Griggs courier., 1893-07-14
HOW CHOLERA IS SPREAD IN INDIA.

Through Lack ef Sanitation and tho Pe0-
ple's Peculiar Habits.
A plain story Of the conditions that
prevail in India for the spread Of the
cholera was related at the New Cen
tury club by Dr.. Pauline Root Of the
Woman's Medical college, who has lived
for eight years in southern India. Dr..
Root began by describing the conditions
under which people live in southern In
lia, in order to show exactly what cir
cumstances generate the cholera. There
is absolutely no sanitation there as we
have it. Drainage, with the exception
of q fever breeder in the way Of an open
sewer. is cxknown. In the village peo-
pie live in low mud huts, where all the
family congregate in one room, the di-
mensions of which are likely to be feet
by 10 or IL feet. As there are no out
buildings at all, there is no way in which
persons can protect themselves against
the cholera if it once appears in such
household. Sometimes, if the well runs
dry, stagrant water must be used. a
high caste parsonage 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, a ''tub" is dug in the
river bed and the water allowed to col
lect. At this tub or at the we'll all tie
functions of bathing are performed.
First the jar is filled and the water being
dashed over the person soon trickles back
to its source. In the case of certain re-
ligious enthusiasts, water is poured over
the body so times. Next the seely, the
single piece of silk or cloth which is worn
as garment, must be washed. This is
dipped into the pool. Finally the jar is
refilled and carried home. The quality
of the water by the time the jar is re-
filled is promising indeed when cholera
is in the air.
In these river tubs the clothes are
washed. The cattle are taken there to
drink. DR.. Root said that in sending q
man to the river to fetch water there was
never any certainty that he would not
fill his jar 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
to 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 aft
er a certain religious festival-of the
the marriage of two divinities-which is
celebrated by an encampment in the
river bed for four or five days.
As for facilities in caring for the sick
in India. DIR. Root graphically showed
how forlornly poor these are by describ-
ing her experience in the house of the
vice president of the municipality of
Madua, wealthy man, who arrayed
himself resplendently when he came to
ask her to visit his wife, thus showing
his solicitude for his wifes condition.
Undoubtedly he meant to do the best he
could for the sick woman, for the doctor
found her in room adjacent to her hus-
band's-a position of honor. The wom-
an was badly crippled and only able to
crawl down from her cot. Beyond play
ing with the children and polishing the
jewels nothing relieved the monotony of
her day. She was entirely uncared for.
A hole in the wall for refuse was cleaned
only once day. The woman died of
blood poisoning. And this is the way
sick person Jared in one Of the better
houses!
Usually sick person is placed in a
room that is reached from the house by
crossing court and passing through an
alley. Tho alley usually has black,
Shiny water in it. The room is Z feet
square. In the court are often found
the COW. chickens and number of per-
sons. No wonder that under such con-
ditions cholera spreads like wildfre.
But cholera is always brought. It never
starts Of itself. Philadelphia Ledger.