38
REPLIES TO QUERIES ON THE TREATMENT OF EPIDEMIC CHOLERA.
[ Appendix
Query No. 8,—continued.
this my attention was drawn as soon as I arrived. From the observations I have been able
to make during the past nine years, I have come to the conclusion that cholera is less likely
to visit a jungle village than one without any trees about it, but in cases where it breaks out
in jungle villages, the effects are considerably worse, inasmuch as a larger proportion of the
people take the disease.
Guise, J. A., Deputy Inspector General, Ben. I.—This year a wing of the 77th Regiment
was again sent into camp in consequence of the occurrence of some cases of cholera on the 17th
September. The rains had ceased. Ground, with a good watershed, in an extensive tope of
mangoe trees, was obtained. The men were in the open air under the shelter of the trees
all day long, and the effect, not only in checking all symptoms of cholera, but on the health
and spirits of the men, was most satisfactory.
Kendall, H., Surgeon Major, Ben. B.—Most effective. The places where I have seen the
disease most fatal have been open, or comparatively open, plains.
Lowe, T., Surgeon, Mad. I.—Trees having great powers of absorbing mephitic exhalations
tend to check the progress of air laden with choleraic exhalations, or with those other elements
which tend primarily to induce the disease.
MacLeod, A. C., Surgeon Major, Mad. I.—As fever malaria is clearly capable of being
transported by winds, it is quite conceivable that it may be intercepted by trees, and the notion
is also strongly countenanced by authentic facts. But I imagine cholera to be of tellural
(probably mineral) origin, and that the earth itself is a chief medium of conducting such a
disease. Whatever the hypothesis may be worth, one thing is certain, that cholera poison
will travel contrary to, and in the teeth of, the strongest trade winds; and such a property
seems to me incompatible with the supposition that trees will intercept it. That trees, however,
do act most beneficially in freeing the air of impurities I am persuaded, and for that reason
alone would counsel their culture and preservation.
Macpherson, H. M., Deputy Inspector General, Ben. I.—A thick belt of trees may prevent
the epidemic spreading to the locality immediately beyond.
Mee, J., Surgeon Major, Bom. B.—A belt of trees might check the progress of an epidemic,
Miles, H. C., Surgeon, Bom. B.—The influence of trees in checking dissemination is, it is
thought, undoubted.
Miller, A. H., Assistant Surgeon, Bom. I.—Favorable as tending to the oxygénation of the
poison.
Munro, W., Deputy Inspector General, Ben. B.—Trees are most influential in protecting
from all malarious exhalations. I here give extracts from my cholera report of 1862 :—"As long"
" as the regiment (93rd Highlanders) remained in Peshawur, the officers, shut up in their well-
"wooded compounds, escaped entirely (from both cholera and diarrhœa), but almost imme-
"diately after going into camp, five officers (all within a few hours of each other) were seized
"with cholera ; again, on the 28th October, previous to which we were suffering severely, the
"regiment moved ground to a wooded plateau about three miles distant, but rather higher
"than our last camp, and there our feelings of relief from choleraic sensations were remarkable.
"Whether from the excitement of the move, or the protection of the trees, I know not, but
"certainly both did good in as far as both afforded us pleasure." For four days we had no
more cases of cholera, and the few cases that occurred after that, were mild. From the day we
moved to this wooded ground, the disease began to subside.
O'Brien, T. M., Assistant Surgeon, Bom. B.—A site under trees sometimes checks cholera,
but brushwood is to be avoided.
O'Leary, T. C., Surgeon Major, Mad. B.—Trees are useful as the leaves act as mechanical
obstacles to currents of air impregnated with deleterious particles; an excessive growth of
timber is, however, likely to interfere with perflation.
Perkins, R. H, Surgeon, Ben. I.—In Lower Bengal, the disease seems quite isolated in
certain houses, or groups of houses, surrounded by bamboo and other jungle.
Reade, W., Surgeon, Mad. B.—Trees have a great influence in checking the spread of
cholera. Advantage should always be taken of belts of trees, with the view of arresting the
progress of the disease.
Rennick, R. H., Deputy Inspector General, Mad. I.—I have had no opportunities of forming
un opinion in regard to the influence of trees in checking the dissemination of cholera; but I
have a perfect recollection that, when marching with regiments suffering from the disease, it
appeared to become more virulent on entering jungles, and to abate in severity when a more
open country was reached.
Simpson, D., Assistant Surgeon, Bom. I.—Trees and rivers are said to check the disease,
In many epidemics, they, in no way, modify the progress of cholera. Trees in a cholera camp
are injurious by obstructing currents of wind. The ground near trees is often dirty.
Smith, C. M., Surgeon Major, Ben. I.—Beneficial in preventing the spread of the virus.