St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1889-12-07
LIFE-GIVING DRAUGHTS
Were Those Quaffed by q Cholera
Stricken Soldier.
While Ills Grave Was Being Dug He
stole From His Bed and Found
New Lease Of Life In
q Water Jar.

/ came to India in 1885, rs a privat
In the -th Regiment; and my cOmpan,
formed part of the garrison at Arcot
Life in barracks in India is very dull
and have often wondered that British
soldiers out here are, on the whole
such a steady. well-behaved lot of lads
Compare "A soldiers life in small In
dian station with being quartered ever
at Malta or Gibraltar. and either o
these places will seem like paradise
though the Rock is by no means pop
ular, and is always called prison BY
the troops for the time being in gar
rison there.
Well. we found Arcot horribly dull,
and i: was with great satisfaction that
we heard that an order had been given
for our company to march to VellOre
to strengthen the garrison there. which
had been very much reduced by
cholera.
It was then about the middle Oi
March. and consequently later than is
usual for moving troops. as the days
begin to get very hot on the plains in
the Carnatic about that time OF the
year. But ours was special duty; and
as VIC should only march in the very
early morning. We did not fear the ILL
convenience OF the midday heat; but
looked upon the whole thing as rather
a lark, and welcome change from the
mOnotOny of garrison duty. As to the
cholera, not one of us gave it a
thought Not likely it would touch
one OF us.
1t was on the second day after lcav-
ing Arcot. that Private Thomas At
kins. who was my right file. suddenly
had Ia fall out. Iexpected him to re-
join the ranks before long; but did not
trouble myself about his absence. 1t
was not until We reached camp. and
had finished breakfast that Iheard any
thing more about him.
then learnt that he was buried!
knew cholera was awfully sudden
in its attack and effects, but had not
imagined the possibility of its carrying
of healthy man quite SO rapidly. Of
course immediate intcrment must take
place in case of death on the line of
march. had liked Atkins much, but
i fancy his death and burial were SO
sudden that the rest of US failed to
realize the truth of what had happened
to our comrade. and half expected to
see him turn up again. Any how. We
boon forgot the incident.
Late in tho afternoon l was listening
TO a description OF Vellore by one of
our fellows who had been there, and
speculating on the chance of seeing the
crocodiles which Tippoo Sultan had
placed in the mOat round the fort, rs
the best possible sentinels to prevent
prisoners from escaping or any OF his
troops from attempting to DESERT when
suddenly felt spasms and sickness.
'.Holloa! old fellow. how blue you
look!' remarked companion sitting
next to me; and as he spoke my COM
rades shrank terror-stricken from me
1t needed no doctor to tell me what was
the matter. The cholera had seized
me!
l was hastily conveyed to the tenn
porary hospital. where our assistant
surgeon already had several cases OF
the disease under treat, and was laid
on charpoy. rapidly passed from
the first to the second stage of that
and by nine o'clock at night
the incessant vomiting and purging
had reduced me to q condition Of
weakness approaching insenslbility.
was consumed by a burning. raging
thirst but the dresser disregarded all |
my entreaties for drink. of water. |
The system of treatment for cholera in |
those days. allowed the patient nothing |
more than just 10 have the lips moist
cned occasionally with weak brandy |
and this simply aggravated
the torture of thirst. Nowadays cham
pagne is given. and the sufferer Is al
owed to drink pretty freely. 1
The hospital was. of course. only .
pandal. hastily constructed with pal
with large cuscus mat
IT the entrance at each end. Two large I
,hatties OF water were placed just out
'ide each entrance. from which u o0Olie
rom time to time threw q pannikinful
IN the cuscus tathis. 50 that the wind.
blowing through the wet mats, might
'ooi the temperature inside the PAN
laL This result certainly was at
aired. but at tho cost Of intensifying
30 panSs ef the pssisntA whose thirst