The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-02-15
From tie Journal Of Health.
CAUSES OF THE EPIDEMIC CHOL-

EAA.
To what all-pervading cause are we to
refer the production of the cholera? The
disease has already traversed portion of
the globe, equal in extent to upwards of
seventy degrees of latitude, and one hun
dred degrees of longitude it has prevailed
in climates the most disSimlar. at every
season Of the year, and almost every varie-
ty of weather. The ordinary causes of dis
ease, therefore, whatever influence they
may exert'upon its progress and malignity,
affords US no satisfactory explanation of its
origin The production of epidemics of
every species, is, in truth, problem diff
cult, f.not incapable of solution. To some
peculiar morbid condition of the atmosphere,
they are doubtless all to be referred the
exact nature of which, however, has hereto
fore, and possibly ever will escape our strict
est scrutiny.
That the production of cholera, at least
is referrible to some morbid property resid-
ing in the air we breathe, is rendered almost
certain, by the peculiar character of the dis
ease. In no other manner can we explain
its sudden appearance in the midst of an
extensive population the greater part of
which become at once its subjects In Mr.
Jameson's Bengal report, it is stated that
100000 persons had assembled to cele-
brate a religious festival on the shores of
the Ganges; the cholera suddenly broke
out amongst them, while at their devotions.
and In eight days destroyed 10000 persons !!
The pestilence was stayed as soon as the
multitude was dispersed it did not extend
even to village only seven miles distant.
Some OF the phenomena, remarks an in
telligent writer, observed in the cholera of
the east, seem TO indicate that the causes
operated as poisonous cloud, (if we may
suppose such thing would have DONE
The poisonous effect has often been as sud-
den, as we can conceive. Men in perfect
health arrive at certain spot, and fall down
by dozens; some never to rise again. and
Others to escape barely with life, after ex-
cesslve pain and torture. Cases are also
nelated of large bodies of men entering into
a stratum Of poisonous air, as at Nagapoor.
for instance, and also the troops which suf.
iered SO terribly on march from Canaan
thro' the northern Circars In other cases
the pestilential cloud, seems to have beer
waited into the midst of stationary assem-
blage, as at the camp of the Marquis O.
Hastings, on the banks of the Snde; thu
disease, in this latter instance, rapidly abat
ed after the removal of the encampmenI
from the infected district to the high ground
at Erich.
The cessation of the cholera was eauall
sudden with its invasion, at least in India
where, after prevailing for time in on
place, 1t, as 1t were, at once ceased its rava
ges, to make as rapid an attack in anothe
and distant quarter. livery rarely remain
ed IN much vigor at any place, for more thai
hfteen or twenty days, and sometimes wa
exhausted in much shorter time. Armie
have fled from the track OF pestilence, ant
been safe out of the limits of that track.
The antemperies of the atmosphere t.
which we have referred the production Of
tile cholera, does not appear to depend upon
any poisonous exhalation, derived either
from the soil, or from the bodies of the
sick. This is evident as well from the
wide spread of the disense its not extend
ing itself from n centre to a circumference,
nor following the course of the wind or Of
ne sun, nor obeying any other meterorologl-
cal phenomenon frequently, indeed, 1t has
been known to pursue its course IN the very
teeth Of the most powerful moDsoons. Con-
tngion and miasns floating in the air, sell
dom extend more than few feet beyond
the spot from which they derived their
source: when waited 10 greater distance
it is always in the direction of the prevail
ing winds.
But whatever has tendency to Vltlate
the atmosphere of any given nelghoorhood,
would appear to invite the disease, and IN
crease the number of its victims. Thus
the cholera has prevailed most generally,