Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-07-14
TRACK OF THE CHOLERA.
Or. Kempser's Investigations Of the
Spread Of the Disease in Europe.
The Injected Districts and What Is Done to
Check the Scourgs.


ing details of the official report of Or. Wal
ter Kempster and Surgeon Fairfax Irwin OF
the marine hospital service on the spread
| and prevention of the cholera are as fol
lows:
In Jerusalem the commissioners saw
hundreds of Russian pilgrims just arrived
from the provinces Of Russia where famine
and cholera were then prevalent. The pill
grims came through without quarantine ex-
animation and were camped or grouped in
one building in the suburbs Of Jerusalem,
living in the dirt and adding to the unspeak-
able filth of the city.
American and English residents there,
greatly alarmed at these pilgrimages during
the past winter, united in petition to the
Sultan of Turkey il which they offered to
keep Jerusalem clean and supplied with
pure water without any expense whatever
to the Turkish government, and the request
was denied.
As the original sewer conduits and water
supply pipes which were built by King Sol
ONION are almost intact, although not now
in use, and the water supply now going to
waste is adequate, this proposition involved
but comparatively small outlay. The
money was raised to carry out the work,
but the permit is withheld by the Turkish
government, and the city is in consequence
terribly filthy.
At Jerusalem the pilgrims come in con-
tact with travellers from all nations; hence
this city becomes local point of contagion
from any epidemic disease.
At Constantinople it was found that quar-
antine WAS name only, vessels being per
mitted so pass through the Bosporus from
Odessa and other ports on the Black sea
without restriction. The medical officer
charged with the duty Of establishing quar-
antine restrictions toll the commissioners
| that it was impossible to carry out proper
quarantine regulations for two reasons
first, because there was no money to enable
him to establish them, and, second be-
cause whenever any sanitary measure is
suggested by him the Koran must first b.
consulted, and if the expounders of the
Koran find nothing in the book which BY
| their Interpretation authorizes the proposed
sanitary measure, then it cannot be done
The Koran comes first and science after
ward.
1t was at this point also that special in
vestigations were made to determine the
existance and extent of the cholera ir
Southern Russia and the methods by which
it was introduced through Russia and into
Europe during the previous year, and
which, by proper sanitary regulations,
might all have been prevented.
The Investigations at this point shows
that it was through the routes taken by pill
grims to and from Mecca and other hol,
cities and the channels through which com
merce passes that the cholera travelled
from India to Mecca, passing thence north
ward through Persia to points on the Cas-
plan Sea, being especially severe at Tehe-
ran, where during the autumn of 1892 III,
'ailv deaths from cholera were upward OF
1900.
1t was at this time and place that Mr..
Theodore Cbilds contracted the cholera and
died at small suburb outside of Teheran.
Thence the disease passed through com.
mercial channels to Baku, on the Caspian
Sea which is the terminus of the Southern
Russian Railroad system and the point Al
which large quantities Of petroleum ar
raised from wells and sent through all the
southern and eastern parts Of Russia, going
by boat to the Volga river and also acros.
the country by the Southern Russian X ill
road to Bartoum and points on the Black
Sea.
From Astrakhad, at the mouthiof III.
Voiga, the disease spread with rapiiity ami
virulence toward the north, following
the course of the Folga and its tributarie.
until IT reached Moscow ard st. Peters
burg on other wafer courses closely related
to the Volga. the disease being most yiru-
lent along all the waterways.
During the past winter and spring it ha.
prevailed in the southwestern provinces of
Russia, bordering on the Black Ser AMI fol-
lowing the the Dnieper and Dneister River,
again going nortliward through the terri
tory OF Russi, into that part known "A Old
Poland, being especially severe in the pro-
vince of Podolia. where at one time ,turino
the month Of March over 500 tlea, - oeY
day were recorded.
IL was from these provinces that under
the recent e'iict of the Russian xova,n.
meut the Hebrews were expelled. They
sought exit at the Port of Dir.a. and
thence bs way of the Black S-a thropgb
the Bosporus and Mediterranean port. in
Sicily, Italy. other places on The Ne,ii,er
raBean. II IL believed that in TIM name,
the presence of cholera IN Msr..ilIes /.
accounted for, this being one of tI,.. min.
eipai seaports to which many coast trading
vessels enter. From Mass.iiiies. h.,weye,
has been no immigration for some month
and there Is none now.
From France DR.. k-mpster proceeded IN
London. and a. a result Of his iuve.,;y,
lions there, he shows that the unre,ty,.rsd
intercourse between French port. and Ian
don is = serious factor in the li.b,lry If
the United States 70 become Infected fr.m
France
The great danger arising from ,iYi. uo,e
NJ Tod mt h.sr