The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1893-06-16
CHOLERA IN INDIA.


Through LACK OY SAuttattbu anu toc ~
pies Peculiar Habits.
A plain story OF the conditions that
prevail in India for the spread Of tho
cholera was told yesterday morning at
the New Century club by DR.. Pauline
Root Of the Woman's Medical College.
who has lived for eight years in SOUTH
ern India. DIR. Root began by describ-
ing the conditions under which people
live in Southern India in order 20 show
exactly what circumstances generate
the cholera. There is absolutely no
sanitation there. rs we have it. Drain
age. with the exception OF fever
breeder in the way of an open sewer,
Is unknown. In the villages people
live in low mud huts, where all the
family congregate in one room, the
dimensions Of which are likely To be
IA feet by 10 or II feet. As there are
no out buildings at all there is no way
in which persons can protect them
selves against the cholera IL II once
appears in such q household Some
times. il the well runs dry. stagnant
water must be used. A high caste per-
sonage will not allow low caste TO
use his well.
Commonly. people go to the river for
water As the water is frequently not
on the surface tub" is dug In the
river bed and the water allowed to coll
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 religious enthusiasts water
is poured over the body fifty times.
Next the seelyy. the single piece OF
silk or cloth which is worn as "a gar
ment. must be washed. This IS
dipped into the pool. Finally the
lar is refilled and carried home.
The quality IF the water by the time
the lar is retilled is promising. indeed,
when cholersnis 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 10 the
river to fetch water there was never
anv certainty that he would not NIL MS
lar with the water standing in one OF
the pools. instead of digging fresh
hole. The very cleanliness Of the people,
and they are extremely clean, tends 10
the spread of cholera because their
method of bathing is SO unintelligent.
In southern India there Is always more
or less cholera. 1t is often prevalent
after a certain religious festival-of
the marriage of two divinities when
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 de-
scribing her experience IN the house
of the vice president OF the munici
, pality Of Nadua. "A wealthy man. wht
arrayed himself resplcndently when h'
came to ask her To- visit his WIFE thu
showing his solicitude for his wife
condition. Undoubtedly he meant u
do the best he could for the sick wa
man. for the doctor found her In
room adjacent To her husband s.
position of honor. The woman wa
. badly crippled and only able To craw
down from her cot Beyond playin
J. with the children and polishing tn
! Jewels nothing relieved the monoton
h of her day She was entirely uncare
: for. A hole in the wall for refuse wa
5 cleaned only once "A day. The woma
g died Of blood poisoning. And this
a the way a sick person Jared in one
!. the better houses Usually sick pc
{" son is placed in room that is reaehe
! from the house by crossing court an
IS passing through an alley. The allie
@ usually has black. Shiny water in !
N The room is seven feet square In u
n court are often found the COW. chic
y en-. and a number Of persons No wo
K der that under such conditions cholel
h. spreads like wildfire. But cholera
d ALWAYS brought. II never starts
:. itself. -Philadelphi Ledger.