The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-11-06
TIE CHOLERA AT HAVRE.
yow EPIDEMIC CAME AND WENT.
Endemic. of 1892 and issi-safs Quarters
In the Midst of Cholsra-Cbolers
streets-Hsvre Disinfected.


track Of the cholera. have reached the
town OF Havre. the port from whence
the magnificent steamers Of the French
transatlantic Company usually sail for
New York. But, to escape quarantine in
America, this service has been removed
to Cherbourg. where. however. It has been
followed by the cholera. Altogether
twenty departments OF France have been
infected by cholera, and 2l2 communes.
The Commune OF Cherbourg is one among
them. SO far the epidemic has not been
as fatal nor as widespread as lSS4-'S5.
The number OF deaths attributed TO cho-
era which have occurred from the 4th Of
April 10 the 18th OF October IS officially
stated 10 be 3.lA. In 1SS4-'& there were
cases OF cholera in the thirty-five de-
partments and 639 communes, and the
number OF deaths amounted to Il. $50. on
the other hand the epidemic at Havre
was much more severe this time. for, up
20 the 18th OF October. the cholera had
killed at Havre 500 persons. while IN.
lSS4-'S5 there were only 266 deaths from
the same cause. Havre has population
Of 1850 persons. More important Tar
than the cholera is the fatal prevalence
OF typhoid fever and other zymotic dis
eases which raise the general death rate
10 909 per ] .000 calculated on an average
OF ten years.
No one who has seen some OF the older
quarters OF the town will be surprised at
this The streets are narrow the houses
high Worse still, there are sombre back
Yards surrounded by crowded dwellings.
All these houses are badly drained or not
drained at all. Many streets have no
sewers: the slop-water sinks In the soil,
and the subsoil is charged with foul mat
II. II fNr In
some cases for centuries. Where new
and broad streets have been built, where
there IS subsoil drainage, there little or
TO zymotic disease prevails and there
also the cholera has failed 10
obtain footing. am living
and writing back 20 back and
within ten to twenty yards Of one OF the
worst cholera districts Of Havre. l am
al the Hotel des hides, on the Grand
Quail Ny room faces the outer port and
the south There are no dwellings in
front. ] have a magnificent view OF the
port: on the other side Of the port, the
batteries, and beyond the batteries the
open sea.
From it's early rising TO the last glow
A. twilight the sun shines on my windows
and through the windows comes upon me
tho strong sea air. Yet Immediately be-
hind my hotel is one of the worst Sums
Of Havre In the very small street Rue
ST. Perre. there were sixteen cases and
eight deaths, and in the next and equally
small street that runs parallel with the
Rue d'Albanic. there were forty-one cases
and eighteen deaths. / have not the
figures for the other streets, but from ex-
aiming the cholera map, l know that
they were all terribly contaminated Now,
the Grand Quai forms the southern base
q an acute triangle; the other two sides
are formed by docks and by the Rue de
Paris, which Is the busiest street OF
Havre There has been one case Of chol-
era in the Rue de Paris, and one case, not
on the Grand Quai, but in back yard Of
G house on the Grand Quai.
Practically these two broad, well-aired
streets have escaped the cholera, yet they
form the wall or demarcation line Of one
Of the very worst districts Of Havre. 1t
would be difficult to find clearer evidence
OF the Importance Of broad, well-aired
streets I have selected my hotel as one
of the safest places in Havre, yet 1 am
only separated by the thickness OF the
house in which l live, | might say by
only the thickness Of a wall, from one Of
the most dangerous quarters Of the town.
PARTISAN CHOLERA AT HAZE.
Seeing that good sanitation, a plentiful
supply Of pure air, so materially affect
our chances OF escaping the cholera, IT is
surprising that for so long so little has
ditions Of health. 1t is just where sani- |
tary progress has not been accomplished |
that the cholera has found ready victims. |
Yet, even in unsanitary, OVercrOwded cen |
tres OF population, much can de done TO |
check the development Of cholera by |
prompt ana strict measures Of disinfec- |
tOn and isolation. This fact has been |
amply demonstrated at Havre. Dr.Gibert, |
the eminent sanitary reformer and Doc |
tor for Epidemcs," has published a dia- |
gram. showing how the cases of cholera |
increased till the day that a very effect |
I've service Of disinfection was organized; |
then the epidemic rapidly decreased. But |
very precious time was lost before this
was done. Had the proper precautions
been taken at the outset, probably there
would have been no epidemic IN all these
respects, the experience acquired at Havre |
IS most instructive, and consequently |
most useful. According to the evidence
now collected. it appears that the first
case occurred so far back as the 5th Of
July last and was brought here directly
from Paris. An elderly woman had been
10 see some friends who live at Courbe-
vote, suburb familiar to all who possess
but slight knowledge Of Paris.
1t is situated at the end Of that mar
vellous avenue which, commencing at
the Tuileries, is called the Champs Ely
sees till it reaches the Arc of Triumph
and then becomes the Avenue de la
Grande Armee till it reaches the fortifi-
cation. Outside Of Paris IL continues in
Il perfectly straight line, though it is now
called the Avenue de Neuilly, and only
ceases when il reaches an altitude close
10 the Fort of Mont Nalerien and which
IS the Rond Point de Courbevoie Here
this old lady from HaVre was staying, |
but she soon heard that there was cholera
IN the district. Indeed, she was not far
from Nauterre, where the epidemic first
broke out on the 5th of April and soon
spread TO Surenes, PuteauX, Neuily,
COurbevOie etc. Alarmed, the old lady
Havre, but II was already too late. on
arriving at Havre she suffered from pre-
InOnitory diarrhOea, and by the 5th of
July her medical attendant diagnosed the
full symptoms OF cholera. Eight DAYS |
later another woman, also aged was |
attacked with cholera and recovered.
The next day, the 18th OF July a man
was taken in and suffered in the same
manner, and likewise was cured. 1t was
the 18th Of Jluy that the first death from
cholera took place; the patient was a
sailor. who, however. had not been TO
sea for two months The next death was
On the I'D OF July. and then another on
tho 81 Of August. After that the cpl
demic spread rapidly and in all direc-
tons
II for these earliest cases all the pre-
cautions which are now imposed had been
applied the evil might have been nipped I
.rfA gttf Ils. xtrha l,,ei |