Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-07-28

Fortunate was the family that escaped
losing some Of its members. Especial
" was this true Of those living in cit
les. In the more sparsely settled
country districts the progress of the
disease was arrested. One writer has
thus spoken of the devastation of those
two awful years:
So strong was the instinct of self pres
ervation that in many cases when one
member of a family developed the first
SYMPTOMS OF the maiady the rest OF the
family rushed from the house and the
city. leaving the victim TO die alone
The custom OF handshaking was abol-
tshed for fear Of conta gion. Nobody went
out Of doors except upon the most neces-
sarv errands. Old accuaiutances recog-
nized each other only by a curt nod.
Many persons walked in the middle OF the
street TO avoid the breath Of pedestrians
and Unanswered 10 pass to windward Of
all they encountered
Believing that the smoke OF Eunpowder
was a preventive. they burned it at inter
walls in the houses. Tobacco smoke many
believed in. Even women and children
were seen with cigars and pipes in their
mouths constantly. Others carried tarred
rope in their hands and in every pocket
and hung camphor bags about their necks
Many chewed garlic for the same purpose
and carried sponges saturated with vine
hailed the smell OF it from smelling bot
ties.
Funerals were given up altogether, and
the most prominent citizens were uncere-
moniously placed in the death cart and
laid away in the cemeteries.
Many on feeling the first symptoms OF
collie and nausea, believing a painful
death certain. committed suicide.
Several their way 10 the hospitals
leaped from the ambuIances and fed. pur-
lrFvr ~Ho
none daring to stop them for fear Of con-
tagion.
Subsequent visitations OF cholera in
America occurred in 1852, 1868 and
even as late as 1873, when the dis
ease appeared in New Orleans ana the
Mississippi valley. 1t has appeared at
various times since at the port of New
York. but has been checked before en-
tering the country.
Filipinos Easy Prey.
The Philippine Islands have been
subject to the scourge for centuries.
Since the American occupation there
have been determined efforts TO stamp
it out. with some success. The great
est difficulty has been to teach the ma
tives to observe quarantine regulations
and to keep clean. Where people quar-
ter their pigs in the houses and eat al
most anything, provided it does not re-
quire too much work to get it, cholera
finds a congenial soil. One method OF
keeping the plague down was to inter
dict the eating of certain kinds of veg
etables and fruits, watermelon being
one Of the first prohibited. There are
people who regard watermelon as a
disease in itself and do not wonder
that it breeds other diseases. How !
ever, If II is kept out Of the ears and
eaten noiselessly 1t can be borne at
ordinary times.
Returning to the kindred subject of |
cholera, the appearance Of the plague |
this year has been earlier than usual. |
It is not only in southern Italy, but has |
been reported in Venice and is expect |
ed to spread to AgStria. 1t is also |
making its annual ravaGes in Russia, |
where superstition and lack of health |
measures give it free reign. There the |
peasants tear down the isolation hos |
pitfalls built to care for the plague vic /