Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-04
wholesale Pollution of Food
and Water from the
Unburied Dead When the
Microbes of Disease
Begin to lncubate Ii, the
Warm Sunshine
By John B. Huber, A. M, M. D.

" cholera epidencs in those regions in the Spring
And naturally enough. Among the eastern armies
notably the Austrian there has been mora or less
cholera throughout the campaigns since august last
not only the troops but also the beleaguered
cities and among the unhappy non-comb atants--
women and children and men unit for warfare
Wherever indeed, there distress and starvation
and poverty, the Asiatc guest is like 10 make ;,sef
most gruesomely at home.
Heretofore. however, 1t would SEEM little or no
cholera has complicated the western campaigning but
Spring is about TO appear. And the ice and SHOWS
Will thaw. And the cholera germs which have been
alternating comfortably and 80 congeniaIly in the
bodies OF dead soldiers that have been living In
shallow graves and trenches or that have inst lain
unburied except in snow, those germs are presently
going TO poison the streams, the springs and the
wells.
And then this ingestion infection (Which comes
about through food and drink contaminated bv the
germ and in other way) is going reap its harry
est among those troops whose powers OF resistance
have been broken down who have been weakened
BY the strains of trench warfare Such Unprecedented
warfare and how predsposing! Day in and day out
night in and night out hour by hour little rest
or no rest at all, surcease, having endure the
rains the chiinss, the exposure, the exhausons the
irregular and oftentimes scanty ratons such food az
pork beans and pea SOUP. the necessity for alert
action, If ones head is be blown away the liy
ing lying beside the unburied putrd dead! All this
or the forced marching under heavy accoutrcment,
pack animal fashion, the constantly screaming shells
killed Onl
by being actually struck, but also by the de-
donations OF field guns. And then dreadfuly pre.
paratory effect of disorganized emotions seeing and
smelling at eventide pyre OF those killed by day
and wondering II ones body shall not BY the
next twilight be added to such roasting h;lock
and thousand like horrors inductive of psychic pre-
disposition TO cholera. which will work at least as
woefnlly as those that physical.
Most OF the troops in the various armies have been
inoculaed against typhoid fever wherefore epidemics
Of this disease such formerly did greater har-
vesting than weapons could accomplish) are not
now to be feared. But NEGOTIATIONS against cholera
far less effective practically not at all protective
The German method of warfare their frequent
shifts OF forces to and the eastern and western
battleelds will have very largely increased likel
hood Of cholera epdemics in Western Europe And
yet in of their procedures. they have been wise
They have burned many of their dead until. it would
seem the soldiers have reTolted against the CHASTITY
practice. However. if there must be war and IL men
must be slaughtered. here is by far the best and
OF the bodies the slain; for by such cremations
epidemics may be avoided.
Thus this most melancholy this most awful of all
still further by the visitation in the various camps
upon of the Asatic Guest. Oh. that the immediate
coming OF peace might avert this cllmacteric
The cholera is primarily hideous gift which fear
fu old Mother India has since long before Alexander
scented with recurring regularity sometimes YEAR
by year or season by season, to the occident lands
Devout pilgrims have generally carried the disease
as far as Constantinople In order acquire merit
the Indian Mahommedan, cholera saturated has made
his plgrimages to Mecca, to battle if can in the
Holy Well. Then, Mecca-ward has come the equally
devout pilgrim from Turkey and Africa bring
home with him the infection which has been trans
mtted to him by his Eastern co-religionist
1t were worth while indeed. to consider for a mo-
ment how hoary Mother India has been preserving
her cholera granary. Orissa is an Indian province
OF some $4,000 square miles: and inch OF Is
holy ground. Every town il Is filled with ts CON
shrine.
The drinking water is derived from wells tanks"
artificial ponds and the countrys courses The
tanks excavations made for the collection of the
tho rain
up the water for the dry stagnan pools
are such tanks. The water is drunk not only to
quench thirst but sacred duty. At the same
time this reservoir serves az a huge wash tub-no
ing.
Many Of the water courses are sacred It Is the
religious duty Of millions to battle in and to cast
their dead into the Ganges river 1900 miles long
banks of water are reeking with filth which
the rains naturally wash into the public water SUD-
plies.
And the pilgrims miserable; their poverty is
extreme their diseases rife, and they crowd most
terribly into the numerous towns which contain
shrines and temples. the objects Of their devotion
Thus has India been and remains to-day the hot.
bed of the cholera epidemic In India this infection
has always been epidemic.
In Orissa twenty-four high festivals take place
Easter time, when 10000 people indulge in Indian
hemp (hasheesh, the word from which assassin is
derived) For weeks before the car festival in June
and July pilgrims assemble by thousands daily. They
are fed by the temple cooks.
During every month OF the year stream Of dew
and every village for 300 miles has its pilgrim en-
campments. When those pilgrims who have not died
the road come to their journeys end, emaciated