Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-03
FsoM THE RUSSIAN "PuNcH."

the hot blue sky. There is n deep ravine run
ming through the city, and dividing it in three
parts ard coming TO the city from the river il
looks both picturesque and beautiful. II is very
fair Russian town and is better built
and better looking than the average cities of
the Folga. 1t has about 49, 900 people. has a
good theater and a number Of fine churches,
some of which belong to the Germans. 1t is one
OF tie centers OF the German colonies of Russia
and you find that nearly every other man in the
town speaks German as we'll as Russian The
buildings are. as a rule Of stucco The streets
are paved with cobble stones, and the town is
lighted with gas. 1t is on the whole,
much cleaner than any of the other yolga
cities that ] visited, and il seems strange
that the cholera should have first broken
ont he-e. l understand that the people
are leaving in large numbers and those that re-
main are almost frightened to death. The town
has had considerable experience Nth the chol-
era In the past and nearly every great cholera
epidemic Of history has rested during its march
through Russia at Saratoff.
With the increased facilities for commune
cation diseases Of this kind spread more rapidly
than ever before. The hot5ed Of the cholera
seems TO be Asia Minor. Persia and the regions
along the Trans-Caspian railroad. The great
cholera epidemic of 1928 came from this region
and extended into AsiatIc Russia. The
cholera of 1890 first mantle sted itself in Persia,
and ii got its start on the shores of tine Caspian
sea. Il crept mp the Yolga just as this cholera
is doing and it ravagei the Russian empire and
during the following year spread over Europe
and wrapped its disease-spreading arms around
England. France and Germany Thence it
went into Spain and Italy and finally came
over % North America. Nearly every cholera OF
history has come from the trans Caspian region.
and though Russia is doing all i. can TO keep it
down It is impossible to tel whether she will
succesd. Down at Astrakhan the people are
diving BY the dozens ever week and there are,
| am told, in the neighborhood Of hundred
cholera cases in that city. 1t ia through thi
town that ell Persian travellers must come, and
q rigid quarantine is enforced The officials on
the Trans-Caspian road inspect all passengers
and a careful examination Is being made at the
different cities. At the present writing, how
ever, the people are suffering from the lack
OF doctors and there is practically
no medical service in connection
with the Russian villages. During
the :yphus fever and the famine the most Of the
prescriptions were made by private citizens,
and the care of the sick was largely BIZ well-to-
do people. who did the work for charitys sake.
Reports from the cholera districts are so unreli-
able that 10 is impossible to tell just TO how
great an extent IL Sists. There are said 10 be a
few cases In the hospital at Moscow, but 40 far
nC-.e have manifested themselves here and the
disease seems to be confined TO the Volga
IN MOSCOW AND ST. PETERSBURG.
The sanitary arrangements Of Moscow and
81. Petersburg might be improved upon. 1t is
not that the streets and the houses are no.
kept clean enough. for they are as well cared
for in this respect a. those Of any other cities
Of the world. The police have charge OF the
sanitary arrangements and il a man does not
keep the roadway IN front OF his house clean or
allows any nuisance TO remain abou, his prem
ises ne is liable to ind himsc eli in JAIL and if he