The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-12-13
New York Academy of MedicIne-Thc
Cholera.

Cholera.
special general meeting sf the members Of this
cety held last night at Convention Hail. Wooster
street, to take into consideration the report Of the
special committee cholera and neral health The
report referred to published In the Herald about
aweek since. There were about three hundred per-
sons present. some Of whom hold very Dist nyuished
positions in the medical profession. John W. Francis
Esq NJ D., the preside mt of the society," occupied the
chair.
The minutes Of the previous meeting having been
read and confirmed, Mr.. Vsndervoort read an addi.
tional supplement sry report from the committee on
cbeleIs, the facts OF which have already
ncated to the public by our special medical re-
porter, In the columns of the Herald.
On the motion OF Or DRAKE, this report was recev
committee of the whole to afford them Individually an
opportunity ct expressing their opinions both
mittee. ~ff
Professor STEVENS then offered a series of res olutons
for The purpose rs he said, Of eciting discussion
their merits. The substance OF these was that the
cholera was contagious and that it was the
DUTY Of the Board If Health to use eyery eff ort to iso
late and nsulate all persons and things infected with
it IN Snort TO enforce In the most rigorous
quarantine laws.
Dr. MArLY opposed the resolutions, and considered
the doctrine Of contagon laid down in the
to be the most extraordinary he had ever heard of
Laughter) He hoped that they would bs favored
with little more evidence than had been given to
them Of the contagious nature of the epidemic and of
tie data on which the resolutions were founded
Professor STEVENS then recounted brief history of
the progress Of the cholera in this country and asked
if any one could come to the conclusion that the
individuals who had just been attacked by 1t, could
have had 1t communicated to them on any 9th n
hypothesis than by the 1t from one
person to another.
Dr. DnAKE did not wish to pronounce upon tho ques-
ton Of coDtagon or non contagion, but he thought
that the city authorities should adop measures to
late the places and persons where 1t existed and
ouded by Offering some resolutions expressive of his
After few words from DR. Manly,
DR.. STEVENS ssd that the probandi lay an the
ogionts, and he therefore, called upoA them
| to prove the negative.
Dr. MANLY then asked tAe speaker II he thought
| it the tame disease that prevailed in 1882? and
| on being answered in the affirmative proceeded to
read opinions at that time, by Dr. Stevens
| to the effect that cholera not contagious
| DR.. STEVENS admitted that he had been of that
| opinion at first in common with almost all the pro-
tesion but before the epidemic had half spent itself
he had changed his mind, and he had since retained
the opinions he subsequently formed (Appause)
DR. Bliss followed on the same side, and gave q his
this country at Quebec traversed its route all over
the contradiction the emigrants who brought 1t
from Europe, and who landed where it first broke out
In view Of these fact could any one he asked
the influence that if was contagious, and commune
! Gated from person to another
] After heightened discussion in which Drs Manly
| Drake, Stephenson and Cook, took part,
Dr. REEsE, Of Bellevue Hospital, made heightened
speech against the doctrine OF contagou aud attri.
! buted the cholera to atmospheric Influences. This
the prevale mt opinion among the learned men
the profession, throughout England, France and all
Europe and he astonished ct this time day to
hear any scientific men asserting the contrary. He
suspected that Dr. Stevens was the only convert to
ena. uPn ~ 1ea3 'Thara s.,, W. go i.s ou'i'
racer tne yen, 90 NO. ,eJ nc con
.enoeo, I.iaeI 20 =. Ia ~ Pipf, y. onoera IN
.hs I 49,, thor u Ma ~ yas ios
on .ns n.e. ,h. I'D nccnrraa h;cyh tse~sa
were neither caused by contaglon nor contingent
coItasIopi snu oouuuu -. L.,,ss leS.iauous
ehap S.ys n.s LIZ 30 ~ nsas '0 Ao' 'nose VI
LIT: stevens snu VI VI ntsA0 &c., n c
"A Ai 49, ie ct vvs G.;o Wa,t. ~ e s aHa
at Da'' D'~Ae' '''' 'A-'''A' ""'''' DN' "no FRANK
III, ..,s .h.t h. +hnr.h+ 4. ,.....
" uhiscoM .aid, 'nas NC snougns ~ unnecessary
Iof tnem 70 Va my aoSu upou 'ne suoJecG AZ all
anu o,,. hnmIS r,sa i' w '"o 'aoe' anu
thaI tiie cohinttee shouiu iis1;
Inis esouuon was 90 carrleu oy msorlty OF the
numbers oeins ~ W ''' sny nos 'o'ins e'ner
way. 49,. .,,.s - . a.,
Inc PRESIDENT was .nen osIiee upon 20 resume MS
poson IN .he ooes ous 10 90 as. as!eep IN corner