Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-11-24
AN INSANE BELIEF.
Russian Peasants Who Have No
Use for Soap and Water.
Some Revolving Customs Of the Plague
Stricken Country "A Land where
Cholera Finds n breed
Ing Place.


In no part Of Europe are public baths
30 accessible 10 the lower order OF peo-
pie as in Russia, and nowhere are baths
In such general use. But the attraction
OF the bath Is not soap and water, but
the hot vapor for which the Russian
has such tn affection. The bath itself
Is In many cases n nest Of loathsome
disease germs. The patronizers of these
institutions very often have no use
whatever for the washwoman This Ia
true not only Of the very poor. OF an
inmate OF one Of the gigantic apart
ment houses Of 81 Petersburg, who
was n man Of property, the Novoe
Vrcmya casually remarked He never
has his linen washed Whenever he
puts on shirt he puts II on for good.
and he wears II until IL drops in shreds
Oft his back"
AS FOR sanitary preparation against
cholera, the New York Times says the
Russian peasants would look upon this
as II profane interference with provi-
dcncc. 1t Is said that they explain the
outbreak Of the cholera as the result OF
Vaccinations Of English enemies. who
went visiting the famine districts last
year, and who, under the pretense OF
distributing aims TO the hungry, bribed
Russian physicians TO work this spell
upon the people. The proper preventa-
tives to use against cholera are the
prayers OF priests and the counter
spells Of lasses blowing in the dead OF
the night. Sanitary precautions are
not legitimate. Another difficulty in
the way Of sanitation is the expense
Of II. 1t has been calculated by ex-
perts that the sanitation OF peas
ants hut would cost seven rubles
tabout three dollars and seventy. i've
cents), and no Russian peasant would
think Of sparing such n sum for the
purpose The sanitation of the cities
and rivers would involve greater out
lay than was caused by the famine,
and within n year the work would
have to be done over again
In describing the things which Rus
slams eat and drink MIR Ianin says that
IL requires great caution 20 keep within
limits Of deccncy OF language and yet
give an adequate notion Of the subject.
Tho foreign visitors to st. Petersburg
or Moscow who stroll down "Glutton's
Row" will see men and women. boys
and girls, devouriug hideous messes
which would be speedily destroyed by
the sanitary officers OF other countries
So much Tor the food OF the poor But
II Is said that the manner OF preparing
food IN "drst class" bakeries and butcher
| shops would not bear relation IN plain
- in,
| preparation OF the cSquiSitc jams by
the most renowned Russian CONNECTION
crs the seeds are separated from cur
rants, gooscbcrries. etc, not by means
Of q mechanical apparatus but by the
application OF human lips, poor women
being employed TO do the work. The
facts M to the preparation Of the ma
| tlunal drink tquassl are OF the same sort.
OF course 1t is not necessary To drink
| quass, but the water lie said to be no
| better No city or hamlet in Russia has
| drinking water pure enough to meet
| the requirements Of the most tolerant
sanitary engineer in moro western
countries. In Balsu, where the cholera
found favorable soil, u scmi-oflicial Rus
sian journal says that 'in many yards
stand artificial ponds filled with water
carried thithcr in jars In this water
the inhabitants are wont TO perform
their daily ablutions, bathing every
day They also use it to wash their
fruits and commodities besides which
they drink IL" Ia a scientific treatise
10y a DR. KolokoloT on the waters Of st.
Petersburg ii is said that one Of the nv.
crs Of the capital receives daily from
the city one-scvcnth Of its own bulk in
Impurities.