New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-05
the PL1GTE IT NLCC1

The epidemic of cholera ~ Mecca Is making
steady progress fortnight ago the deaths daily
worr counted by dozens. wecl; ago they num-
horcd hundreds Now they have reached the
thousand mark How much further the roll u
t. bo swcll,h depends chiefly upon IN" number
Of pilgrims who remain in the stricken city. Ihe
local authorities can do nothing t. stay III"
pc.til.nc. II must rag" until the population IL
drcimatcd and then subsidr liz" fir that
buns i,.lf out. That has been th" record oi
former cpidcmcs. and there j. no ground Tor hop
In fr any other result in ~" present cp.r
The root Of the evil lie, not - much IN nat IRA.
conditions as in ignorance and fanaiici'n.
Although Mecca lies in valley with poor
facillt- for Drainage. and IN torrid climate, II
might. under proper administration. b" made fairly
sauhrious The sill j. light and DRY, I'll" streets
ale ol good width. and the water supply. brought
from aiar through fin alu"iuct. l. pure an !
abundant There j.. however. not a sewer nor
oven w-ll-constIuctcd surface drain IN the
city. nor ar. any "f the houses properly equipped
with plumbing other sanitary DEVICES. Sewage
and o1al are simply DISCHARGED into open pits
in tie, middl" Of the street, tLcrr t. r""li. fer
mcnt. and poison tie soil and air. Vt ordinary
rimc-. with the normal population Of about
,o.ooo. the place j, foul But when. IN Zul
Ilija. thu pilgrimage month. from 5o.o00 to
so.o0o visitors are in the ci'y. from all parts
# the Moslrm world. tn" minority Of them living
in the streets, il becomes indcscribaby vile.
Even thcsr conditions, bad rs they arc, would
scarcely max" IN" place the plague spot that il
i, were it not for the religions fInatialSm of the
yila rims Not only does cvcrv Mahomotdu geek
once 10 visit Mecca bur when there, hc drinks
from the holy well of Xcmzcm. or IlagarS we'll.
This j. the only we'll remaining in rs" in the
city. all others having been abandoned NJ the
oponins Of the a1u"duct It. wat"r is believed
by tie faithful TO posses nlraculons qualities.
and perhaps il does Bat the miracle Is on" OF
vice. and not of virtue. careful analysis Of
the water mad" last year, shows II TO be- -
contaminated by drainage from the Cc>spO0S IN
tho streets Ia lee rank poison. Compared
with II, the eat"r supply Of London i a model
Of purity Thus while the water Of London
contains eighteen grains Of solid matter in thr
Gallon that Of IIaear's we'll has more than
10 grains: and while the former has no nitritc4
and only n trace of ntratcs, the latter has four
end half grains Of the two combined Other
impurities. more or loss nOXiouS. abound in the
water ut all times and il Is evident that when.
a. nj present thousands Of pilgrims are thronging
about the we'll, with many sick and dying of
cholera among them, it becomes rs activ" and
deadly "A OlS~ruilfilOI Oh ulN'dSc IL ingenuity
could devise.
Now Mecca il the holy city of Islam, and
none but followers of the Prophet permitted
even 70 visit il. No European Iowcr exercise
the least authority over il, save through violent
invasion of the rights Of sovereign state But
n seems tc b, at least an open question whether
such invasion would not b" jl~tihahlN III the
name of the common welfare of humanity. These
Trims do not belong alone 10 Malone tan coun-
tries. Many are from the dominiOns of Great
Britain Of France, AMI of Italy, and not "A few
return home hearing thith"r the deadly infection
ACQUIRED mt Mecca. The sanitary state OF thu
holy city thus becomes matter Of international
concern and common sense seems to dictate that
some vigorous steps should be taken in relation
thereto II the Powers Of Europe cannot compel
fine Sultan 10 make the city sanitary surly they
can Law a rigorous embargo on pIllrmagrs thhcr
from their own territory. In the absence of such
an embargo, Of the srictcst character, Mecca
th,ouph its intercourse with the countries betting
the Mediterranean, j. most serious menace to
the health of the world.