Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-08-23
RUSSIA CONQUERS CHOLERA
MENACE, PHYSICIAN SAYS
BY JOHN GRAUDENZ

MOSCOW, Russia, Aug. 22.-Fam-
ine-ridden Russia has conquered the
cholera plague, which for time was
taking toll of 1890 to 1000 lives
weekly, DR.. Saul Samet said Satur-
day.
DR.. Samet, who has just returned
from Samaria, where the death rate
was highest, said the death rate has
been lowered to from forty to fifty
per week.
DR.. Samet, who is an anti-Com-
munist, agreed with others that con-
ditions are improving.
Russia is enduring stoically the
pressure Of hardship, poverty, food
shortage and disease.
I entered this country on a ram
shackle train which in itself indi-
Gated the straits of the Russian peo-
pie. Crowded and dirty, some of the
cars reeking with evrmin, it was a
discouraging expedition from the time
we left Riga and crossed the barbed
wire barrier which separates Latvia
from Soviet Russia.
No G1OuSnG OF Leaving
Despite their difficulties, however,
Russians do not dream of leaving
their country, I gathered from long
conversations with DR.. Samet and
other observers.
One of the first men I encountered
was DR.. Samet. He had just return
ed from Samara with his wife Ia
tiana, also a physician.
Together they had fought day and
night to defeat the plague which was
killing hundreds every day. Neither
is a Bolshevik, but both praised the
ment met the danger, modified it's
medical forces and checked the
plague.
DR.. Samet's wife and he labored
day and night with other physicians
and medical students. For two weeks
they met little. success. Men and
women died horrible beats while they
watched.
Battle Is Won
They persevered, however. SAM
tary regulations were enforced, the
victims disposed of, to avoid infec-
ton of the living. In two weeks vic
tory was in sight.
1--WE first heard of the plague last
July" DR.. Samet said. 1.-THE drought
had become effective by that time
and all sorts Of disquieting rumors
were afloat.
cat first we thought little of it.
Then we got word that we couldn't
doubt. Cholera was raging and from
1900 to 1000 persons were dying OF
the disease every week."
Mrs Samet nodded confirmation of
her husbands words.
'"The government successfully met
the emergency All physicians were
ed to volunteer for service in the
plague region, too. Most of us were
glad to go.
Especial trains fitted with medical
equipment, medicines and other sup
plies were sent into the region with
US.
at was a most strenuous onslaught
against disease and it. deserved to
Got Little Rest
"Sickened by the conditions which
we faced, we gave it all our strength.
I slept only by minutes and my wife
got little rest with her constant nurs-
ing and calling on patients.
'Within fortnight we had gained
a victory. The death rate had fallen
to forty to fifty per week.
1.-THE fact that Tatianna and I are
here on vacation, with many others
who worked in Samara, confirms the
government announcement that the
scourge is losing power.
'T found that there has been some
cholera in Moscow. Prompt action
here quickly exterminated it, and
there is not now case on record.
'Despite the hunger, which un-
doubtedly exists. and the hardships
which the people are meeting, the
general health is excellent"
Copyright. 1921, United Press.)