Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1850-07-15
Report of Health Committee.

The committee appointed at the meeting
recently held in this village to address the
citizens relative to the best means Of guard
ing against el idemic diseases, have furnish
ed US with the following article for publi-
cation:
Your Committee deeming it important that
some preeaution should be taken on the part Of
our citizens in these times of pestilence, would
recommend that every celler, sewer, and ditch,
be thoroughly cleansed and lined, and every
street and alley be cleared of whatever filth or
other miasmatic matter they mny contain, and
that all decaying vegetable or animal substan-
ces be removed.
And as this is the season of vegetables and
fruit, when all are more or less liable to partake
too freely of them, they would recommend that
the following rules of diet be observed: 1st. Not
to depart from the usual regimen, further than
to avoid all green vegetables. I'd. Little if any,
fruit should be used; and none unless perfectly
ripe Sd: Fresh meats unless it be mutton, OF
steak, and then quite sparingly, should be care
fully avoided.
And 4th. All Intoxicating drinks, whether
taken in large or small quantities, cannot but be
productive Of evil. This has been fully tested
in past history, as others beside your committee
are fully convinced.
They are satisfied that these rules are highly
necessary and should be strictly adhered to, as
any imprudence of the kind may invite disease
in all its horrors. And again, personal cleanli.
ness is indispensable at such o crisis. Water
water should be freely used! The skin must be
kept clean. Bathing, either with "Sponge, Tub
or ehower-Bath," at least twice or thrice week,
would be earnestly recommended, or, even every
morning would be better. lfthese convenieaces
are not possessed, 60 to the lake or pond, and
snake clean the outer mani"
The Cholera is marching towards us, and
shall we be unprepared? 1t may not visit this
village OF county, yet, We should make prepar.
ations to meet it, if it should. 1t is easier te
protect ourselves from behind embankments
than to stand exposed in the open feld-easie1
to prevent disease than to cure 1t.
The causes that produce Cholera are better
understood now than they have been at any other
period. The rapidity with which it travels
from place to place extending from continent to
continent almost with the celerity of lightning
sweeping over vast bodies Of water, appearing
in isolated Places demonstrates conclusively that
it is produced by local causes, and those causes
| are favorable to the generation of Sulphurated
| Hydrogen, acted upon by the Electrical currents
| of the Atmosphere.
It is true that Cholera does not appear in all
| those places where deleterious gases are present
| the difference occasioned by altered currents Of
Electricity would seem merely one of create OIL
less intensity. sulphurated Hydrogen canno
be breathed with impunity either in diluted o,
| concentrated condition. 1t will create soms
kinds of diseases if it does not cholera; it will
produce diseases almost equal in violence, sucl
| as Typhus fever in its worst form, Dysentary
| Cholera Morbus, Marsh fever SC. &c. Hence
the necessity of thorough cleansing. You
Committee might enumerate many other bad re
suits from want of cleanliness, but deem tht
above sufficient for the present, believing tina
means will be used sufficient to drive disease
such as above mentioned from our midst.
All of which is respectfully submitted
H. D. L. WEBSTER,
HENRY PRATT, Committee
WILLIAM GAME.