The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-02-16

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The Epidemic az Asiaxic cholora In 0eeo-
poeamia. which had caused about 1000
deaths mp - October I. appears 70 b raging
noe With n1Dbated force. and recent dis
patches report heavy mortality. In Octo-
her strict quarantine vas enforced BY the
Russian authoritiss at Rsshd. port on the
Caspian -, from which this disease Was
brought into Europe by way Of Baku many
years ago. and the ressricsi0ns appear %
have prevented the admission Of the plague
into Russia But IL it Be true. q reported.
that the disease has broken out in Box
hara and Is spreading in Asiattc Turkey, It
may find its way INTO Europe in the coming
spring by way Of the ports on The Caspian
sea or the Black sea or through Syria
The first cases were found, il Is stated, in
ChatFa. city near the head Of the Persian
gulf end about midway between Bassorah
and Bagdad. on July q. and the disease
rAged % violently only four days later In
the neighboring village Of Marie that the
authorities were led to burn al the dwell
ings in that place. hoping thereby 70 pre-
vent further infec ion. At about the same
time cases were observed in the city of Bas-
sorah. south from Chatra. and not Tar from
the point where the united waters OF the
Tigris and the Euphrates pour into the Per
sian gulf. Passing up the valley, the dis
ease attacked Bagdad on August IA, and in
that city during the last two weeks OF that
month the daily mortality ranged from 100
TO 30. Three-Quarters Of the inhabitants
led from the town. and q, 000 Of them went
into camp ct . spot . few miles away,
where many Of them suffered great priva-
tionsss
Refugees from Bassorah carried the dis
ease into Persia by three routes before the
end OF September, and in the early days Of
October cases we're found in Hamsdan, and
the plague had already caused . panic in
Kermancha. Both Of these cities are on
the route to Teheran. Early In November
cholera prevailed throughout the entire
region between the Tigris and Euphrates.
appearing in the city of Mossoul on the
10Th The traveller landing at the head sf
the Persian gull, and going northward
through Mesopotamia, passes through
Bassorah, Chatra, Bsgdad and Mossoul IN
succession, and ct Nossoul he has covered
more than half the distance from the
Persian guilt to Trebisond or Bstoum on
the Black sea. At last accounts the dis
ease appeared 10 b spreading northward
in the direction OF Erzeroum and Trehi-
sond and eastward through the region
lying directly south Of the Caspian So.
Pilgrims from India, the home Of chol-
era. land at Bassorah on their way 10 the
holy cities of Nedjeff and Kerbela. which
lie south Of Bagdad. At Bassorah Their
are also landed the caskets that contain
the bodies Of rich Mussulmans, many of
which are brought from India and buried
everv year near the holy cities. The local
sanitary officers are of the opinion that the
germs Of cholera we're brought into the val
ley with these Baskets or by the agency Of
those who accompanied the bodies Of the
dead. Relying upon . statement that the
first cases were found In Chatra. certain
persons who appear to desire, above all
things. to discredit the theory Of infection
by microbes or bacilli. argue that this cpl
demic had its origin In no imported germs,
but was born in the place where il frst ap-
peared. It b admitted, however, that
there were cases In Bassorah . few days
later. and one cannot expect 70 find accu-
rate observations and reports In that re-
gion.
The transmission Of the disease from
India to the great valley can Be accounted
for In several ways, and this 10 not the first
time that this scourGe has been carried
westward from India through the same re-
gion. The diTty pilgrims whose journeys
sndanesR the health Of Ne civilissd world
should b subjected 70 rigid quaxantins
whenever they come into country whore
quarantine can be enforced. and the trans
fer Of the bodies Of the dead to Mssopota-
mia from the country where cholera
always prevails should be forbidden by the
Turkish government.