The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1854-07-15
flor tho Daily Minnesotian.1
An Inflammatory Diarrh0a Misnemer.

An IufiammatOry DinrrhtDa q misuonef.
MEssRs. EDIroRs:-I must take the liberty Of
contradicting the correspondent in Saturdays
Times, in regard to his "Infammatory Diarr-
hGa," and pronounce it name, Gas applied to
his particular cases) solely of his own imagin-
alton and in so doing, have no desire to Gre
ate panic, but to correct error, as hold il to
be the duty of every man SO to do, as fur az
lies in his power.
In the first place, has any ono for moment
supposed that we have epidemic cholera" in
St. Paul! think not. Or has the gentleman
never heard of sporadic cases occurring here
and there throughout the country, without any
apparent contagious, infectious or other cpl.
dcmic influence?
Did he ever see q case ofInfammatory Diarr-
hGa terminate fatally in from four to twelve
hours! must confess never did; and had
the learned correspondent of the Times made .
.'post norton examination" of any of his SO
called cases, 1 think that the knife would not
have revealed the slightest trace of inflamma-
ton either past or present, resulting from the
disease. The said correspondent says, IL con-
of cholera proper, can originate in the puro
and healthful atmosphere of Minnesota" With
out any disrcpect to our beautiful Territory.
would like to ask the gentleman whether he
considers our climate any more pure and
healthful than that of the northern part OF
Europe, in whose hyperborcan ATTITUDES where
perpetual frosts and eternal ice reign para
mount, where cattle intended for consumption.
when killed, are allowed to remain for months
exposed to the elements, the cholera in 1881,
and in 1913, destroyed with the same unparal-
lcled intensity the haplcss inhabitants as it did
in the Sundcrbunds in Bengal, where dccom-
position abounds Again he says. Medical
men are disposed to consider, and in fact call it
Inlammatory DiarrhGa" Medical men arc
disposed to do no such thing; and l make the
assertion, believing my own acquaintance with
the Profession to be fully as extensive and re-
spectacle, as that of the correspondent OF the
Times Moreover, if the gentleman will adj
ducc the slightest evidence that the same kind
Of cases, arising from the same causes, occur
red on the Mississippi, or in its valley" previ-
Gus to the epidemic" Of '32, l will concede
that the disease is at least rightly named; and
that he merits the thanks of the Profession at
home and abroad, as a contributor to medical
nomenclature. But why call it Infiammatory
DiarrhGa, or River DiarrhGa, or Bilious Diarr-
hpa: Is it less to be feared or arc its results
less fatal by those names? think our past cx-
pcricncc will teach us not.
Again, We have, as general thing. a caro-
full. we'll educated Medical Profession among
their lives to the diagnosis and cure Ofdiscasc;
men who have seen the cholera in 80 and 1S
and since; and they all pronounce it cholera.
They do not say Asiatic cholera, or American
cholera, or Mississippi chOlera-but simply
cholera such as they have seen before. A dis
ease commencing with certain symptoms, we'll
known to the profession, and if unchecked, run
ming certain and sure course. Then why not
say to the public in an honest, manly way, il is
cholera, not epidemic. but sporadic, occurring
here as it does throughout the East and West,
few places being exempt from it. Teach the
people to be cautious, not fearful. Say to them,
we do not know the disease unheralled by
diarrhGa. TO which apply the
proper remedies, and you are safe; but do not
suffer them to live in an ovcrwcening conf
dence Of an "Inflanmatory Diarrhra,' until
the disease has finally fastened upon them, and
they are beyond the reach Of medical aid and
so think subscrve the public good in much
better manner than by Disgusting truth under
fictitious names. IL.