Холерната епидемия в българската армия през Първата балканска война
The Cholera Epidemic in the Bulgarian Army During the First Balkan War

Summary/Abstract: During the Balkan War of 1912–1913, the Bulgarian army was successfully advancing in Eastern Thrace when it was attacked by massive cholera epidemic. It was carried by the Ottoman army in the very first month of the war, and had a significant influence on the course of hostilities. The strongest spread of the disease coincided with the fighting on November 4th to 5th at Tchataldja, and in no small measure contributed to the failure of the First and Third Bulgarian armies attacking the last fortified line before Constantinople. Bulgarian Government and the High Command tried to limit the scale and effects of cholera, but did not have sufficient resources and capacity to fight with it. No matter how late and limited, the measures taken still gave significant results. They gradually led to a reduction in morbidity and reduce mortality among already infected soldiers. Cholera epidemic caused the deaths of thousands and brought suffering to still more tens of thousands of Bulgarian soldiers. The danger was not taken into account in time, which together with the lack of preventive measures against the disease led to severe depletion of human and material resources of the Bulgarian Army.

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