, 1892-07-27


ton. IN one particular, indeed, we have a
continually growing sense of our inability to
resist its attack. Quarantine is daily less be-
lieved to be efficaclous, and more seen TO be
impossible. The channels of intercourse be-
tween nations are too numerous, aud too lit
tie known, for measures of exclusion to be OF
any avail. The most rigid Gordon ever de-
vised can effect nothing over any large from
tier. We read of the precautions taken by the
Russian Government, with an underlying con.
viction that we shall soon be reading of their
inutility. There is little chance. therefore,
now that the cholera has established itself i'll
the Russian provinces of central Asia, that it
will in the end be excluded from Russia in
Europe. Nor, unfortunately, can there be any
doubt that, when it arrives there, it will find
the ground admirably prepared for it. The
two main conditions that promote its
spread are present in terrible abundance.
Russia-at least rural, Russis-is not a clean
country, and a population which has Just been
visited by a terrible famine is not likely to
have much strength left with which to throw
off an attack Of cholera. On paper, no doubt,
the orders of the Minister of the Interior are
excellent. AS soon as a district is threaten
ed, the local authorities are to appoint SAM
tary Commissions, and to provide doctors, nur-
SEES, and medicine. There is to be absolute
isolation of the patients, rigid superintend-
ence of food and drinking, careful disinfec-
ting of rooms and houses. But we know,
from what has happened in the famine, how
great a gulf there is, and must long be, be-
tween intention and execution where the one
has it's origin in a remote central office, and
the ether has to find it's fulflment through
local agencies which in some cases have no ex-
istence, and in all are very imperfectly fur
nlshed with either the knowledge or the APP
pliances wanted to carry out the Ministers
directions, or with the means of procuring
them when wanting. There is but too much
reason, therefore. for the uueasiness which the
news from central Asia and the Caspian has
caused in Russia. Nor has the Russian Gov
ernment yet mastered the elementary law
that the Imagination IL commonly sure to
outrun facts. They seem still to be of opin-
ion that the way to allay alarm is 20 keep it
deprived OF any accurate data by which TO
measure 1t. They are afraid of creating q pa
mic and they do not remember that ignor-
ance is one OF the chief exciting canses Of
panic. They keep all the information in
their hands. instead of leaving its collection
and distribution to the newspapers; and when
IN their hands they deal it out with great re-
serve and much delay. Naturally, therefore,
the public suspect that they know more
than they choose to tell, and in this way
almost unlimited scope is given for fanoying
the worst.
Happily, in Western Europe this method
of frightening those whom it is desired to
reassure is out of date. Ifthe cholera moves
westward, every step it takes will be carefully
chronioled. But as regards England at all
events, we shall have more solid ground Of
satisfaction tnan this. In the first place, we
have full warning. At the late in which the
cholera ordinarily moves, it will not come
anywhere near us till next year; and with our
new local organisations, this interval ought
to give abundant opportunities for making
all necessary preparations. The only diff
Guilty as regards this feature in the prospect,
is to know how far it is wise to dwell on it.
Undoubtedly, to say that the cholera is still
a long way of is to understate the case in
our favor. There is no certainty that it. will
ever reach these shores England escaped
last time consequently, there is nothing in
the nature of things to prevent her from
escaping again. But it would argue extra
ordinary folly in the local authorities to take
any such exemption for granted. We know
SO little of the laws which govern the distri-
button of spidemics, that we can have no good
ground for saying that the cholera will not
come to England and we shall only be justi-
fed in remembering that on the last occasion
it did not come, when we have taken all the
precautions against it that sanitary experience