BLACK DEATH IN RUSSIA.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 26, 3 November 1880, Page 4

BLACK DEATH IN RUSSIA.

jSymptoms of the Siberian plague have appeared among the people of - a Village near Odessa. The Golos gives the following account of the' condition of things in one of thp. central- governments of Russia :— " The sanitary commission despatched to the government of Poltava to deal with the diphtheria epidemic has been-, giving- ita (principal attention to the disinfection -'- of the peasants' house., Tbis is considered the only effective. . measure for- getting rid of the germs of the disease j but the practical application of this eapitary proceeding often meets with insuperable difficulties. The houses are disinfected by burning sulphur in. the -rooms after closing them hermetically. The peasants regard' this measure as. a profanation of their, dwellings, and obstinately oppose ifc. Such has been, the caise, particularly in one locality, where the nuns in a neighbouring convent would not on any consideration allow their cells to be disinfected, • notwith- : standing the orders, and the entreaties of the -abbess. They even; spread abroad the, report among. the peasants that. the priest would excommunicate all who had their houses disinfected, as being 'possessed with the evil spiril.' The nun's visited the villages, encouraging the peasants in their resistance, persuading them that disinfection was injurious to their health, and was a sign of the end of the world. Nothing cou] d convince the peasants of the necessity for disinfection. They regarded it as a wicked proceeding, opposed , to their religious rites. The most earnest^and unanswerable arguments the^ met by the unique reply, 'Cure the sick where there are any, but what connection can the sickness have with our houses •?' It is well known that in the village of Fedoulki the peasants » formed .the intention of burping i : Mste? of charity, engaged in ;^ prep_.ribj£&~ ! fis&^ pi|^\fromJ ; wb?eh the sister of the police. The priesTof the { y|llage, .who has unßuccessful]y.jnJeatoured to ■• \i.X&: i^yifia^ -.«*-'-■*"- "•---'

make the inhabilants understand the necessity of disinfection, baa entirely lost their confidence and good opinion."