Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-02
MARCH OF THE CHOLERA.
Origin of the Epidemic In Asia-Its Pres
ence at First Kept Secret

Origin of the Epidemic In Asia-Its Pres
ence at First Kept secret.
The news from Europe is that the cholera is
working its way westward. aud physicians in
Germany express the fear that II may cross the
ocean and become epidemic in the United
States. Knowing the rigor Of the quarantine
regulations ut the Atlantic seaports however.
they believe il will reach this territory through
Canada. An article in the Philadelphia Press
gives the origin Of the epidemic as follows:
The extension Of the trouble into Russia,
where it first took root and which We must now
consider the most prolific source Of danger 20
ourselves, Mt once suggests the importance Of
our getting the Russian version of the matter in
preference to those necessarily garbled accounts
winch litter into our newspapers through En-
glish sources.
The truth is that we must seek for the birth
place OF the cholera epidemic within the con-
lines of British India, or at least in those sec
lions OF the Indian empire which practically
under British control. In Russia grave sus-
picion exists that the English resident in Cabul
In Afghanistan, knows more Of the true in
wardness of the difficulty than he or his
superiors have ever been willing to admit As
early as April 20 last several cases OF cholera
were reported in the valley of the Helmund. a
river that flows between kandahar and the
Persian frontier.
DEPORTATION OF VICTIMS.
The British resident, hearing Of the outbreak,
sent cipher dispatch to the government Off
cials at Calcutta, whence instructions we're for
warded to Lahore directing the shipment of
disinfectants in quantities to the Anglo-Afghan
border. No public explanation WAS made for
this action, as ii was considered advisable to
keep matters quiet. The Russians practically
charge the English with malice in trying To
throw off from their own territory into the ad-
jacent alien regions Of Central Asia the incubus
OF an impending plague.
In seeking TO trace the origin of the trouble
II must fairly be admitted that the Transcaspian
railway, notwithstanding its manifest advan-
tages, has from the start favored the dissemins-
ton OF disease. 1t traverses a desert region
which before its construction acted as n barrier
between Russia and Asia. effectually shutting
off the possibility Of transmitting disease. Now
that the railroad is an accomplished fact. con-
meeting the Central Asian and European prov
inces of Russia. it is perfectly easy for infec-
ton to be carried to and fro Bs.ku the great
port on the eastern side of the Caspian sea, has
proved in the present instance the first etape
of the contagion- Being tine western terminus
of the Transcaspian railroad system. it il the
entrepot of commerce between Asiatic and
European Russia, and lite malign influence as u
center of infection can scarcely be underesti-
mated.
The writer's knowledge Of the town suggests
some interesting details which are especially
timely. II is a populous city, containing dis
tinctly floating" population. They come aud
go. successfully seeking. finding and abandon
ing the employment which is there obtainable
IN connection with the great petroleum springs
and the railsoad freight sheds They are
mainly composed of Persians. Bokharites Xiii
vans, Iurcomans and the most repulsive de-
scription of low-class Hebrews. The prevailing
racial characteristic the re is Asatic. and il is
superfuous to say that il carries with il the
inevitable accompaniment Of uncleanliness.
DISREGARD OF SANITATION
There il thus confronting the observer of
social conditions in Baku a state of affairs
which, apart from its individual interest, sup
plies a general KEY to the position Russia occu-
pies toward other nations in the face Of he
present cholera crisis. Here we find congre-
CATION Of human souls which herds amid al
most indescribably horrible sanitary surround
lngs and menaces other nations by reason of its
migratory tendency. The petroleum industry
subordinates all other commercial interests to
its predominant claims. Even the common ne
cessities of sanitation disregarded in the
pursuit of gain and the largest employers OF
labor-the Nobel Brothers. who principally con-
! troll the output Of the oil wells-are compare
lively Indifferent TO the condition of their en-
plcyes. Perhaps they cannot be criticised very
sharply for this, because they are dealing with
a class of men practically unamenable to con-
alterations Of decency, as understood by Aryan
people.
The town Of Baku is almost destitute of
drainage and apart from the few government
buildings it contains forms a collection of poor
and squalid dwellings oyercrowded with thei-
miserable tenants. When the writer was i'm
Baku. less than two years ago. o case of small
pox broke out within 100 yards Of the residence
Of the archemandrite or governor of the town.
J at Ms lylau fh..r %
occurrence in any Of their cities minor
towns. Beyond question the officials response
BILE for the public health would have promptly
responded TO the needs of the occasion, effectu-
ally quarantincd the sufferer and taken other
requisite measures for stamping out the disease.
Not SO, however, in Bakd, where the police
absorbed in their customary task of chasing
nihlists-real or imaginary-had no time to de-
vote to a secondary matter like the preservation
of public health. The patient was allowed to
have his case treated in a private house, where
he was in constant contact with other persons.
and to many of whom he actually did transmit
his malady. Only a proyidential dispensation
could have saved thecommunity from a small
pox plague. The archemandrite Was attacked
and almost succumbed.
KEY TO THE POSITION.
That Providence does not always intervene in
such cases has been proved by the present out
break, which has spread its foul influence broad
cast. In such towns as Baku. throughout Rus
STA. il is common for dead animals to lie upon
the streets for an indefinite period before any
one thinks Of removing them. The effect OF
this neglect is apparent. and has been felt by
the masses to an extent which il almost incredi-
BILE in its consequence. Yet, if Bsku is bad,
what shall be said of entire Volga provinces
like Astrakhan, where the ever-moving camps of
Tartsrs carry germs Of disease from place to
place without check or hindrance?
1t is true that special efforts have been made
by the RUSSIAN government to prevent the chol-
era from spreading in those districts. The
Mini Novgorod fair would form q prolific
source Of danger its cosmopolitan attendance
would carry inoculation into Europe and ex-
tend into the new world itself the revages Of
pestilence. The Russian minister Of the lnte-
rior has sent medical officials to tour along the
Volga and enforce to the utmost the powers
with which all autocracy has invested them, 10
the end that they may successfully grapple with
the pest fend. carefully prepared and APP
parently complete set Of instructions have been
formulated and issued from the ministry of the
interior. St. Petersburg, Of course, say the
powers that be, must be guarded at all hazards
from even the. possibility q contagion-