Military life in Italy : sketches - Societa italiana di storia militare

THE CHOLERA OF 1867. 425
cully, and when the riot was quelled, entered the houses
by force, found thirteen unburied bodies, interred them
with their own hands, though their lives were threatened by
the infuriated multitude.
The cholera had broken out at Menfi. The people were
without physicians, medicine, money, or bread. Twenty-four
bodies lay unburied for forty-eight hours. A rebellion was imminent.
General Medici was informed of the state of affairs
by telegraph. The detachment of Sciacca received instant orders
to proceed to Menfi. Twenty-four hours afterward, the
general received the following despatch " The detachment
:
arrived. Buried the dead. Order restored. Medicines and
provisions distributed.
for."
The communal administration provided
At Grammichele, two deaths having taken place from cholera,
the populace, suspecting poison, armed themselves, attacked
the carabineers, killed one of them, wounded another mortally,
so that the rest were forced to
shut themselves up in the barracks,
where they were besieged all night, an attempt being
made at every moment to break down the doors and rush in
and kill them. Forty soldiers of the 9th regiment of infantry,
commanded by Sub-lieutenant Goi, came from Caltagirone.
their appearance the armed bands dispersed ; but, becoming
aware of the small number of soldiers, they gathered again,
moved against them, insulted and threatened them, shouting
that they wished to search their knapsacks, and take possession
of the poison therein. The number of rioters was ten times
greater than that of the soldiers ;
a massacre was imminent ;
reinforcements were demanded from Caltagirone ;
fresh soldiers
arrived in great haste ;
and all together, after a long
At