Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1849-10-31
For the Palladium
AnimaIcu lH in Cholera Objections.

Which - Hot I'She III any sc'SeS eA"ePe A"oe "O
Gem means nine. The article was written in
the ninth mouth, published in his paper Of tenth
month; and dated by him Nov that is elev-
enM month, which has not yet arrived.
avail myself Of this opportunity of saying
that the next evening after Dr. Smith and ex-
anf9ned these animalculI, received a note from
him, calling my attention to the existence, in
the same evacuation, "a part of which l had left
at his house, Of elongated animalculn in far
greater numbers than the discal ones. These
he had witnessed in other dejeciions; but none
Of this kind were apparent when We examined
the evacuation together the first time
The following communication was forwarded
to the Western Lancet for publication. with the
request that it be inset ted in one Of city pa
pers, with the view of placing it at an early Pc
Rod before the Medical profession. There
still some cases Of Cholera occurring in the Uni
ted States, and those DESTROYS Of verifying the
obse nv atoms Of DR.. Flummer can still have
opportunity Of doing
Microscopic infusoria in the alvine objections
Of cholera patients, have been mentioned by
others NJ Pouchet, of France, has recently
rice water discharges. The peculiar motion wit
messed by DR.. Plummer, could hardly be attrih
uted to ciliary bodies. for the epi,helal cells of
the alimentary canal are destitute of ciliary pro-
longations. Editor Western Lancet.
To the Editor Of the Western Lancef:-
/ hasten to lay before the medical public dis
covery which may ultimately prove important
;,,t i Oh
in nothing serviceable, l will have accomplished
my present purpose, of giving to others an OPP
portunity Of testing the accuracy Of my obser-
vations as far they extend; and Of carrying
out the discovery to extent which the me ans
at my command will not permit me TO do.
During the prevalence Of epidemic cholera in
this place, have awaited myself Of every OPP
por,unny of examining chemically and micro
scopicalIy, the alvine excavations Of the patients
under my These researches, together with
the history and treatment Of The disease as it APP
peared here i'll 1882, 1888, 1894 and $40, with
various collateral subjects, will probably sub
nit to my medical brethren at future day; but
the principal object at present is 10 announce
the discovery in cholera excavations of ditfere Mt
physical characters, or animalculr, with which l
have had no former acquaintance.
Some weeks ago, while contemplating the
sizes Of tie gIobules (apparently mucus globules)
in drop Of the sedine ntary portion of a cholera
stool, was surprised 10 see one Of the apparent
globuies start into active motion Not being Of
very sanguine temperament, at first suspect
ed the motion might be owing to temporary
current suddenly created in the fluid. carrying
the globue along with it. But why were other
giobules and particles, in the course Of the sup
posed current, motionless? had cause to
attempt 10 answer this question--for directly,
another and another gobue (as shall still call
them for convenience began to frsk about
moving in different directions, some stemming
actual currents set up in the fluid under exami-
nation. wriggling what appeared TO be their
heads, rapidly from side to side they pro-
gressed; others performing gyratory motions;
some seemed to be spinning upon their own "
es; others performing various other evolutions.
These living atoms were of somewhat diffe rent
sizes, but all Of them appeared 10 be smaller
than what I considered the mucus corpuscIes.
Apparently, these animalcular dots had the
power Of contraction and expansion, but in this
obse rvation l may have been deceived Well
aware of the danger Of optical illusions in mi
croscopic as we'll as other visual appearances.
repeatedly changed the drop Of liquid and con-
timed my examination Of the foregoing and 9TH
er phenomena, by candlelight, for hours. Du-
ring my nocturnal observations, perceived a
number Of the animalcules to be paired, o
be in close contact. Once discovered separa-
ton to be taking Place between what appeared
to be pair; and keeping my eve on them, OBJ
served them finally TO have fair space between
them; but yet, as one rlove.,, :,e other followed
as if dragged by some invisible connexion.
My thoughts were turned to the query,
whe Their these were monads' They were GER
tainly not ribriones; if they were infusory ami
malcules, they were probably monads. Here
were the apparently gIobular form and fssipa-
rous generation of monadic life. But were
these animalcules really infusory' That is, did
they take possession of evacuation after its pas
sage from the intestines! The evacuation was
or ! hours old before it was submitted to ex-
animation; this made it possible for infusory
life to have begun then reasoned, that if these
were iniusorial, their numbers would increase.
Twenty hours afterward, l therefore examined
the same evacuation, and found globules still
moving. Cold water was added to dilute tie
drop; il appeared TO produce effect upon the
moving al oms, the number of which vas not in
creased.
repeated my observations upon another por-
ton Of the liquid, forty four hours from the
time Of its detection, all apparent life
ertinet. The conditions, then, ostensibly most
favorable to infusorial life. proved destructive to
these animalculH. now resorted to the prob
ability Of their being inbred in the human sys-
tenn imbibed; and waited for further opportu-
nifty Of prosecuting my enquiries; soon Of
fered, and most favorable one.
About the 3Oth evacuation from a dying man
was. within two minutes after its passage, en-
closed in well ceansed vessel prepared for the
purpose, and in 10 minutes was under the mi
croscope. The stool was almost as limpid as
water All my former observations were now
confirmed; but with the aid OF a somewhat more
powerful glass than mine, belonging to Dr.