Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-10-14
FOR LIFE OR DEATH.
How 8 Cholern-Stricken Soldier Obtained
 Drink in India.

l FOR LIFE OR DEATH. l How 8 Cholern-stricken Soldier Obtained Drink in India. came to India in 1S5- as a private in the -th regiment and my company formed part or the garrison at Arcot, says a writer in Blackwood's Magazine. Life in barracks in l India is very dull, and it was with great satisfaction that we heard an order had , been given for our company to march to Vellore to strengthen the garrison there, which had been very much reduced by chol- | era.
 It was then about the middle of 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 we should only march in the very early morning, we did not fear the incon- | venience of the midday heat.
 It was on the second day after leaving Arcot that, late in the afternoon, was listening to description of Vellore by one of our fellows who had been there, when suddenly felt spasms and sickness. "Holloal old fellow, how blue you lookl'' remarked a companion sitting next to me, and as he spoke my comrades shrank ter ror-stricken from me. It needed no doctor to tell what was the matter. The cholera had seized mel
 was hastily conveyed to the temporary hospital, where our assistant surgeon aI- ready had several cases of the disease under treatment, and was laid on charpoy. Trap idly passed from the first to the second stage of that malady, and by nine o'clock at night the 1ncessant vomiting and purging had re- | duced me to a condition of weakness ap- preaching insensibility. l was consumed by burning, raging thirst, but the dresser dlsregarded all my entreaties for drink of water. The system of treatment for chol- era in those days allowed the patient noth- ing more than just to have the lips moistened occasionally with weak brandy and water, and this simply aggravated the torture of thirst. Nowadays champagne IS given, and the sufferer is allowed to drink pretty freely. The hospital was, of course, only pandal, hastily constructed with palmyra-leaves, with large cuscus-mat at the entrances at each end. Two large chatties of water were placed just outside each entrance.
 l had begged, sworn and menaced at intervals, but no one paid the slightest heed to me, and I was sinking into that condition of torpor which is the immediate precursor of the third and fatal stage of cholera, when heard voices in the pandal. The assistant surgeon was making his last round for the night, accompanied by the hospital-dresser With violent effort reused myself, and eagerly listened for their approach. I wanted to hear my fate pronounced.
 They stopped at length where lay, and the doctor examined my body.
 "Mottled," l heard him remark to the dresser; The Is insensible already, and will not last long. So Wetherall will make sixr'
 Make sixa" said to myself; ''make six whata Six corpses, of course, for burial at daylight tomorrow morning."
 They had gone and the place was in dark ness, save for the glimmer of a cocoanut- oil lamp. l heard the scratching of mu- mooties just outside, made by the camp followers, who were digging a common grave for six of us.
 felt utterly stunned and quite indifferent as to my fate. My tongue was like piece of dry leather in my mouth, which had long since ceased to yield any saliva to relieve the agonizng burning of my throat and pal ate. could not have made any sound had Iattempted to do so; but I did not try, for the attendants were all stretched on the ground fast asleep. felt was deserted left to die.
 was beginning to wander, think, and was back again in the bright, green, En- glish meadows, picking daisies with my lit tie sister, and so should have passed away. But just at that moment, the coolies, who had finished digging the grave-my grave passed the entrance of the pandal; and one Of them threw pannikinful of water on the mating screen.
 It was like galvanic shock to me. re- solved to have drink at any risk. had to die, so what matter if I hastened my death an hour or two by drinking cold water2
 l tried to get up, but I was too weak to stand, and fell down at once Then re- tiected that I was more likely to be seen if | walked, and if detected in nv atteuont should be brought back and perhaps be strapped down to die. So I tried to crawl was about ten minutes dragging myself from my cot to the entrance and wr1ggled under the screen.
 There were the chattias before mel
 The first selzed was empty, and the dis appointment nearly made me swoon; but the second was brimful. I threw my arms around it and dragged myself to it. I plunged my head into the delicious, lim- pid water, and devoured, rather than drank, huge mouthfuls of the cool and heavenly fluid. I felt my stomach swelling with the enormous draughts I swallowed; but I laughed and drank again and again rocked naught of life or death then.
 At length I could drink no more, and then discipline asserted itself. I knew I had no right to be out there, and thought If were missed from my cot should be reported. So crept back the way had come, and shortly after fell into profound sleep.
 It was broad daylight when awoke and saw the assistant surgeon and dresser standing beside me.
 "How is this?" asked the doctor; "Weth- erell ought to have been deadl"
 ''Please, sir" said I, "I am feeling much better, and have no wish to make the sixth this morning."