The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-08-27
Many Of the Infected Steamers Passengers Per-
mitted to Proceed to London, Where an Out.
break Is Now Considered Inevitable.
Cases and Deaths Increasing in Ham,
burg and Other Cities of Germany.
Berlin Attacked by the Disease-The Dread
Visitor Expected at New York, but Every
Effort VIII Be Made to Throttle It.



Disease-London Imperiled.
[Copyright 1892 by the New York Associated Press.
LONDON. Aug. 26.-The officials of the
local government board charged TO watch
the progress of the cholera are tonight
less confident of the metropolis escaping a
visitation of the disease. 1t has obtained
o foothold at Gravesend, where it was
brought by the steamer Gamma, which ar
rived there yesterday from Hamburg. 1t
was reported that the steamer was in
fected, but the authorities, after examin-
ing the passengers, allowed them to land.
A few hours after two aliens who
had arrived in the Gamma were
taken sick. They were at once
removed to the hospital at, Graves
end, where the doctors pronounced their
malady cholera. In spite of every thing
that was done for them, they died shortly
after they were admitted. The Gravesend
cases are undoubtedly cases of Asiatic
cholera. The medical officers who in
spected the Gamma permitted q mum ber of
passengers to proceed to Lond on under the
excuse that they had not been in contact
with that part of the vessel where the in
fectlon showed itself. To assuage alarm
the authorities allege that precautions
were taken to disinfect the passengers, bat
. this statement. which has only been made
since the character of the disease declared
itself. is dIscredited. With cholera at
Gravesend and infected persons probably
roaming about in the city, some outbreak
of the disease in London is considered in.
evitable.
The port of London Is not properly
watched. The sanitary committee has ap-
piled for q vast increase of staff. otherwise
1t cannot undertake the surveillance of
ships entering the Thames from infected
continental ports. The port staff is daily
being reinforced. as the officers are over
worked inspecting. disinfecting and burn
ing clothing. bedding, etc. But no Thames
Gordon will suffice TO shut out the danger
of infection. A stream of arrival from the
continent comes via Harwich, Southamp-
ton and other ports by train without in
spection. Railways and steamship compa-
nies. excepting the transatiantic
lines. show no intention of 6us-
pending their ordinary arrangements.
In spite of the setting up of
quarantine in foreign ports traffic will con-
tinue. making supervision on the Thames
almostsv aluelees. The authorities expect
On outbreak and are preparing to meet IL.
Never were the slum districts so pestered
the East End. where the last epidemic that
of 1866, killed 10000 persons in few weeks.
the water supply has been tested and found
to be of doubtful quality. and changes
have been ordered in the fltering sppara-
tus. The people of South London have
been warned that their water is source of
danger With all there is not the sll ghtest
panic spparant. The chances of q vista
tIon will diminish as the weather cools
and public confidence In tho sanitary ar
rangements and vigilance of the authori-
ties is absolute.
To-day the steamer Laura. ply ing between
Hamburg and Lynn Regis, an English port
on the Great Ouse, arrived at Lynn. She
was boarded by the health officials, who
found two cholera suspects on board. The
vessel was at once ordered to put back to
sea. The officers end passen gers protested
against such summary treatment, but the
health officers were obdurate and positive
ly refused TO let single person land from
the steamer.
Sixty passengers on board the Hamburg
American steamer Columbia, from New
York. which arrived at Southampton yes
terday. changed their minds about pro-
ceedlng to Hamburg, when they learned of
the cholera epidemic there. They left the
Columbia, when they found that the CON-
pany had ordered that she proceed no
further, and took passage for Flushing in
the Netherlands. Two hundred passeng gers
remained on board the Columbia, not hav-
ing made up their minds what routes they
would take to reach the continent
The Liverpool steamship companies have
instructed their agents on the continent to
cease booking emigrants from choera-ir-
fected districts. All the boarding-bou
at Liverpool are subjected daily to q rigor-
Gus inspection, TO see that they are kept
clean, and all the sanitary regulations COM
piled with.