The Sun.
London, England, 1853-09-26 00:00:00

AND COLLIERS,

First Instruction—Guard against Looseness of the
Bowels and Purging.—Before a person is attacked by
the cholera, he is almost sure to have for a day or two,
or for several days, or only for a few hours, some loose-
ness of the bowels or purging, there is often no pain,
but this must not put any off his guard, as to the im-
portance of this warning. The captain or mate, ought,
therefore, without alarming the men, to inquire of the
crew daily, whether any of them have looseness or pur-
ging, as this might by chance become worse. If a man
is purged let him go to bed, be kept quite warm, and if
he is cold, apply bottles of hot water, or bags filled with
hot salt, or bran, to the stomach and feet. Give him
immediately, eight drops of laudanum in a wine glass
of hot and weak brandy and water ; give the man this
every two hours, as long as he is purged ; the samedose
should be given night and morning for one or two days
after the purging has stopped.
Second Instruction—What is to be done if a man is
seized or taken with cholera.—This comes on with cold,
giddiness, sickness, vomiting and purging of what looks
like dirty water, or rice and water. Let the man get
into a hot bed ; cover him well with blankets ; apply
bottles of hot water, or bags filled with hot salt, sand,
or bran to the stomach spine, and feet ; be sure he is
exposed to a draught or cold, the object being to get him
into a sweat. Put a large poultice of mustard and vine-
gar over the stomach, and keep it on 15 or 20 minutes.
Give the man 15 drops of laudanum, with a teaspoonful
of brandy (or whisky or other spirit in the absence of
brandy) in a little hot water ; a little ginger or cloves
may be added. This medicine may be given every hour
for six hours, but not longer ; it must then be left off.
When the man begins to sweat give him some hot tea,
with a teaspoonful of brandy in it, and keep him warm
in bed.

Third Instruction.—When the ship is in port, medical
advice should be got as soon as possible, in any case of
seizure, as the delay of even one hour may cause death.
Fourth Instruction—On Food.—All kinds of fruit,
s,lads, cucumbers, celery, and pickles had better be
avoided ; also oysters, lobsters, crabs, muscles, or other
shell fish. The most wholesome articles of food are well-
baked bread, good biscuits, rice, oatmeal, peas, and good
potatoes ; solid food is better than fluid, and therefore at
this time it would be a good thing to give the crew beef
and mutton instead of soup.
Fifth Instruction—On the Danger of Spirits, Corn
Brandy, Wine, Beer, &c.—lt is a very common notion
among sailors and other people that brandy, whisky.
rum, wine, and the like, are good as a protection against
the cholera. This is a total and fatal mistake, In every,
country and town where the cholera has broken mitt
drunkards, and those who drink freely, have been the,
first and greatest sufferers from the disease ; temperate
men usually escape, drunkards usually die. It is, there-
fore, earnestly hoped and requested that captains will
warn their crews against all excess in drinking. More
especially warn them from taking corn brandy or gin,
which often acts as a poison ; they should also not drink
any of the white and brown beer sold at Hamburgh and
other ports, especially if it is sour. The Elbe water is
bad, and likely to purge, therefore it would be better to
use water brought from England, and captains are re-4
commended to take in a supply accordingly.
Sixth Instruction—Against exposure to Wet and Cold:
—Wet and cold should as much as possible be guarded
against, by warm dry clothing, and stout shoes ; a thick
flannel belt or bandage around the stomach and loins is
a good defence for sailors ; when they go to bed, if the
shirt is damp or wet, they should change it, and put on a
dry one. They should not stop out at night on shore :
many sailors who have been drinking at Hambro' Bar,
and lying about on Sunday night, have been seized oh
Monday with cholera, and died in a few hours.
Seventh Instruction Concerning Cleanliness and
Ventilation. Nothing is of greater importance as a pro-
tection against cholera
,than cleanliness, and a good
supply of fresh pure air. It is, therefore, the duty of
captains to take all the means in their power to improve
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The forecastle should be frequently cleansed, and the
hatches be opened in fine weather, so as freely to admit
the fresh air. The forecastle should be whitewashed.
To sweeten the ship, bleaching salt or powder (called
also chloride of lime), which is very cheap and may be
got at any druggists, should be mixed with water, and
poured down the pumps ; it should also be sprinkled
about the forecastle and in the cabins. Keep the ship
as free as possible from bilge water, using the pumps
daily for this purpose, because it prevails most when
ships are very tight, and open the hatches to purify the
hold. All the bedding should be kept well dried, and
be brought on deck in fine weather, and well aired.
Mark this well.—The cholera is not contagious ; so
no one need be afraid of catching it; there is no danger
in waiting on and nursing any one of the crew who may
unfortunately be attacked.
The captains of all vessels trading to the port of
Hamburgh are hereby informed that proper medicine,
ready made up for use, and with plain directions, can be
procured at prime cost of all the shipbrokers and agents
for English ships in Hamburgh, and they are hereby re-
quested to provide themselves with the same, in order
to afford all the protection to their crews which the cir-
cumstances of the case admit.
Signed by order of the General Board of Health of
England,
HENRY AUSTIN, Secretary.
October IS, 1848.