Year: 1865




Advices from Constantnople notify us that
the city has been invaded by the cholera, and
that men, women, and children fall before it
like grain at the touch of the reaper. No
earthly doubt can be entertained by the rational
mind that it will come westward, and that by
the month of June next it will have crossed the
ocean and entered upon its errand of death and
devastation amongst us. When it does come
a terrible feeling of dread will seize upon us,
let our sanitary precautions be what the may.
Our duty in the premises are therefore plain
and unmistakable.


The epidemic first started in Egypt, and
we are informed first broke out amongst the
cattle of that country and swept off eight hun.
dred thousand head We are also informed
that as fast as the animals died their carcasses
were thrown into the river Nile, there to poi
son the waters of that stream, and spread
miasma broadcast. So thick and deep were they
piled in the Nile that it is said dogs crossed the
feet.


How is it with us. One cannot walk through
Cairo streets without having his eyes or nasal
organ offended in viewing and passing stag.
nant pools which, in o healthy season are
sufficient to engender disease. Take for in.
stance the cess-pool near the corner Of Ohio
Levee and Eighth street. There is now ague
enough in it to distribute throughout a good
sized village, yet it is but one of the many which
are scattered about the city.


If the reader will but give the matter a mo-
ment's consideration, he will realize the effect
which the filling up of our streets will have in
increasing the number of sink-hOles in the
city. When the work is completed, unless
proper system of drainage is adopted every
square in the heart Of the city will be rendered
a miasmatic quagmire. We have no desire to
frighten our people, but consider it to be our
duty as public journalist and conservator of
the local interests of Cairo to present the mat
ter fairly, squarely and plainly, before the
im-vsaged monster" mounts his ''pale
horse" and rides through our limits


We appeal to our city-Fathers to take active
and speedy steps in the premises There is
much to be done, though we believe there is
ample though not too much time in which to
do i1. Let the cost be what it may, though
the consequent debt be eternal and un-
quenchable, every sewer should be opened
and a complete system Of drainage adopted.
Not an inch square of stagnant water should
be permitted to expose itself upon our streets.
The swanpy surroundings of the city should
also be attended to. Were the cholera to
visit Cairo just now, we firmly believe that in
three days there would not be enough left to
bury the dead. As was the river Nile wheI.
the cholera changed from the brute to the
human creation, so are the cess-pools which
abound in Cairo and its surroundings, full of
miasmatic matter and death cngendcring sub.
stances.


The lives of Cairoitcs arc now in the hands
of the members of the City Council as much il
not more than are their monetary and landed
interests, and they will be held accountable by
their constituents for any delinquencies on
their part to provide against the dread scourge,
cholera. Will they take notice?


Since writing the above we CLEAN from oul
exchanges that the cholera has already reached
France, and England through it's Parliament
has taken measures looking to the adoption O
sanitary provisions against the plague