Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-28
HE SAW THEM DYING.
Architect Stillburg Talks of
the Cholera Epidemic in
Austria in 1866.
HIS STORY OF THE DISEASE
How the Victims We're Stricken and
Bow Death Came to Them.
PURE WATER AND PURE AIR
Are the Deadly Enemies Of the Much
Dreaded Plague
HIS STORY OF THE DISEASE
PURE WATER AND PURE AIR
Are the Deadly Enemies Of the Much.
Dreaded Plague.
CONTROLLER MORROW ON THE SUBJECT

Joseph Stillburs, the well-known Pitts
burg architect, has little fear of cholera
finding a fruitful field in America Mr..
Stillburg was a soldier in the Austrian
army in 1866 when that dreaded disease al
most depopulated that and contiguous
countries.
America is think too strongly Ameri-
canized for the cholera to find toothold.
I Imeau the air here is too pure and the
water is too clear for the awful contagion to
find existence upon which to feed" Mr..
Stillburg said: "In Austria, Persia and
the other countries where cholera always
finds q rich harvest, the water is impure,
and wherever water is impure the air is not
healthfuL In those countries they get all
their water from shallow wells, and the
physicians contend that water more than
anything else feeds the disease
Like a Cyclone Of Death.
"Yes," the gentleman went on, 'T was q
soldier in the Austrian army when the
cholera, like cyclone of death, came to us
from Persia We were stationed at Tri-
este, on the Adriatlc Sea in the southern
part of that country, when the disease first
made its appearance. Peace reigned at the
time and we were encamped at the general
barracks The disease seemed to come
on us like shower of deadly
rain in the streets of the city. People were
tumbling over and were dying before medi-
cal aid or any attention could be extended.
The hospitals were overcrowded before the
first week after the disease appeared and
there seemed to be no remedy but to let the
people die just where ever the ailment
struck them"
Like the Yellow Fever.
''Cholera," Mr. StiIlburg explained. 'is
yomething like the yellow fever. 1t is, l
think, more deadly. The victim first feels
pain in the neck and is
then prostrated with cramps and
in nine cases out of ten death results.
Some of them die within an hour after
being stricken while others writhe in agony
for a day and sometimes Sc hours Those
who recover as rule pass through the dis
ease in an hour or two, but so few recover
that their cases as a rule were given but
little attention.
Gas 1 remember the attack of cholera it
was an awful slaughter. The people were
stampeded and only the poor people re-
mained TO fight the scourge Those who
had money in the city of Trieste few to the
mountains where they were entirely safe
Those who could not go to the noun ntains
remained in the city to die the awful death
provided by the disease.
The Bodies Turned Black.
After death their bodies turned black and
identification was almost impossible. The
Government authorities are charged with
the responsibility of burying the dead,
which 1 think was the most disegreeable
task ever imposed upon the living. Great
- he oh
carted to the sea- where they were thrown
in.
'The disease did not get much of a foot
hold in the army. We were kept moving
continually until we finally encamped on
an elevation where we remained until the
disease seemed to satisfy itself and dissp-
peared. Everything was cleared up before
we returned to Trieste and the Govern
ment officials were devoting all their atten-
tion to renovation and purifcation. The
rich people remained in the mountains for
nearly year. They were advised to stay
away as a precaution against the spread of
the disease. I do not know exactly how
the people we're treated for the disease.
remember distinctly of the treatment given
the soldiers.
The Reno dies Applied.
awe were given little or no medicine, but
we were ordered to abstain absolutely from
drinking water. We were not allowed to
eat either vegetables or fruit, and whatever
meat we ate was cooked almost as hard as q
board. We were kept moving constantly,
and we drank only red wine. In fact, we
were given all the red wine that we could
use. We were ordered to smoke constantly,
and / think our strict obedience to the
army physicians had much to do with keep
ing the disease out of our armv.
intorinant ond Kind nf fohacco