The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-06
Saturdays returns are as follows:

The majority Of the victims attacked in
Madrid are refugees from Aranjuez, where great
misery prevails owing to the lack of assistance.
The situation at Valencia is very grave Sew
eral persons have been taken i'll in the streets
Three Catholic sisters have fallen victims to the
disease to-day. After hesitatng long time,
out of Difference to the wishes of the Church,
the sisters called in Doctor Ferran, and were in
oculated. Two more medical commissions, a
French and Spanish one have arrived to re-
new Investigations. M. Brovardel, the head of
the French commission, comes much prejudiced
against Doctor Ferran, and is reported to have
scotfed at the results claimed for his vaccination
as being too miraculous to be possible. Cases of
true foudroyant cholera are still very frequent
The stream of water near the market-place is
now believed to have been the means of import
ing the cholera germs. Prayers for delivery
from pestilence are offered at all the churches
and hospitals. The streets are full of sacred
images. crosses and holy fire.
The Secretary of the Interior, Senor Romero Y
Robledo is for some clear to foreigners,
bitterly hated by the people in the cholera dis
tricts. All the donkeys of Murca have, there
fore, been named Romero Robledo," and the
ccostermonger with an unstable load chooses a
frequented locality, hits his donkey tremendous
blow on the head and cries, Get up, Romero
Robedo" The people laugh and yell, "Hit him
agsinl' and the sale begins.
Murcla ike all Spanish cities noted in this
epidemic for great mortality among it's people, is
the center of a fertile valley, surrounded by
highly cultivated fields and market gardens
Through 1T flows a badly smelling river the
waters of which are twice damned near the
city's center, and are distributed by many canals
over the valley. The streets are narrow
the entrance of sunlight and air is still further
impeded by curtains placed horizontally across
the streets from housetop to housetop. The
sanitary condition of the city is better than that
of most Spanish cities, but would not serve as a
model People live carelessy in spite of the
cholera. It'll not unusual to see melons and other
ready for consumption. The correspondents
first visit was to the hospitals and barracks In
the hospitals comparatively few cholera cases
were found, as all except the poorest people in
sisted upon dying at home rather than 90 to the
hospital. A fair cleanliness prevailed, but the
smell Of disinfectants was sickening even to
a man in health. Patients were in every
stage of the disease, but all in the sick
ward had the same haggard, sallow look
of fear, which made the nature of their disease
certain without further question. AS at present
arranged, the hospital has beds for $50 persons,
but they not all full in spite of the fact that
on the 10th alone 273 persons were attacked by
the disease. The relief kitchen supplies fair
food to an, unfortunately, limited number of
poor. On the river embankment colony of 600
people, taken from the most crowded tenements
are lodged in temporary barracks and fed by the
town. 1t is curious commentary, both on the
cholera and on the hygenic condition of the city,
that among these people, living as they do in
rudely constructed tents and houses open to the
weather IN many places, not a single cholera
death has yet occurred, although previously in
their city quarters each family had lost one or
more members.