The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-11
THE ASIATIC CHOLERA.
uHAr CAUSE HAS AMERICA TO
BREAD ITS APPROAC6?


vanced through Europe and Crossed
o,,r shores-It Has Now Invaded
Iss,s and Perhaps is Raging in
n-t,-rt VIII Knoc< at the Gates of
on- seaports, but VIII Find Us Pre-
pared to Meet 1t.
From. the Net0 York Sun.
IT,. endemic Of Asiatic cholera which
L.,r rsvsging the countries south of the
pIook s9d Caspian seas during the past
-~;ntsr. spring and summer may prove OF
- interest to the people Of this con-
-, than has heretofore been supposed.
n-9rts Of cholera, more or less terrible in
- details, are expected to come every
vaar from the sun-beaten lands of the east
'sbicn are its constant home, but they are
-sIIv no cause for dread 1t is fortunately
onIs occasional that the plague leaps its
at,rsl boundaries and penetrates Europe.
WHEN II does there is just reason for alarm
t.or, the civilized world, for it rarely stays
-. course until it has enoircled the globe.
Tho present epidemic is one Of these ex-
toms Late in May the cholera, after
living ravaged the filthy and crowded
nitiss If India Persia, Afghanistan and the
sbores Of the Red sea, leaped the mountain
md inland seas, which are the natural
T'or,bern boundaries, and plunged into the
,.o-v heart of European Russia. The plague
took tbis course in 1880 and spread over
Enrope and America with frightful re-
sn1ts Several times since it has burst
,S boundaries, and the end has always
basn the same The western continent has
Dsver escaped. In 1849, in 1856 and in 1873
the scourge Of Europe became the scourge
NJ America There Is no reason to suppose
that cholera will not knock at our doors
now. Our hope lies in the immense gaiu in
eficieucy Of our local health authorities.
The danger has been recognized both in
England and the United States. The last
numbers Of the great British medical
journals, whose conser vatism is universally
recognized have contained considerable
discussions of the subject, and have advised
the adoption Of prompt aud efficient defen-
sive measures. The medical journals on
this side Of the Atlantic have followed in
the sane vein.
Very lately Supervising Surgeon General
Wyman Of the marine hospital service sent
accommodation to the Secretary of the
Treasury asking that the government make
special preparations to meet the plague in
case it appears. Ia his letter he said:
"A serious matter for consideration is the
baggage Of immigrants arriving at the port
fectsd districts or from districts contiguous
thereto. Under the present arrangement
tie baggage of all immigrants passes
without detention through New York
to points of destination, the health
authorities Of some of the states
beng uotlfed when this baggage comes
from suspected localities. l have now to
urge that the baggage Of the kind just men,
toned be thoroughly disinfacted on Ellis
hafnn 70 ha
forward. For this purpose there should be
two or three large steam disinfecting cham
bers established for which there is ample
room on this island, and would respect
fully urge that steps be Immediately taken
for the establishment of such plant.n
He also sent out a letter to surgeons In
charge of quarantine stations on the At
lantic and gulf coasts ordering that no YES
sci from ports through which cholera can
roach as be passed without special disinfec-
ton after prescribed methods. Meantime
n be has asked the Secretary of State to cable
Oonsus In the affected districts, directing
them to publish the fact that rigid disinfec-
ton will be enforced at our ports, and to
discourage shipments by all lawful methods
The local board OF health Of this city is also
making preparations.
such precautions against plague which
Is as yet scarcely nearer to US than the
Other side Of the globe may seem needless
to many whose Information is gathered
from the disconnected cable reports in the
daily papers. That they were warranted
by the situation, however, is fully shown
oy the alStory of The present and OF past
epldemics of cholera.
THE HOME OF CHOLERA.
There is always cholera in India. IL began
there before history, and has become a very
part OF the land and the civilizssion. Its
seed IS In the earth. and its breath is in the
ar. It's sway is undsputed by the swarm
aug people, who lie down at Its coming and
dle without effort or protest against their
Iate. Inc hot sun and the humid. feveriSh
atmosphere have much to do with It's I'M
checked presence and occasional violent
outbreaks, but the civilization Of the land
uoes more. Superstition and uncleanliness
prevail TO an almost unbelievable extent.
4he cities and towns of the Indian hills are
uuoralnei, unwatersd, and filthy, The pso-
PIE I'VE IN state of degradation which ap-
8 peas more strongly to the nose even than to
tnseye Under such conditions the plague
tnElVes and fatteHs upon unnumbered vic
s. tins
travelling is done by caravans, which
AZ themselves are hotbeds of disease and
ePiead II lar and wide. The hordes of pill
krlns which yearly seek the sacred cities,
Aarchlng In struggling armies of thousands
ShLesu 1t; Lastly, the great fairs and fes-
o oi.als "hIca occur at frequent intervals,
attracting visitors from the utterInost parts
VI ln1la, and from Persia, Afghanistan and
suOorlug principalities, are a prolific
n SoasCe OF contagi0n. In particular, the
stcaI festivals of Juggernaut and Hurdwar
"n5cu occur at intervals of twelve years,
, nau are attended by upward of 1000 900
ap' are active agents in its
spread. 1t is a significant fact
S Snas each of the greater cpl
oelnIas which have penetrated Europe and
l1nCleu The globe have originated in years
80 'he or the other of these great festi-
tb o-' we're held. In 1873, the year in which
TO- opuemlc, which reached US in 1882, be-
- a. ~ violent was the outbreak of cholera
49, Tue Juggernaut festival that the famous
lact, az could not be dragged around for
q ra,o.o u, aole men. The epidemic which
f ro US In 1866 received the impulse
& Tas.i., .Ie hurdwar festival and at the same
q yritt va began the present epidemic, not
tie uulhg the attempts Of the authori
s. the t e.o~n wiser after centuries, to check
q VIII e OWN and spread of the pestilenct
8 Tb Iu inevitably accompanied it.
tra, Ianc between Russia, Persia, Cen
q "a ASA and India by way Of Cabul is
Icy accomplished by four tribes of
b1aa'ese Atghans, known as Provindabs
96 6oS are 5000 families, and they owr
in ~ yanels aad 10000 oxen. They move
ir,5qI es enormous caravans, DESCENDING
aISr,- -.l ia down tho Ganges to Benares anc
1'1us Lhs Indus tn Knrrachaa "a tho,,,