THE INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE.
190
the translation of a
paper by Dr. Marsicani on Asiatic cholera as it appeared in Russia during the year 1869 ; in the earlier months of 1870 the
published
during the but in July and August it spread widely in previous year; the south-eastern districts of Russia in Europe, and throughout malady broke
out in some of the localities affected "
the autumn it
Russian ports
was
on
more
or
less
the Black Sea.
prevalent
in many of the August the
On the 29tli of
at St. Petersburgh" (Lancet, 1871, p. 491) ; from that date up to the 29tli of May 1871 there had been in 4,539 cases of cholera, and 1,808 deaths from the disease
epidemic appeared
St.
Petersburgh.
Moscow and many other
places
in Russia
by the Germany. spread With respect to this outbreak of cholera, the Lancet remarks, ?" that the present epidemic of cholera in Russia was first notified in December, 1869," leading its readers to suppose that that was the starting point of the epidemic; whereas Dr. Marsicani holds that the epidemic of 1869 was a continuation of the outbreak of cholera which had commenced in 1865, and run through 1866-67 and 1868 ; however this may be, we are certain of one thing, which is, that since 1865, up to the present time, Russia has not been free from cholera for twelve consecutive months. Throughout a corresponding period, Persia has been frequently visited by epidemics of cholera, and we need hardly remind our readers that Persia is subject to constant importations of the disease from India: in fact, the relations that exist between Russia and Persia are very analogous to those between this latter country and India, and it seems to us, therefore, natural to suppose, that as the have also been
severely
affected
to
latest accounts cholera has
facilities for communication
by
the disease; and
the
between
cholera in India and Persia have
increased,
endemic so
the
area
of
frequency
of
epidemic cholera among the inhabitants of Persia has become augmented, and in like manner, the conquest and opening out of the Central Caucasus by Russia have exposed that country to
invasions of cholera
from Persia;
Djulfa, Empire, at least on the western side of Bokhara or Samarkand, being only ninety miles from Tabreez. From Djulfa to Tiflis is some five marches, and the Russians are here busily engaged in making a road which will soon be converted into a railroad ; the progress of this work between Tiflis and Poti, on the Black Sea, is considerably advanced, and the trade between
the most southern
out-post
of the Russian
port and the various maritime cities on the Black already very considerable. From Tiflis again the old imperial road passes Kazbek and through Yladikafkaz to Stavropol, a journey which can now be rapidly made by horse this latter
Sea is
dak. Dr. Marsicani remarks that the
outbreak of cholera in
during 1869, was probably due to the fact of some peculiarities in the soil of Russia, retaining the seeds of the
Russia
disease in a state of vitality longer than in other parts of Europe; he argues that the disease on this, as on other occasions, consequently lingered on Russian soil, after it has died out over the rest of the continent; Dr. Marsicani's opinion is strengthened because he had no information of cholera invading Persia in 1868," therefore, the outbreak "
of the disease in Russia in 1869 could not have been
an
1871.
We know however that during 1868, there was a terrible outbreak of cholera in Bengal, spreading far away eastward to Assam, Chittagong andBurmah; at the same time it extended to the west and south-west beyond the Yindyah range of mountains, covering the whole country from the Nerbudda to south of the city of Hyderabad in the Deccan ; it reached Bombay in October. In 1869, the entire Peninsula of India was under a terrific visitation of epidemic cholera ; it spread into Cabul, and early in July the Bussian Agent reports?"that thirty cases of it was heard of over cholera are occurring daily at Tabreez the north of Persia, and it seems from the existing relations which we have described between Tabreez and Tiflis, Poti and Bussia generally, that it is far more probable the disease was imported into Bussia in 1869 from Persia, than that the geological formation of Bussia differs so remarkably from the rest of Europe, as to preserve the seeds of the disease in its soil when they have died out in every other part of the
imported
ASIATIC CHOLERA IN RUSSIA. In our last number we
[September 1,
disease from Persia.
the year
continent. Dr. Marsicani fails to trace the first in 1869 to
a
fresh
importation
cases
occurring in Bussia Persia, but
of the disease from
at the same time he remarks with respect to these cases?"
importance isolated
was
of
no
attached to the sudden appearance of these
cholera,"
it
probable, therefore, that August, however, the disease broke out in Bussia with renewed vigour, and, by the latest accounts, continues there more or less severely up to the present cases
their origin
time.
was
was
overlooked ; in
very