Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1850-11-23

N'AiiNu''y HI thC SCNCiuy vi iuuifiuudi SoScS.
The mortality has been found to vary in diff
ferent epidemics, and greatly in different
periods OF the same epidemic, without our
being able to ascribe this variation to any
difference in the treatment adopted or in the
| already stated that the mortality in the
j 'tDoror, in 1882 was 93 in l6O, or about 5
ING, while during the epidemic Of 1884, in
the .'Echo" by which the Dovor was replac-
ed, it was IL in &c. or only in 81
i DR.. Thomas Watson, in his lecture on
cholera, delivered at Kings College, Lon
don, writes-'Never, certainly, was the ar
tillery Of Medicine more vigorously Piled
never were her troops, regular and volunteer
more meritoriously active. To many patients
no doubt, this busy interference made all
the difference between life and death. But
if the balance could be fairly struck, and the
exact truth ascertained, question whether
we should find the aggregate mortality from
cholera, in this country was any way disturb
ed by our craft. Excepting always the cas-
es of preliminary Diarhaa, just as many,
though not perhaps the very same individuals,
would, probably, have survived, had no
medication whatever been used"
To the above testimony vast deal might
be added from the most eminent men of all
countries, to show that when cholera fairly
sets in and when its peculiar symptoms are
well declared, the physician can do little or
any thing for US. The saline system of DIR.
Stevens-the scruple-dose-ofc calomel system
of lndia-the treatment by mustard Emetics
that by bleeding-that by injection of
warm fluids iuto the veins--the sedative sys-
tenn by opium and antispasmodics- stim-
ulating system by brandy aud ether-the
treatment by sinapisms and frictions, have
all been tried in a great variety of cases, and
have all successively failed in diminishing
the rate of the mortality.
j AS so little is to be hoped from medicine,
Fl the question OCCURS, is there any thing to be
hoped from sanatory regulations. The con-
current testimony of the same medical Au-
thors is that by way of prevention, great
deal may be done, by such regulations.
l Thus DR.. Watson in the same lecture
says-''Whatever obscurity may overhang
the existing causes of the epidemic cholera,
we are quite sure that certain circumstances
exercised strong predisposing influence
upon the human body to render it more than
usually susceptible to the disease. The
predsposing causes, as might well be i'm
agined, were such as tended to debilitate the
system-scanty nourishment, and frequently
also the confinement of several persons to a
narrow space, and want of fresh air-but to
INTEMPERANcE, more than to any other single
cause, may this proclivity to become affect
ed by this species of cholera be ascribed,
and especially to the Incorporate and hab
itual use Of distilled spirits. This fact was
I4peculiarly manifested in the selection by the
disease, Of its victims in this country, and it
has been remarked almost every where
i else."
Dr. Budd says-'' But although it (the
cholera) ''has existed under such a variety
of circumstances, and ever where with char
acters absolutely identical, the disease has
spread most rapidly and extensively in the
low, dirty, and crowded parts of large and
populous towns"
! The Report Of the Board of Health before
referred to at page l5 states as follows
'ln like manner, after careful examina-
ton Of the experience of Hamburg with
reference to the visitation Of cholera, in 1882,
the general result resting on accurate statis-
tics, is that with regard to the same class Of
the population, there were among those re-
siding in the dirty and close parts of the town
five times as many attacks Of cholera, and
0cdTly iOuT tltutS dS many ucdtuS
those residing in the clean and airy part of
it; that is, irrespective of the condition Of
poverty, the difference in the sanatory con-
dition of these two parts of the town render
ed the same class of inhabitants in the one
district five times more susceptible to the dis
ease than those residing in The other, and
increased the absolute mortality of the most
susceptible four fold"
"Since the epidemic of 1882, large por-
ton of the city Of Hamburg, has been re-
duced to ashes by the great fire of 1912,
nearly one third of the central part of the
town having been destroyed. This part Of
the city has been reconstructed on plan
avowedly in conformity with the principles of
improvement developedsin the the sanatory
report; and though these principles have not
been fully carried out, yet the result of an
improved sanatory condition, as far as it has
been realized, is thus stated by Mr.. Grain
GER
'sNo statistical Report of the epidemic of
the present year, IS4S) similar to that of DIR.
Rothenburg has been published; but after
extensive inquiries among several Physicians,
am fully justified in stating that the rebuilt
part of Hamburg has experienced an exemP-
ton from cholera which is as remarkable as
| it is important. All the medical men with
whom | have conversed on the subject ex-
pressed themselves unequivocally to this Ell
feet; and indeed the thing is so notorious as
to be we'll known to the inhabitants general
ly. DR.. Rothenburg stated to me in evi-
dence that although there had not been time
to classify the cases it was clear that the cpl
demic had not advanced so far towards the
.4ister or new part ofthe town, as in 1872!
Other physicians state that it has been par
ticularl} confined to persons living near the
Elbe. Mr.. Volkers, whose office enabled
him to form more accurate judgment than
other individuals, since it was his duty TO
take the addresses of all the applicants who |
came to the central bureau, in answer to my I
inquiries, states that from extensive observa-
ton he had ascertained that comparing the