Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1893-06-10
CHOLERA IN INDIA.
Through Lack of Sanitation and the Peo-
ple's Peculiar Habits.

Through Lack OF sanitation ana tne feo-
pIe's Peculiar Habits.
A plain story of the conditions that
prevail in India for the spread of the
cholera was told yesterday morning at
the New Century club by Dr. Pauline
Root of the Womans Medical College,
VINO has lived for eight years in South
ern India. Dr. Root began by describ-
ing the conditions under which people
live in Southern India in order to show
exactly what circumstances generate
the cholera. There is absolutely no
sanitation there, as 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 congrcgate in one room, the
dimensions of which are likely to be
Il feet by 10 or IL feet. AS there are
no outbuildings at all there is no way
in which persons can protect them
selves against the cholera if 1t once
appears in such a household. Some
times, if the well runs dry, stagnant
water must be used. A high caste per-
sonage will not allow a 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 col
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
tricllles back to it's 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 gar
ment, 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 reilled is promising, indeed,
when cholera is in the air. In these
river tubs the clothes are washed. The
cattle are taken there to drink. DIR.
Root said that in sending a 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
after certain religious festival-of
the marriage of two divinities-which
is celebrated bv 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 munich
pality of Madua. wealthy man, who
arrayed himself resplendently when he
came to ask her to visit his wife, thus
showing his solicitude for his wife's
condition. Undoubtedly he meant to
do the best he could for the sick wo.
man, for the doctor found her in a
room adjacent to her husband s-a
position of honor. The woman was
badly crippled and only able to crawl
down from her cot. Beyond playing
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 a sick per
son is placed in a room that is reached
from the house by crossing a court ant
passing through an alley. The alley
usually has black, Shiny water in it.
The room is seven feet square. In the
court are often found the COW, chick
ems and number of persons. No won
der that under such conditions choler;
spreads like wildtire. But cholera i:
always brought. 1t never starts o
itself-Philadelphia Ledger.