Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-09-07

reason 70 doubt but vhsf, when tk<y sgsan
have an oppssfunisy = empress tAsh vievs
Ct tie polls, de nss whose misehisyeas
thsosis hevs srcbbad ihs country Of she
gsndsss prosperity in IL history viii not be
fund IN the ascendency.
IL Sssses = ehsisss.
Modern medical Acience IL far better able
% cope with epidemic diseases today than
i ever vas before in the history Of the
VOID Effects are constantly being traced
tssk 70 causes and nsseh that vas once con-
s;defed both mysterious and inexpnesble is
nov clearly understood and successfully
lsak With. For some yeArs past medical
research has been enlisted in die inyestiga-
ton Of the csuses rssponsibie for vchoiers
epidsu,ies. soas months sgo the Journal
edisersiiy oppressed the opinion, based NJ
on the discoveries Of these men, that the
| piisrinages Of dsvotees Of the Mo
hasnmed2n Fsligioa TO the city Of
sseees. were largely, II not wholly.
fssr ondbis for the existence Of shi,
dread disease. There IL nov no question
a. to this being nlsh disease, and the
athr flthiness Of the ''hoIy city Of Mecca
10 said to bsggAr description, Sewerage /.
unknown. OAaI Of all kinds 10 thrown into
the streets. Through such soil percolats
the waters of the holy well called Zsmzsm
located in the famous mosque Of that sacred
city.
The late Sir Richard Burton. one of the
few Europeans who has tasted its discolored
| and ili-smeiling waters described them as
'salt-bitter, much resembling an infusion OF
= texpoonful of EPSON salts in a large
rambler Of tepd water" The origin of
the notion that this web il sacred is thu
yivsn by q correspondent Of the New York
| World: The Mohammsisn tradition il
| that ibis Is the well which iIagar found
WHEN Abraham banished her, and that il
burst out under the stroke Of the angel Cab
riefs wing. The name is supposed to be an
imitation of the sound of gurgling water.
Although its yene ration Is part Of the
Mobammedan religion, ii was venerafed
long before Mohammed preached the new
| religion. In fact. he got his start chiefly
through his family being the custodians OF
the wpil, with the right Of dipping water
for the pilgrims In this way he became
widely known to the most religious element
Is - ~
Inal source Of these waters, the
present source is the drainage of Mecca.
| The we'll does not come from the depths,
but gets its waters through filtration. Its
waters bear with it all sorts of impurities,
and stand in its marble basin veritable
| cesspool. Subjected to analysis, its waters
have shown at various times from six to
Atty times as much impurity a. the sewage
of London. When it is remembered that
each year from 100 900 to 200 900 pilgrims
from all parts Of the Mohammed&n world visit
Mecca and battle in the water of Zemzem,
then carry away and spread whatever dis
eases they contract from the filthy waters,
the danger which turks in this sacred" pool
can be in part imagined. Every devotee,
in order to be regarded rs ''hadji' or
pilgrim, must visit the well. He stands
at the brink Of the pool, stripped
Of all clothing except breech-
clout. The attendant dips bucket into the
pool and brings it up full of this awful
water. The devotee stands with face up
turned and mouth wide OPEN and the atten-
dant pours the water upon his face. He
drinks rs much as he can. The rest of the
water flows over his body, runs down upon
the marble floor and back into the we'll So
this goes on. one pilgrim rapidly succeeds
another, day after day, and each moment
the water of the well has been further be-
fouled by the washing of ten or dozen
Mohammedans. Whatever of disease there
was in the pool, each pilgrim has drunk,
has had washed over his body. And the
fanatics think these waters are especially
beneficial in cooling fevers and heal
ing all diseases. If the pilgrim is
Wtak run tut lhttSut VI lie iouk Joui
ney when he visits the well he probably
contracts disease there. Besides, he car
ries away bottle. of the sacred water and
with it is likely to scatter the plague among
persons who have not visited the holy we'll.
Enlightened Mohammedans are beginning
to realize that cholera is spread broadcast
by the poisoned waters of Zemzem and that
something ought to be done to stop this,
but they are in a quandry as to what to do,
for they know that the masses of Moham-
medans, who are extreme fanatics. would
bitterly resent any interference with their
customs or any tampering with the sacred
pool of Zemzem.
| Already 4 demand is being made upon
the English government, in the name of
enlightened civilization, to brave the furies
of religious fanaticism and put an end to
this evil that menaces the health of the
void. 1t is certainly to be hoped that she
will have the courage to deal with it prompt
ly and effectually.