The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-07-28
NO DANGER NOW
OF An EPIDEMIC
PUHIIC HEALTH AND MARINE HOS
rIrAL SERVICE CAN HANDLE
CHOLERA.
DIFFERENT IN OLD DAYS
sCotReE CAUSED PANIC IN Is4s.
THOUSANDS DIED AND NON
sENsICAL REMEDIES RE
SORTED TO.
by Victor Elliott.

~ NV ~ GtS -f.- DltGE ltlG
government established the public
health and marine hospital service,
there has not been u serious epidemic
OF cholera in the United States. Prior
10 that time numerous outbreaks of
the plague scosrged the land, claim
ing thousands Of victims, and causing
much distress and suffering to the
people The necessity for dealing
with the plague was brought 10 the
attention OF congress. and uppro-
p%riatiors were made To treat the
disease and prevent. If possible. its
appearance in the United States.
The efforts OF the public health and
hospital service have met with great
success. Generally the plague 3
brought into his countr from i'm
migrants coming here from Latin Eu-
rope. Sometimes its appearance is
noted on the Pacific coast, where 1t
In brought from travellers and ma
tives of the Orient
Most Americans forget that there
have been fearful epidemics of cholera
in this country, when the dead and
dying lay uuburied in the streets and
when pestilenCe overwhelmed tho
land such as it did III Europe in the
Middle Ages.
First Great Epidemic.
The first great epidemic OF cholera
In the United States occurred in lS5Z.
II reached New fork June Fl, and
lasted two months. In that time
thirty-four hundred deaths resulted.
Other largo cities in the East, South
| and Middle West suffered proper
tionately. II lasted in some cities,
as, Cincinnati, until the end of the
summer Of 1898. In st, Louis, New
! Orleans ard other southern cities the
mortality was twice as great as that
OF New York.
According to Surgeon-General Wy
man. Of the public health n marine
hospital service, who aat a eFea.
! deal of experience in Treating all
kinds of epidemics, the second and
greatest cholera epidemic began In
is4S. In New Orleans the popula-
ton was ~decimated. In New York
during the w%k ending July Il.
lS44, more thar seven hundred per
sons died. 4 historian of that time.
said Ir. Wytnan, wrote that 10 per
cent. of the entire population of the
United states persisted.
SO strong was the instinct OF self
preservation Or. Wyinan said, ac~
cording TO the history of times that
IN many cases when one member of
tho family developed the first synp~
toms of the malady the rest Of tho
family rushed from the house, cav
ing tho victim to die alone.
People i'm Panic.
THE custom of hand shaking was
abolished for flea Of c~ontagion. No
body went ont of doors except upon
the most necessary errands. Old &C
quaintances recognized each other
only hy a curt nod. Many persons
walked in tho middle of the street
to avoid the breath Of pedestrians,
and m-anoeuyered to pass to WIND
ward of all they encountered.
"Believing hat the smoke OF gum
lpowsier was q preventive, they burn
ed II at intervals in the house. 10
bacco smoke many believed in. Even
women and children We're seen with
cigars and pipes in their mouths
Others carried tarred rope in their
hands and in every pocket, and hung
mpho bags abou their necks.
MANY chewed garlic and carried
snonges saturated with vinegar dang
ling from their buttons. and Inhaled
the odor from smelling bottles.
Numerals were given up altogether
and the most prominent citizens were
uncerernoniously placed In h e dealt
carts and laid away in the cemeteries
which looked like plowed fields.
Russia Suffers Greatly.
RUSSIA continued the cholera ant
antden,ic. expert. lis one of the coun-
tries which suffers most from t''
seaarga,- During the lctng tersills Mln'
Ter Of northern Russia all the river
are covered over with lee, when pekH''
TO melt in Man. Tha cholera sets IN a
the same time, usually the very day th'
people begin to drink h unfiiteret
water from the rivers, When the RIVER
begin 10 melt. the priest ia notttied, anf
almost all the inhabitants OF the towi
or village viii flock together arount
the church to form a procession 10 th'
river.
"A silver bowl is flled with the water
which IN specially blessed As soon "a
This ancient ceremony Is over. nearl,
IAN the people wade in the river, pray
ing and chanting. The ice cold waite
is filled by almost the whole population
Of the town or village through whlci
it flows.
"All conditions of humanity go Int
1.-THE water for absolution from disease
the beggar beside the richly clad, the.
drink OF the water which contains
death for them. Thousands win then
FIJI bottles with the water and tak'
II to their homes. drinking "A drop ever,
morning, and evening after prayers
even after it becomes s~tagnhnt. TIT
i result is an, immediate outbreak Q
cholera. the victims growing IN mum
| hers ntIAt ING fild pi III SkiiiRhNAs
Pilgrims Spread Disease
THE worst cases develop in TIN
sacred city Of Mecca. in Arabia, Mo
hamned's birthplace. Two hundret
million Mohammedans visit Mecca
every year in August. the hottest par
of the year. Here is the greatest con
gress Of disease germs In the world
Should these pllgrimages be discon'
tinued it would save millions OF lives
The pilgrims gather there from Rus
STA. india. Southern Russia, Euro.
! mean Turkey. naek. "a this center
crowd together under the worst pos
sibIc conditions, battle together. in th'
holy wells, roll over one another II
holy frenzy, convey the cholera germ.
to one another. and then return Il
disseminate the disease in their re-
spectfve~ tfountries.
'In the United States in latter years
the disease has been kept In check b,
extraordinary watchfulness OF th'
part OF officers OF this service at tbs
various ports of the country. Diplo-
matte and consular officers are in.
structed to immediately report out
| breaks Of cholera to the State Depart
,ncut. sLong in advance OF h arriva
OF any ocean bound vessel from affect.
ed districts, United states officers arr
prepared to quarantine the suspects
upon arrival. In this "a the spread
of cholera and other infectious disease:
can be kept within control" =.
DIR. Wyfnan is of the opinion tina
no serious outbreak of cholera, sucf
as happened in 1S4S or 1892 will ever
occur in this country again. He be-
ueves that the Public Health and Ma