The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1892-09-06
THE HISTORY OF CHOLERA.
1t Began as an Epidemic in CeyIOn in 1sO4

G4G G4AS YIN VI
It Began as an Epidemic in Cey1on in 1904
The history of cholera, as known to
Europeans, begins with an epidemic in
Ceylon in 1904. It is now known to be
epidemic and nearly always prevalent
in Bengal. The deltas of the Ganges
and Brahmaputra are regarded as the
nursery and starting place of the dis
ease. Previously to 1917 cholera had
been confined to the native Indian
in Calcutta, and first attracted the at
tention of Europeans, who at first be-
lieved it to be new malady. Itspread
all over India, and In October in broke
out in the army of the Marquis of Hast
ings at B~undelcund. In the army,
along with a large contingent of native
troops, were ten thousand Enlishmen.
Many Of these died, and the disease
continued Withunabated fury until the
army was removed to another place.
Thousands of dead and sick were left
behind, but the disease disappeared in
the army. In 1919 the disease broke
out in Ceylon, and was from there car
ried to Mauritiu5 and thence to. the
coast of Africa. In 1920 the cholera
spread over Asia and followed up the
rivers into the interior of China. On
the Island of Java 150, 900 people died.
Evidence exists that from the year 1920
to the present time Bengal has never
been entirely free from cholera.
In 1922 the disease first appeared in
Europe. 1t reached the Persian gulf
by vessels and spread in all directions
from there, reaching the Caspin sea
and going up the UraI river to OreE-
hV,s~ IN D17 Ioio "hSoh won Tho Gvs,h
European town to be afflicted. In 1929
it re appeared at Orenburg, but no one
could tell whence it came, though at
the time it prevailed over a large por-
ton of Asia. In 1880 the first serious
outbreak in Europe occurred. 1t
spread from Astrakhan up the Volga
river and broke out in town after town,
reaching Moscow in September. where
a memorable epidemic occurred. In
1881 it advanced from Russia into Cen
trail Europe. It reached Berlin in
August. In October it appeared in
Sunderland, Gateshead and Shields, in
England, and produced great mortal
ity. The previous summer it had been
introduced among the maritime popu
lation of London, but disappeared
without attracting any attention at the
time. Early in the spring of 1882 it
gained a foothold in London, and dur
ing the summer prevailed IN the inn
portant seaport towns of the British
isles. It was carried from Dublin
across the Atlantic, and appeared SIM
~ultaneously in June, 1882, at Quebec
and Montreal. 1t followed up the st.
Lawrence and lakes to Chicago, and
also spread through the Atlantic States,
being especially violent In New York.
The next year it was in Cuba, and was
from there distributed to the ports on
the Gulf of Mexico.
Spain was first visited in 1884, and
the disease spread to the cities along
the Mediterranean. 1t left Europe in
1837tore-appearte ten years later through
the same gate-the Caspin Sea-spread-
ing over Russia and prevailing In Con-
stantinople. It reached Hamburg in
September, 1848, and In December of
that year broke out simultaneously in
New York and New Orleans, having
come over with immigrants. It con-
tinued to prevail in the East, but did
not reach Western Europe again until
1853, the year of the terrible epidemic
at st. Petersburg. 1t reached London
in July, and was epidemic the follow
ing year.
The next appearance was In 1866,
coming as was supposed, Oy the MeQl-
terranean from Mecca and Jedda. In
Paris 1000 persons died In five months.
A few cases occurred at Southampton
In 1865, but the disease did not make
any Roadway until the following year:
The Prussian army in 1866 passed
through a country where cholera had
prevailed the previous , ear, and more
soldiers died from the disease than
werelost in the war with the Austrians.
Between 1873 and 1875 there were sew
eral epidemics of cholera In Germany,
but England and the United States
have now enjoyed a long period of inn
munity.