Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, JANUABY 20, 1891. Black Death.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 20 January 1891, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, JANUABY 20, 1891. Black Death.

♦ Following our article on Germs, we have the unpleasant announcement by cable, that the disease known as " Black Death " is raging over the country from Samarcind to the mouth of the river Obi. If the cable Samarcind is the Samarkand of the maps, it means that a very large extent of country is under the scourge. This city is in Central Asia, at the foot of the Thian Shan mountains, which form the northern boundary, further east, of Thibet, and -to the mouth of the river Obi in the Arctic Sea would mean close on eighteen hmnlved miles. Obdorsk, the town in Avhich the disease is especially severe, is situated at the mouth of the Obi, on the Gulf of Obi, and there-

fore must be sufferiug intense cold at this season. All diseases, we have ( already shown, are contracted by the absorption of some variety of germ. Every pound of surface soil is said to contain some five hundred millions of them, and the country air, about five thousand per cubic yard. They are so minute that twen f " thousand of them • required to reach ' tttl Jacnt We hftve be | ore stated how they multiply, and have pointed oiU that they stand" dokt better lhari heat, though to make sure of destroying them water should be boiled for half an hour. In the report of the spread of this scourge we have evidence of the truth of this statement. The portion of the country suffering most is now all ice-bound, and is within the Arctic circle. As at this period, so in other winters, has the cholera fipre^d,. In October USh the 1 Asiatic cholera broke Out in England, after having travelled from Moscow. It visited Scotland in January, 1832. Another visitation occurred in England in October, 1848i We instance A fib ticcholera as We believe, arid sincerely trust, it is Hot tile " Black Death ; ' of the fourteenth century. We generally get sensational news ovei the cables, but this particular "Rlnck Death " is toiled down to being similar to that which appeared in Dublin in 1866. The "Black Death" of the fotirteeiitli Century Was vastly diflerent. It obtained its name from the black spots which appeared at one time during the disease, on the bodies of the sufferers. It desolated the world. It broke out in China, traversed Asia, and broke out in Europe in 1348, and it prevailed for three years. It is reported that in Europe alone twentyfive millions perished from it. All the worst scourges that have depopulated Europe have come from the East. It is notorious that cleanliness is not practised amongst the inhabitants. They are, therefore, pre-disposed to catch infection when it is abroad. We know what takes place at death, directly " life " is out of the body, legions of germs set to Avork on every part, and when finished merge into space ready to take hold of any person and make an abiding place in him, if possible. A diseased person gives forth millions to prey on his neighbours. Thus it is easy to understand how the scourge travels. Our great safeguards are keeping our bodies and dwellings clean, and exposing ourselves to fresh air. The fresh air greatly decreases the virulence of the more deadly germs. The germ which produces the fatal carbuncle was found to be harmless when exposed to the air for eight days. Do not forget clean water, well boiled previous to drinking. One great Church dignitary when asked to offer prayers for deliverance from a visitation from sickness, declined, asserting that the people, from want of proper drainage, had brought it upon themselves. Undoubtedly half our ills are of our own making, and may this warning of others' troubles, make us all more careful of our own actions.