The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-06-28

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whole Country a Dry, Waterless
wasts-cholera is Everywhere.
sIsI1.A, May 24.-The situation in In
dla has now unfortunately asaumeG q
complexion far more dark and ssooaiY
thaa even the most dismal Of Pessi.
mlsts would hive ventured to roreIeil a
few short months ago. The Widespread
misery, suffering. and death occasionea
by the great famine which devastates
the lind, distress and suffering so wide
spread as to have got beyond the power
o. any human organization adequately
TO cope with 1t, have now been incrcas'
ed teufoid in certain parts Of India BY
the outbreak Of an epidemic of cholera
OF So virulent and deadly type that
hundreds OF people are dying daily
from this terrible seourge in a score of
districts.
THIS is the sole cause Of the station
AIRY nature OF the famine returns. For
some weeks now the total number OF
people on relief has huctuated between
ave and half and six millions, while
the number of people actually affected
III the famine has remained steady at
about one hundred millions. At the
FIRST glance one might think from these
figures that the climax Of distress had
been reached, and that within the next
few weeks We might hope for q very
considerable reduction in the numbers
Of those on relief. Such, however, is
not the case. All the principal atiiict'
ed PROVINCES continue to show increas-
ing numbers on relief, with the excep-
ton Of the Bombay presidency Here
alone there is a dlminution of num-
bers.
Cholera the Reason.
Yet It is in this very province that the
distress is most acute, the mortality
most severe. Cholera is the reason.
More than m6nth ago this terrible
scourge broke out in the relief camps
Of the Godhra district. The people
emaciated by weeks and months of
semi-starvatlon, for they do not come
70 the relief camps until they are in
practically starving condition, fell
ready victims to the epidemic, and died
literally like flies. Tho survivors. blind
ed by terror, fed far and wide, carry
inn with them in all directions the fatal
germs which were soon to spread the
disease over an area which can only be
measured in thousands of square miles
In one great relief camp on the borders
of the native territories OF Knthlawar,
out of 10000 workers hut 1900 were left
after the first few days of the presence
of cholera. The remainder had fed to
their homes, many being stricken down
and dying on the way. In their homes
they will be beyond the reach of famine
relief and they will die in any case Of
starvation II cholera does not step In
and afford a merclrul, because swift,
release from the terrible pungs of hun
ger,
The origin of this fearful outbreak OF
cholera is lost in obscurity The dis
ease is always present in many parts OF
India during the hot weather months,
but II the people are healthy and in
good water. 1t seldom assumes an cpl
denic form. This year, however. all
the conditions are in favor Of the pro-
gress and extension Of the disease. The
people are in the lowest of physical
condition. many of them mere skIn'and
BONG. as weak as they can well be, and
with no sort of stamina whatever
Those who do not go to the relief camps
have for weeks been living on food
which can only be described as little
better than ofial. Melons which at this
season OF the year are to be had every
where in great numbers in India, are
tie worst form of food when cholera Is
about. But It is melons which. despite
all warning, the people consume In
large quantities.
Streams Are Dried Up.
As to water, the prolonged drought
has dried up the majority of streams
and wells, and the remainder are so low
that only the foulest water remains in
them. Tanks and streams have also
been befouled by the presence in great
numbers Of the putrefying caroasses OF
both men and animals, the former eth
er buried few Inches deep on the
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