Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-06-08
THE BOARD OF HEALTH.

The following juticious Recommendations 0
the Board Of Health CT The City Of Richmond
cannot &c tco strictly attended 10 by our citizens
With such attention, no cause Tor alarm ncet
be apprehended, relative TO the health Of Rich
mond. With The exception Of few cases o
Cholera, (Which we believe in nearly every in
stance, have been traced 10 imprrdence,) the city
has never been more healthy al This season .
the year.
We bespeak Tor the following report, that at
tenive consideration 50 cminentIy called for by
the preseu importance OF the subiecl on which
il treats.
PRopHY lAcTIc MEASURES AGAINST
CHOLERA.
Report OF "a Committee IF the Board Of Health
on Sandtorg regulations aud Precautions, adopt
ed BY that body June 5ta, l649.
Your committee can scarcely add any thiae
more than has already been recommended TO the
citizens to induce them to practice the most re-
markable cleanliness, as it regards houses, lots
and persons. Without feeling il necessary on
their part to say any thing about the remote
cause Of Cholera, or deeming themselves com.
petent, from what is yet known to speak conf
IDENTIFY on that subject il is q we'll ascertaned
fact, that when il invades city or country, It's
peculiar subjects are the poor, the dirty, the
dissolute, squald, badly clothed and i'll fed. lis
peculiar haunts are the low, dirty and filthy
parts Of cities; and hence the fair and egiti-
mate deduction, that these causes aggravate and
feed the present hidden remote cause, and teach
Us in the strongest language the counteraction,
at least, OF all these causes.
Kinds of diet are also reasonably, and, doub.-
less, correctly supposed to be among The ex-
citing causes, when the Cholera is existing cpl
demically.
The Board, therefore, recommend the utmost
extreme of cleanliness, sober, temperate habits,
dry, clean, warm clothing, frequent abutions
of the body, and sound, wholesome, well cured
animal food, and sailed fish, with bread, or rice
and hominy, as The best diet. They recommend
general avoidance Of the soft, sweet and sue.
culent vegetables OF the season for time.
They also, with confidence, advise as cheer
full and quiet 4 state Of mind as possible, steady
devotion to business, and prompt attention to
the first symptoms Of looseness Of the bowels
This is almost always the first stage of Chole-
ra, when it is easily durable; and delay is too
apt TO permit it 10 run into collapse, the last
stage, and almost SYNONYMOUS with death.
Some facts, so we'll authenticated, as to dis.
injecting agents, have emanated from men Of
distinction and character, as to justify the
Board in recommending the effort TO fill the
town with chlorine gas. II is said that this
can be done by every house having in it YES
sci of glass or glazed ware, containing q mix
ture Of three parts Of common salt and one part
of black oxide Of manganese, we,led with sui
phuric acid.
Towns in Europe visited by the disease are
said to have had its mortality lessened by this
plan being thoroughly executed, and other
negbboring towns TO have remained wholly ex-
empt, where the same precaulion was used.
The board feel it due to humanity 10 recon-
mend TO the council the propriety Of requiring
by ordinance, all persons who are stricken sud.
denly down in the streets, lanes or alleys, hav-
ing no home to which they may be carried or
friends TO attend to them, to be taken TO the
city poorhouse or to the hospital near it, and at
tended to; and that il shall DO the duty Of the
officers of the police 10 attend 10 such persons,
when advised thereof By any citizen, and have
them at once removed TO said poorhouse or hos
pital
In order, therefore, TO render the above views
comprehensive 10 every capacity, the Board
recommend tq their fellow citizens the follow
ing rules for y eir guidance:
The removal Of all impurities, animal and We
gctable, from inhabited houses and their yici-
mites. The free use of chloride Of lime, or
lime of any sort, failing to procure the former,
in all closets and oulhouses; also, in the cellars
and closets of habitations. The lighting of fires
in cellars at night, pans of lighted charcoal
with proper precaution, would be preferable.
(Care should be taken not TO use charcoal 10
any sleeping apartment.) The free ventilation
of all apartments, best done at midday, BY
opening the doors and windows.
Application should al once, in all cases OF
disease. particularly diarrhea, be made to q
physician. Let every one avoid a resort to pre-
scriplions cut from newspapers, since even
when they do not positively inaict harm, much
valuable time is wasted in their use; and, more
over, no one remedy can possibly be applicable
to all cases.
Avoid the use of cold and acid drinks when
the body is heated.
Avoid the use Of acid fruits and vegetables.
Under this cautionary head We would arrange
pickles and pastry.
Avoid the use of alcoholic and fermented II
quors in excess.
Avoid excessive fatigue and exposure to
dampness, especially at night.
Two much stress cannot be laid on the pro-
prIety of wearing flannel next to the skin.
Daily bathing should be praciised, and where
there is nothing to forbid it, cold bathing should
be preferred
Ii would be advisable for every one, il ms
habitn be- temperate. 10 avoid lowering the tone
of bis system by reoorting TO too poor diet, or
changing his mode Of life Heavy or late sup.
pers should not be INDUCED in.
In 6ne, let all undue excitement or depres,
sion of mind ba avoided. Fear is particularly
predisposing agent in the production OF dis
cases of this character.
Personal cleanliness is inculcated as aoso-
lulely necessary.
Let each housekeeper place in his front door
way or passage pan or dish containing 'hree
parts of table salt, one part of manganese, WEI
with one part of sulphuric acid, at six O'CLOCK
in the morning. TO be removed when the house
is shut up. BY order OF the Board.
P. CLAIBORNE GOOCH, NJ. D.,
Sec. D. H
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