The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-10-05
HOW CHOLERA Is SPREAD IN INDIA.
Through LaTh of Sanitation and the Peo-
ple's PeeaIaar Habits.

Through Lack of Sanitation and the Peo-
ple's PeeaIsar Habits.
A plain story of the conditions that
prevail in India for the spread of the
cholera was Selated at the New Cen
tury club by Or. Pauline Root of the
Woman's Medical college, who has lived
for eight years in southern India. DR..
Root began by describing the conditions
under which people live in southern In
dia, in order to show exactly what cir
cumstances generate the cholera. There
is absolutely no sanitation there as we
have it. Drainage, with the exception
of a fever breeder in the way of an oper
sewer, is unknown. In the village peo-
pie live in low mud huts, where all the
family congregate in one room, the di-
mensions Of which are likely to he feet
by 10 or f3 feet. AZ there are no out
buildings ut nll. there is no way in which
persons can protect themselves against
the ch0lers if it once appears in such
household. Sometimes, if the well runs
dry, stagnant wateT mcst 10 used. A
high caste persona5a Fill not allow
low caste to use his we'll
Commonly people so to the river fol
water. AS the water is frequently not
ON the surface, q tub is dug in the
river bed and tie water allowed to col.
lect. At this tub or at the well all the
functions Of bathing are performed.
First the Jar Is filed and the water being
dashed over the person soon trickles back
to its source. In the case of certain re-
ligious enthusiasts, water is poured over
the body 20 times. Next the seely, the
single piece of silk or cloth which is worn
as a garment, must be washed. This il
dipped into the pool Finally the jar is
reflled and carried home. The quality
Of the water by the time the jar is re-
filled Ii promising indeed when cholera
is In the air.
In these river tubs the clothes are
washed. The cattle are taken there to
drink. DR.. Root said that in sending
man to the river to fetch water there was
never any certainty that he would not
fill his jar with the water standing in one
Of the pools instead of digging fresh
hole. The very cleanliness Cf the people
and they are extremely clean-tends
to the spread of cholera because then
method OF bathing is Sc unintelligent.
In southern India there is always mort
or less cholera. 1t is often prevalent aft
or a certain religious festival--of the
the marriage of two divinities-which is
celebrated by an encampment in the
river bed for four or five days.
As for facilities in caring for the sick
in India, DR.. Root graphically showed
how forlornly poor these are by describ-
ing her experience in the house of the
vice president Of the municipality OF
Madua, wealthy man, who arrayed
himself resplendently when he came to
ask her to visit his wife, thus showing
his solicitude for his wife's condition.
Undoubtedly he meant to do the best he
could for the sick woman, for the doctor
found her in room adjacent to her hus-
band's-a position of honor. The WON
an was badly crippled and only able to
crawl down from her cot. Beyond play
ing with the children and polishing the
jewels nothing relieved the monotony OF
her day. She was entirely uncared for.
A hole in the wall for refuse was cleaned
only once day. The woman died of
blood poisoning. And this is the way a
sick person Jared in one of the better
houses!
Usually a sick person is placed in o
room that is reached from the house by
crossing court and passing through an
alley. The alley usually has black,
Shiny water in it. The room is feet
square. In the court are often found
the cow. chickens and number of per-
sons. No wonder that under such con
ditions cholera spreads like wildfire.
But cholera is always brought. It never
starts Of itself. Philadelphia Ledger.