The cholera uproar in Budapest

The police force their way despite resistance from residents into a building suspected of cholera, in order to undertake disinfection of the flats. According to the accompanying story, the building was in one of the most densely populated sections of Budapest, with more than 600 residents. In the entryway thirty-two policemen were met with a shower of vegetables, pickles, refuse, manure, and stones. Once inside, some were scalded with cooking water by infuriated women. The editors faulted the city fathers for not instructing the populace about the nature of cholera and the precautionary measures in a timely fashion.
(Das interessante Blatt, Vienna, 1892)

In Budapest

Doctor: “Now that it has been established from the bacteria that we have cholera among us, it means that we must act promptly.”
Second doctor: “And indeed very promptly! That is why I propose that an urgent request to the city council regarding the assembly of experts for preparation of a draft plan for introduction of a high-quality water supply on account of the renovation [?] of our capital is to be introduced immediately, (in Hungarian) I humbly request….” (Lost here are the cartoon’s subtler linguistic caricatures amid the mockery of hyperbureaucratic formulations.)
(Figaro, Vienna, 1886)

Austrian cholera cartoon

Epidemic sexism

Title: “Malicious.” This image relies on some punning in German, where malen means drawing or painting, and Malweiber is a somewhat derogatory way of referring to women who draw. “Just look at all those women drawing over there! It’s already practically an epidemic!” “Yes, yes, in a way it’s ‘malaria’!”
(Fliegende Blätter, Munich, 1907)

German epidemic cartoon

Feasting as the plague approaches from the East

Bony St. Petersburg cholera shakes hands with oriental plague, while Red Cross sled bears anti-plague serum toward invading pigtailed Chinese figures. Oblivious Russian celebrants dance around posters for wrestling, skating, masquerade balls, farces, operettas, movies, and circus performances. (Not sure which Russian politician is depicted at the top, since Pyotr Stolypin–soon to resign–was balding.)
(Ogonek, Russia, 1911)

Russian plague cartoon

A new disease precursor of cholera

“And godmother dear, how’s your man?”
“How’s he doing? … well, fine, because the poor devil has died.”
“And what did he die from?”
“From disinfection.”
“What kind of disease is that?”
“The one that comes before cholera… people are more afraid of it than cholera itself.”
(Mucha, Warsaw, 1886)
See also these miasmatic contemporary images of disinfection measures at Paris train stations (and again in 1892).

Polish cholera cartoon