Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-05-23

TIE Cholera-It will be remembered that
some lime since delegates were appointed By the
Philadelphia Board of Health to visit New York,
for the purpose of reporting on the expedenc,y
OF adopting uniform system OF sanatory regu'
latons, ON the subject Of Cholera. That Com
mittee. consisting of Drs. Sharpless, Lehman,
aud Burden, have performed their duty and made
report accordingly. In addition to that report,
an essay on the subject has been submitted by the
same gentlemen, making pamphlet OF twelve
pages, which has been published by order OF the
Board OF Health, and is now before US
The particular question to which this essay Is
devoted Is. whether quarantine OF vessels, crews
aud merchandise arriving from infected places.
should be instituted IN this country, and it so, to
what extent. This Is the question of contagion
and non contaginn. The decision Of the Phlla-
delphia physicians, in this paper, is. that u the
cholera be contagious at all, it must be under rare
and peculiar circumstances, and has depended
upon the filth aud wre,chedness OF those affected.
They state that the result Of the innumerabe pub
LEGATIONS, inquiries, official examinations, and.
indeed, Of all the knowledge and experience OF
European nations, has been TO remove the belief
Of its contasiousness BY means of vessels, car.
goes, clothing, &c.
In support Of this view of the subject, nam
Der of cases selected from "among hundreds
of similar facts" are detailed by the committee,
all tending to prove that in the instances cited,
the disease was not contagious. We doubt not
that the contasonists can furnish instances
in equal number to sustain their side OF this
argument, and thus furnish the material for
very pretty medical controversy. The Phia
delphia committee are not so confident, IN the IN
fallbllIty of the conclusions they have drawn
from their enquiries. as to discourage quarantine
regulations. They have. very properly, follow.
ed that wise course pointed out by prudence and
humanity, and. through Doubling but slightly
themselves. have advised measures which ind-
cate willingness to give reasonable weight to the
doubts of others and to err, If at all, on the side
Of safety. They recommend certain Precaution-
AIRY measures to be pursued by the authorities OF
Philadel phia, Of which the following is the sub
lance:
All vessels arriving from infected places to be
Guaranteed in some insulated place for at least
three days he vessel, cargo, clothes and bed din
10 be purified:
ANY vessel which has had the cholera on board,
within thirty days, or CONTAINING any thing sus'
ceptible of conveying infection, to discharge her
cargo which is to be aired and stored for at least
fifteen days.
Inc person VI UO iuuifluuhi dtihtIS hoih
infected port. after thirty days, to be detained;
their bedding and effects to be well aired &c.
Especial attention to cleansing all confined
streets, stores and cellars, is recommended; when
offensive. the chloride Of lime to be used Street
Commissioners to BE- appointed to superintenj the
publication of the wharves, sc. A general re-
mmen,lation is made of great attention to per-
sonal cleanliness. regular habits, and temperance,
it having been observed that where the cholera
has prev vailed, it has seized, as its earliest VIC
Tins, upon the Incorporate and filthy.
Some if not all Of these regulations mic Int be ad
yantapeously adopted here.-Bah. finer