The daily sentinel., 1908-09-23
ASIATIC CHOLERA.

The outbreak of cholera at Manila
is very unfortunate. in view of the
fact that the Atlantic fleet is now on
its way to that port.
While every effort is being put
forth by the authorities to prevent Il
general epidemic, the disease is slow
ly spreading in the suburbs, and it
would not be surprising if many
deaths occur before it is finally
checked.
1t Is possible. alsc. that the Asiatic
scourge may he imported into this
country. MS two cases We're discovered
on board the transport Sheridan, now
en- route to San Francisco. though
the vessel was thoroughly fumigated
and given a clean bill of health.
The situation at St. Petersburg.
Russia. is appalling, from Saturday
noon until Sunday noon i9l deaths
having occurred, while there We're
39S new cases. The Indications are
that the disease will get beyond con-
troll at the Russian capital and that
the harvest of death viii be great be
fore cold weather sets in.
According to the books. the home
of the genuine Asiatic cholera is in
India, whence all its great epidemics
have originated The first outbreak
of which there is ah accurate record
occurred in 1917, and the disease
first appeared in Europe in epidemic
form in 1S30-22. since which time
there have been number OF epidem-
les. that of 1866 being especially
noteworthy. There were severe out
breaks in Russia, France. Italy and
the city of Hamburg in 1892. and
last year Russia was again visited.
The disease has appeared in cpl
demic proportions in the United
States a number of times. the out
breaks of 1882. 1919. 1854 and 1866
being notable examples. Indeed.
cholera has made its appearance up
on, our shores several times since the
aforementioned date: but. owing to
the sanitary measures taken, the loss
of life was not heavy
Cholera proceeds from place to
place along beaten lines of travel.
The disease was first reported in Rus
STA in July and moved down the Vol
ga river and both coasts of the Cas-
plan sea, until now IL covers wide
eNpanse of territory.
The disease is produced byta bacil-
lus. the existence of which was DEM
onstrated by Koch in 1883. and is
not purely contagious. That is. the
disease is not transmitted by mere
I
does not become disseminated by the
air and wind the infection coming
from the drinking water which the
germs have entered.
The treatment of the disease has
been proved to be of little import
anee compared with the prevention.
The more unsanitary the surround
ings the more quickly the disease
spreads and the greater the mortal
ity This is the main reason why
Russia is such frequent sufferer
from the scourge and also why there
is great danger that il will not read
lily be stamped out in the Philippines.
more especially at Manila. where the
lower classes live in filthy places and
the population is more or less con-
gested.
Should the cholera reach San
Francisco by means of the transport
sheridan. it is hardly probable that
II would cause the least bit of ex-
element. for the minute the case was
noted all the precautions known TO
medical and sanitary science would
he put into operation and the disease
kept from spreading. Srculd the
sailors on board the vesse'r of the At
\ lantic fleet become infected ii would