The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-01-25

affairs.
The Committee then rose, and an adjournment
took place.
Published by request
WASHINGTON, d. c., Jan. 1919.
Sin! As that dreadful scourge to the human fami-
ly, the cholera: may be now approaching our vicini
" the principles Of humanity call for all the facts In
relation 10 its cause and cure For eighteen hundred
years past, medical men and philosophers have all
been theorzing on the causes of contagious and in
lecious diseases in vain, As yet. no definite cause
ms been established, and the cause ocholera remains
u mystery. II was my privilege TO be In Europe in
1881 and 80, and among the cholera during its whole
course over the continent; and from the vast num-
Der Of cases saw and treated, l had great field
open 10 for practical observation; and from that
extensive opportunity ! have come To the following
conclusions as to the cause and cure of cholera. The
cause of cholera, and all other contagious or infec
tious Diseases believe to be In all cases. and under
all circumstances, produced by universal law OF
nature, which obtains in all matter, both animate
and innnimate, viz the law eff equalization. Hence,
when more than an equal quantity ofmatter becomes
animated with life reaction takes place, and some
disease is the necessary result TO restore equalization
again. Science, and the abstract principles Of meta
physics reveal TO us the fact that there in man
and all the;animated kingdom Of nature two inner
emf principles both inborn-a preserving and de-
structiye principle. And If II We're not for the first,
we could not exist; and II not for the latter, we
should never cease to exist here on earth. Both Of
these principles are therefore necessary In conformi
ty to that sovereign law Of nature which positively
demands continued change in all the forms Of mat
ter both animate and inanimate. Dr. Jackson very
truly stated in his lecture not long since that he had
Observed where there were the most children born,
there were the most deaths among children. This
fact sustans my theory of the cause of cholera show
ing MS it does, the strong tendency there is In nature
to equalization; and we have abundant proofs In all
the phenomena of natures operations of the contin
ued changes which are constantly going on In all
forms Of matter, by the way Of production, re-
production, creating and recreaiing, and the mo-
| y. .ncn thattx
eratons are before u.s.. This ebbing and flooding
fife and by its vast increase, has direct tendency
to use up the elementary principles by which life is
sustained BY absorbing some one Of The gases and
The four cardinal principles Of life are probably the
four potent agents of electricity, galvansn, magne-
ism, and mesmerism; and when all these are prop
erly balanced, there is tremendous production OF
life, which continues to increase until the equaliza-
ton Is so far destroyed as to call forth reaction
which produces some fatal form of disease In these
times Of such great productions of life, millions
millions of invisible animalculR assume momenta-
ry life, and these beyond any doubt In my mind
the proximate canscof cholera. DR.. Darwin, in his
Temple Of Nature, tells US he discovered by his mag
nifying glasses these little animalcna In numbers
quite beyond comprehension many Of which had
their Birth whole duration of life, death, and decom-
position all In the short space Of one day. What an
amount of pntreaciion would be produced In this
way, and how contaminated must the atmosphere
become in two three days time, when this process
was going on. In confederation of this theory, we
know the fact that the cholera travels through the
country, s9lourning only long enough In any one
place to select Its victims. So with these myriads
Of insects or anmalculR spring Into existence,
us 1t were, in a moment one generation following
anotherin such rapid succession that after few
days, or weeks ut most, the race becomes entirely
extinct. In all the ships coming here this season,
the cholera broke out on board In the middle Of the
ocean, showing they came in contact with an infec
ted atmosphere, which prevails on water. Hence
am led to believe that where the cholera prevails,
there the cause is ut the same time. The cause and.
effect travel in company always. We know that by
the laws of attraction and cohesion particles Of mat
ter are brought together and by the aid of light and
heat, become animated and organized But the most
important part Of subject yet remains to be treat
ed Of which is the care OF cholera. ! shall have
only time and room to describe the main principles
to be attended to- Most other diseases terminate In
DEATH but the cholera very often in death;
and when that Is the case, anything like cure is out
of the question think more lives can be saved by
prophylactcs, than by remedies after the disease has
commenced.
As preyentives, would advise cleanliness, avoid
ance of all facilitating causes, all Irregularities in
diet and drinks, Danish all fear indulge in lively
flow Of cheerful spirits, laugh and grow fat keep
about your business as usual, and be sure to keep
your bowels regular If they are costive open them
by some gentle apeiient II loose, check them with
ounces ncture rel, forty drops oil Of annise, sixty
drops pure oil o. peppermint, and two drachms pre-
pared chalk-all put in one vial, and well shaken
before used. Dose one teaspoonful every two hours
until your bowels are regular When the cholera is
prevailing, carry camphor in your pockets; lay It
about the rooms; fumigate your houses with the
fumes Of sulphuric nitric, and muralic acids, corde
OF lime; throw around the rooms the salts Of ammo
MIA, and the liquid form Of the same arom,atics, &c.
All nurses, physicians, and all those coming in con-
tact with the sick of cholera, should take table,
spoonful Of good brandy, mixed with hot-water,
every morning and evening. have found 1t was
much better to keep the ucton little above tho
healthy standard, than 1t was TO suffer 1t to fall
below, am quite sure, from actual observation,
/ lot tNnf . tnu
resist the disease, and often saves valuable lives.
have no doubt but that half the cases of cholera
might be prevented by strict attention 10 all the
rules have laid down, and Of those who are at
tackled twice as many could be cured, which would
diminish the number Of deaths to one-quarter This
would be great saving Of human life, and Is wor
thy Of attention of all There Is great objection TO
oil the different modes Of practice recommended by
different physicians and persons when they name
particular remedies, for there is but the one indica
ton In the cure Of the cholera, which Is to equaze
the action of the system and produce perspiration as
soon ns possible. Therefore, oil means calculated to
produce that effect should be used with unceasing
perseverance until accomplished. And whatever
other remedies used, this main indication should
not DC lost sight Of for one single moment Hence
the improprieiy and injury Of recommending par
ncular individual remedies. They call OIL the alten
ton from the only course which can ever cure bad
case OF choera--lha Of equhzing the action of the
system and producing perspraon. When person
s attacked with cholera all the functions Of the sys
tenn are suspended: caome opium, eamphor, red
pepper, &c, only tend TO restore one function
each. Therefore II will be fatal TO depend either
OF these remedies, all of them; for they cannot
arouse the action of The whole system and restore all
The functions TO their healthy condition. This alone
can be done by equazing the actions and producing
perspiraiion; which must be done by al The agents
combined together for that purpose. All individual
remedies should be considered as only auxiliary.
nave used sigar Of lead and opium 10 restrain copi-
Gus excavations with the best effect The galvanc
battery IL good; also electricity and heat, and all
kinds of external irritants.
Yours with respect,
HARTWELL CARVER, NJ. d,