corner OF Europe. 1t is really astonishing that
for two years the disease in spite of it's horrible
raVages, has been kept, save for unimportant
scattered cases, confined in Italy, Spain and the
extreme south of France. 1t is almost too much
to expect that it can be held and stamped out
there. II this should be done, through vigorous
quarantine systems, the triumph would be
memorable.