Asiatic Cholera: A treatise on its origin, pathology, treatment, and cure

by Elijah Whitney; A. B. Whitney

During the year 1820, pursuing steadily its progress eastward, it reached Tonquin, Southern China, Canton, the Philippine, and numerous other places and islands in that direction. In 1821 it visited Java—the place of its earlier nativity—Madura, Borneo, and many other places in the Indian Archipelago. During the years 1822, 1823 and 1824, it continued to spread over the vast and populous regions of Central and Northern China and the numerous islands upon the coast, and in 1827 prevailed in Chinese Tartary, leaving few places in all these different countries on the continent, or even on the islands bordering on the eastern coast, unscathed by its terrible ravages and depopulating influence.

During the same period, its progress westward has been uninterrupted, and attended with results no less remarkable. It has baffled all attempts to check or even retard its onward course, or mitigate its appalling effects. In July, 1821, it had reached Muscat in Arabia, and thence extended its influence to the populous cities and villages along the Persian Gulf. During the same season it appeared in Persia, and continued to ravage the principal cities and towns of that empire for four successive years. At Bassorah and Bagdad it broke out in July, 1821, and thence extended its desolating influence westward to the Red and Mediterranean Seas, carrying off vast numbers of the inhabitants of the populous cities of Mesopotamia, Syria, and Judea.

In 1822 it prevailed among the nomadic and Tartar tribes in Central Asia and in the northern Persian Provinces, and in 1823 broke out on the Georgian frontiers of Russia, at Orenburg on the River Ural, and at Astrachan on the Volga. Here its western course was apparently interrupted. There was, for a short period, an interval of complete immunity from its presence. Along the border of the Russian Provinces the disease had entirely disappeared, and seemed inclined to retrace its course and return to the home of its birth. But the fond anticipations of Europeans were disappointed; the destroyer was not to be arrested and turned back in his progress over the earth; his march was onward, his demands imperative.

Hence, in the month of June, 1830, the disease reappeared in a Persian province on the southern shore of the Caspian, and again at Astrachan, on the Volga, in July, where it prevailed with such unwonted violence that, before the close of August, more than 4,000 persons had died of it in the city, and 21,270 in the province. From its interval of repose, it would seem to have recuperated its strength and vigor for the lethean work awaiting its progress. Ascending the Volga, it reached Moscow, became prevalent there in September, and continued with great severity till February, 1831. Here it attacked, in the city, about 9,000 persons, of whom more than one-half died. Continuing its advance, it reached Riga about the middle of May, and St. Petersburg on the 26th June.

From Astrachan it also directed its course towards the northern coast of the Black Sea, and thence along the course of the rivers into the central parts of Russia. It reached Poland in January, 1831, accompanied the Russian army in its various marches and encampments during the subjugation of that country, and proved very destructive in Warsaw and many other places during April and May. It appeared at Dantzic in May, and in June at Lemburg, Cracow, and various other places and sections of country, extending through Gallicia, Hungary, and reaching Berlin and Hamburg in August and September, and Vienna about the same time.

Smyrna was visited in September, and Constantinople soon afterwards. It is reported that the pestilence was conveyed by a caravan from Mecca to Cairo in August, 1831, some thousands having died on the road; and, by the middle of September, 10,400 Mohammedans, besides Jews and Christians, had died of it in this latter city.

Passing from the western coast of the continent, on nearly the same parallels of latitude, it found its way over the Northern Sea to the British Isles, and made a lodgment, first, on the northeastern coast of England, in October, 1831, at Sunderland, situated in latitude 55° north, whence it prevailed and extended its influence over this section, evincing the same malignant and lethean character it had manifested in its progress over the continent. Its course thus far has been marked with unparalleled fatality.

It made its first appearance in Scotland, at Haddington, in December, 1831, and at Edinburgh in January. In these and various other places it prevailed for some months, and, as warm weather came on, increased in severity, and carried off a large percentage of those attacked. After spreading thus over the northern section, and rioting for months in the more populous cities and towns, it made its appearance in London on the 14th February, 1832, where it found an abundance of material for recuperating its strength and multiplying its forces, and soon after spread over various other places in the United Kingdom, inflicting the most appalling bills of mortality. In short, its progress over this country has been attended with the same destructive influence and the same lamentable consequences as on the continent. No change, modification, or softening of its disposition or character has arisen from its passage over the Northern Sea, nor from the refreshing influences of a purer atmosphere.

It appeared in Calais on the 12th, and at Paris on the 26th of March, 1832, where it continued in these and other cities and villages for some months with its accustomed severity. During the season it raged throughout the vast empire, and swept away an immense number of its inhabitants. During the succeeding years, 1833 and 1834, it traversed Spain, and proved very destructive in many of its larger cities and villages.

In the mean time, continuing its course from the British Isles westward, unchecked by the prevailing western winds and the broad expanse of the Atlantic Ocean, over which it passes a distance of nearly three thousand miles, and makes its first appearance on the American continent at Quebec, Lower Canada, on the 8th June, 1832, and reaches Montreal on the 10th of the same month. From these cities it rapidly spread in all directions, prevailing in the towns and villages on the St. Lawrence and its tributaries, and soon extended along the chain of lakes, dividing the Provinces from the United States, visiting the principal ports on either shore. It exhibited in all these places its peculiar epidemic character, and proved excessively violent and fatal wherever it appeared.