Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1854-08-02
From the Boston Courier. July III

! considered one OF the greatest of blessings, so
the loss oft has equally been regarded as one
| of the greatest of mis!ortunes This is true of
communities as well as of individuals; for if the
sickness of one member of community inter-
rupts his business operations, a general preva-
| lence of disease must also seriously affect the
business relations of that community, and by its
reaction again, each one of its sympathising
members. For these and other reasons, more
directly related to the disagreeable and personal
Icognizanee of disease, apart from any mercan.
tile considerations there is no subject in the dis
cussion Of which all classes have, at all times,
| exhibited more lively interest than that which
| relates to the measures necessary to be adopted
/ for preservation of health. 1t seems to be quite
! i'm lateral whether the advice given for this
| purpose be good or bad, whether the means ad.
vised be reasonable and well adapted to the end
proposed or otherwise, if the promise of relief is
but made momentarily brilliant by the ignis
| fatuus of emperical deception, as by the less
fashy but more enduring light of truth.
! Upon the outbreak or recurrence of any cpl
demic disease, whether it be contagious or not
| this always existing interest becomes SO much
I intensified and exaggerated that there is some
danger certainly that our fears may get the bet
ter of our reason, and that, in our too active en-
deavors to avoid an imaginary Scylla, we may
be untowardly wrecked upon real Charybdis.
The presence of cholera here this season is
/ one of these occasions. It's mysterious advent
] in the east-the eXcentricity of its movements
Its rapidly fatal character its apparent disre
gard of the ascertaned laws which limit, or
conclude, other epidemics, have invited it with
terrors which are the necessary accOmpani-
ments of all unmeasured and invisible dangers
And although the familiarity of repeated visits
the general professional disbelief in its conta
giousness, and the ascert'inment Of the princi-
pal eli, cumstanceS under which it is developed,
have done mach to allay unreasonable fears.
yet there still seems to be sufficient reason Tor
restatine in q plain form the principal facts
which are aseertained in relation to this disease
and where this knowledge so far ends.
Ofthe ultimate origin and essential nature
of cholera, we know absolutely nothing. OF
the theories which attribute to it an electric,
that they are, however ingenious, plausible, or
learned, still improved.
OF the conditions necessary for its develop
ment in the human body, we know enough to
be able to say that some of them are removable
and tina. others can be avoided.
What are these conditions?
l. An epidemic tendency or influence of
which we know only that it exists.
g An active local cause such as the pre- 'ence
of filth, over crowding of tenements, bad drain
age, &c, &c.
3 Personal predisposition or state of prepa-
ration, induced by exp posture 10 the second class
of causes irregularty of habits, incautious Diet
or any other facilitating agencies.
Without the concurrence of these conditions
cholera cannot be developed; so that if we can
not understand or remove the epidemic influence
we may often render il innoxious by the re-
moval of the local causes and by the careful
avoidance of those which are personal. The
city government armed with the discretionary
powers of boards of health. is now, by well or
ganized and systematic efforts striving to re-
move the first, and it remains for the citizens
themselves to second these measures by their
own personal endeavOrs to avoid the last.
BY what particular means can an attack be
escaped?
/. By avoiding anything or any course of
conds,c. hiet which NAV have tendency to
throw the system off it's balance; such as the use
of intoxicating drinks, unripe fruits, immature
or unfresh vegetable, excessive fatigue, expo
sure to the vcissitudes ofthe weather or a con-
tinued residence in filthy locality, or one in
which several cases have occurred, although
the particular cause may not he discovered.
2. Bv avoiding, as you would the pestilence
itself all medicines or other articles, such as
brandy, "cordials,' &C., which are recommend
ed or advertised for the prevention Of cholera.
What is to be done in case of an attack?
In all the cases which have been observed
here, there is an initatory or beginning stage
of diarrhpa. In this stage cholera is easy cured
1t is the neglect of this, which is often slight
and without pain, which permits The disease to
90 on to the stage of collapse, which is falsely
supposed to be the beginning Of true cholera,
whereas it is only its end, and f,r which it IS
unreasonable ever to expect to find any gener
al or etfectua remedy.
How then shall this disease be cured while
still in its early and accessional stage?
/. By abstinence from all food.
2 By entire rest in horizontal posture.
3. By medicines, which can only be safely
prescribed by competent physician, who
should be Immediately summoned.
In conclusion, there is every reason to be-
lieve, Notwithstanding some deaths have occur
red here from cholera, and that the bills OF NOR
tally have been somewhat increased, that the
sum total of sickness and death for theyear will
not exceed the average mortality. Epidmics
are not always calamitous-but for the time
because during their prevalence, and usually
for long time after their disappearance, other
diseases seem to claim less than their usual
number of victims. and the storm is succeeded
by perio1 of repose.
Boston is so favorably situated in regard to
its location, its facilities for drainage, and its
abundant means for sanitary improvement, that
without care it must always continue to be, as
it has hitherto been, the healthiest of cities:
For London Free Press.