Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-03-16
THE CHOLERA IN TURKEY.
letter From Trobizondc, Foreign Cor.
rrspondenco of tho FREQ Pross-IIow to
Guard Against tho Pe5tilencs.

rfSpobuencC OF no Frco Iress-hOw to
Guard Against tho Pe'tilencs.
To the Editor of the Free Press:
The cholera, which started from India
nearly year ago, made its way in north
westerly direction through Afghanistan and
eastern Persia, and SO on across the Caspian
seq, fixing itself firmly at Baku and Astra-
chan. From the latter town the main col
umn Of the scourge passed into the heart of
Russio, carrying off more than quarter OF
n million Of victims afterwards dying away
on the western borders Of Europe. From
Baku, a branch of the main column moved
directly westward, reaching Batoum on
the Black sen early in July. Our city,
which is only u tours steaming from Bs-
| toum, was in imminent peril. Stringent
quarantine regulations were adopted aud Il
quarantine station established a Plataua, "a
large village 10 miles west of this city. he
quarantine station WAS soon full TO over
flowing with refugees from Russia and its
sanitary condition becoming very bad tie
cholera broke out. But although there
were some 200 cases Of cholera in the quar-
antine STATEN and village, this town vas
kept free from it until early IN September
when 10 cases occurred. After only four
days prevalence the cholera suddenly left
US. We congratulated ourselves that we
were escaping go easily. Oar quarantines
were gradually being removed and people
were resuming their usual occupations, esti
mating that the cholera was at n cafe dis
ance behind them.
But one danger had not been sufficiently
estimated A detachment had left the main
cholera column in eUstern Persia and push
ed directly westward, carrying off 20 900
victims N 'Izhnrgn and follC wing 10 m al
caravan route swept over western Persia
This column at last reached the Turkish
border and another column pressing down
through Russia by way of Kars arrived
about TIE same tinlr. TIE Turkish govern
ment tried Intellectually to arrest the prog
ress of the disease 10y cutting off al inter
course across the boundary, But it found
its way into Turkish territory, and moved
on from village to village until it reached
ErZroom where it carried Off some 300
people From Erzroom a company OF or
tilery soldiers sent here to take on CANNON
brought the cholera during the X st days of
October. For nearly two and half months
it continued its ravages, visiting every quar-
ter and nationally of the town excepting
foreigners. The whole number of cases Of
hcialy reported was $50, 230 being Turks
III Greeks ard ~ Armenians. OF these
lS5 were males, 1l1 females and So were
children under T. years of age. Among the
Christians, that is, the Greeks and Armeni-
ans, the females outnumbered the males
but among the Moslems the reverse was the
case. Perhaps the females among Mosl ems
were not fully reported. Out OF those 800
cases, 934 died, 90 per cent. This mortality
seems large but it is modified by another
table prepared Ivy the English consul, in
which the city physicians reports 12G CAGES
,.-itl, tban 10
official tables give. 1t is probable that this
last figure includes many cases not well de-
fined as cholera.
I he table above referred to also gives a
sketch of the treatment OF the different
physicians. The astringents relied upon
by the 10 physicians reported seemed to
have been opium, syrup of morphia, fannie
acid and sncyiate of bismuth, and for
combating vomiting Tactic acid lemonade
, and the EiYieTe water, which is composed of
ctric acid, bcarbonnte OF potash aud sim
pie syrup largely diluted with water. The
formula most generally used was that
recommended by the Imperial medical COL
, lege OF Constantinope, and which is as fol =
lows:
Riviere water pint, laudanum 30 drops,
pepperm nj water & teaspoons, and simple
syrup-a tablespoonful TO be taken every
half hour
With this medicine also supplied a
campnor lniment with per cent add
ton of essence of sage for external use.
! These medicines as well as medical attend
ance were furnished free by the govern
ment The municipal physician of the town
used the above mentioned formula and re.
ported 10 cases treated, of whom 10 died,
t q mortality far greater than the average OF
those reported by tho physicians. Evident
ly, MS one might suppose, the medicine was
not very effective. 1t had this advantage,
. however, that it could, without danger, be
r. placed in the hands OF ignorant people, for
+ In ons case which | visited it appeared that
a healthy woman, finding the medicine
D pleasant TO the taste drank off the greater
part of bottle without feeling the slightest
effect Tho English consul gave 10 to ~
drops of laudanum for simple diarrhea and
. a pill composed Of four grains OF acetate OF
lead anu one grain OF powdered opium in
- the advanced stages, as recommeudedby DR..
MacNamara, a distinguished English physi-
= clan. This treatment was very successful. Tbs
writer used to some extent what are known
as the Hamlin mixtures, the principal one
con tanning equal parts OF laudanum, spirits
of camphor and tincture of rhubari. After
y all nothing seemed better than simple
laudanum. In cholera times every house
, should be provided with laudanum, the in
mates being instructed in its intelligent use
g TO check diarrhea To drink nothing bu,
u boiled water is also an excellent precautioD.
y To sit in a refreshing draft of air while
: perspiring, is n good way to invite cholera.
y People that avoid stmulants, that are prop
+ erly nourished and are not run down, y
that observe regular habits OF eating, drink
u ing, sleeping and laborng, are not apt to
u take cholera however much they may he
# exposed TO it. But in some cases that saw
Z where nearly all these conditions were lack
u ing, the patients recovered.
& 1t will he seen that the course OF the
+ cholera was along two great routes o.
r travel, arriving here by steam some three
i months earlier than by the caravan route
N Quarantnss, however vigorous, did no
arrest its progress, though they may hav'
delayed it. At this point it terminated it
., westward progress aud this is the only
p" Turkish seaport on the Black sea visited b.,
n the scourge Whether guarantees arrest
re ed its progress at this point, or whether
IN would in any case have stopped here cal