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

Asiatic Cholera in Russia.

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