THE CHOLERA IN SPAIN

Western Star, Issue 987, 3 October 1885, Page 4

THE CHOLERA IN SPAIN

The cholera in Spain has extended to the province and city of Granada, The people have conceived a violent prejudice against the medical men, some of whom they have compelled to swallow their own medicines, and utli; rs have been so seriously assaulted that they declined to attend upon poor patients any further. Hence the disease has spread. The general in command of the province and several of th • loading people in the community have fallen victims. At Marseilles cholera has existed for several days, and between August 4 and 6 the number of deaths from that disease advanced from 20 to 35. Intelligence from the provinces states that panic continues, and that some villages are almost deserted. In others, where even the doctors and the local authorities have been attacked by the disease, and tlie sick arc abandoned, and the dead remain unburied. In some instances difficulty is experienced in obtaining provisions aud medicine, and great distress prevails throughout the country. Although the cholera has not yet acquired any devasting force in Mad rial here is no doubt that it has taken a firm hold. The number of cases daily is between thirty and forty. The well planned measures adopted by the authorities —the cleansing and disinfecting of houses and streets —have certainly checked the march of the disease; but there is one difficulty they have to deal with whichis welluigh insuperable— ignorance. The lower classes have taken it into their heads that the doctors have not only brought the disease on purpose, but that they are actually paid by some mysterious agency to poison and kill people. The other day I walked through the lowest part of the town, passing by the Ronda de Segovia, where most of the cases occur daily, and saw a group of meu and women talking and gesticulating excitedly; they were discussing the malevolence of doctors, who were, they believed, determined to exterminate the poor. Thus, some,doctors in those quarters, who have been indefatigable in their attendance on the poor without any remuneration, have been insulted audeven threatened. In some eases the sick refuse to have a doctor till the disease reaches the last stage, when it is generally too ]ate. In other instances the sick refuse to take the medicine prescribed unless the doctor takes a dose first. Of course most of t! e doctors indignantly refuse to be dosed thus, and the patient, who takes his r tusal as a proof of his sinister intentions, docs nothing to get cured, and dies. A scandalous incident occurred recently. A man who was suffering from cholera, and who was supposed by a charitable woman, presented himself at the door of the provincial hospital; but, as all the beds were already occupied, be was put into a litter and carried to another hospital especially established for cholera undents. The news began to circulate that the doctors were going to kill another patien 1 ; crowds of howling men and women mobbed the litter; the patient was dragged out and made to run away, whilst the people held back the hospital men and police to prevent them from chasing him. Two hours afterwards the patient presented himself or was brought to the hospital in a dying state.