The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-07-23
gust number Of his journal, we extract the fol-
lowing sensible observations


WHAT IS cHoLKRA1
Cholera is the exagge stion of intestinal vermieu
lar motion.
This definition, explained In language les profes-
soDs, would do more good than al the popular re-
cpts for the cure Of cholera ever published because
il expresses the inherent nature OF cholera and sug
gests the principles Of cure, in It's early stage 70
the. most nnrefectiDg mind.
The public is none the better, or wiser, safer,
for one OF all the ten Thousand Cures for cholera
Pre- claimed IN the public prints with confidence
Which itself Is sufficient guar antee that however
well informed the authors may be in other matters,
as regards cholera itsef the, crminay ignorant
for no man has right to address the public on any
subject connected with it, general health unless he
understands that subject In its broadcast sense,
pract ically as well AS theoretically.
As cholera has become a general, and perhaps,
at least for the present. permanent disease Of the
country, and at this time is more or less prevalent
IN every State Of tie Union-and one, too, which
may at any hour sweep any one OF US into the
greve-it belongs to car safety to understand its
nature for ourselves aud do what we may to spread
the knowledge among those around us.
A Live" cheese or a cup OF fishing worms may
give idea Of the motion of the intestines in Or
tnbe between thirty rnd forty feet long; but, in
order to be contained within the body, IL L., to save
space, arranged as sailor would coil Of rope,
forever moving in health-moving too much in some
motion is the first Object Of the physician in every
disease. In headaches, bilious affections, costve-
ness, and the like, this great coiled up intestine
usually called "the bowels" is torpid" and medi-
cines are given 10 wake it up; and what does that
cures the man. Costvsness istce foundation--that
Is one Of the first beglnpirgs-r it is the attend
ant OF every disease known u man, in some stage
or otter of les progress. But the human body ID
made in snch mannsr that 81 Jgle step cannot be
taken without tendrg H. move the ntestines; thus
1t is, in the main, that those who move about on
their feet great deal have The least sickness, and
on the other hand those who BIT great deal, aud
hnnH L.txt f4ttI ttt has
healthit is an impossibili', it is rule to which
have never known an exception.
Cholera being disease in which the bowels
move too much the object should be to lessen tn at
motion, aid a. every step man takes increases
Intestinal motion, the very first thing to be done
In o case of cholera is to quietude. II re-
quires but small amount of intelligence to put
these IDEAS together AMI fthey could only be burnt
in on every heart This fearful scourge would be
robbed Of myriads of its victims
There can be no cure Of cholera without quietude
the quietude Of lying on tue back.
The physician who understands his calling is
always the look out for the instincts of nature;
and he who follows them most and interferes with
them least, is the who is oftenest successful.
They are worth more to him than all the ngmaroe
stories which real or imaginary invalids pour in
upon the physicans with such facile volatility.
IT, for example, physi ian is called to speech.
less patent-a stranger. about whom no one can
give any information--he knows, il the breathing
Is long, heavy and measured, that the brain is in
the chest, the abdomen needs attention; or il the
abdomen itself mainly moves In respiration, the
lungs are suffering. In violent cases of inflamma
ton of the bowels the patient shrinks involunta-
rily from any approach 70 that part Of his person.
These the instincts of nature, and are invalua-
BILE guides in the treatment Of disease.
Apply this principle 10 cholera, or even com.
mon diarThua, when the bowels do not act more
than three OF fonr times q day; the patient
feels such unwillingness to motion that he
even rises from his seat with the most unconquer-
able reluctance; and when he has, from any cause,
been moving about considerably, the first moment
OF taking comfortable seat is perfectly delicious,
and he feels if he could almost stay there always.
The whole animal creation is subject to disease and
the ftwest number, comparatively speaking, die OF
sickness; instinct is their only physician.
Perfect quietude, then, on the back, ia the first.
the imperative the essential step towards the
Of any case OF cholera. To this art may lend her
aid towards making that quietude more perfect, by
binding cloth around the belly pretty firmly. This
acts benefcially in diminishing the room within the
abdomen for motion; man may be so pressed in
crowd as not to be able to stir. This bandage
should be about foot broad, and long enough to
be doubled the body; pieces Of tape should be
sewn to one end of the flannel, and corresponding
number to another part, being safer and more Ell
fectiye fastening than pins If this cloth is stout
woOen flannel, " has two additional advantages
its roughness rrtates the skin and draws the blood
to the surace from the interior, and by its warmth
retains that blood there; thus preventing that cold
clammy condition Of the skin which takes place In
When the Asiatic scourge first broke out among
the German soldiery, immense numbers persisted;
but an imperative order was issued, in the hottest
weather, that each soldier wear stout woollen
flannel abdominal compress, and immedi itefy the
fatality diminished more than fifty per cent. If the
reader will try il even in cases of common looseness
Of bowels, he will generally lind the most grateful
and instantaneous relief.
thirst. When the disease DOW called cholera first
made its appearance in the United Sta.es In 1892
il WIS generally believed that the drinking Of cold
water, soon after calomel was TAKEN would certain
" cause salvation; and, as calomel was usually
given, cold water was strictly interdicted. Some Of
the most heartrendng appeals have ever noticed
were for water water! 1 have seen the patient,
with deathly eagerness, mouthe the fingereAAs Of
the nurse, for the sake of drop or two Of cold wa
ter there while washing the face. There are two
ways of quenching this thirst-c,ld water and ice.
Cold water often causes o sense OF fulness or OPP
precision, and no. always satisfying; at other times
. moment. Ice does not give that unpleasant full
ness does 1t increase the thirst, as cold water
sometimes does, while the quantity required is very
much reduced.
The first step, then, to be taken where cholera
prevails and its symptoms are present, Is -
To lie down on bed.
I'd. Bind the abdomen tightly with woolen fan
mel
90. swallow pellets Of ice to the fullest exten,
,'-Ath Send for an established, resident, regula,
PhyslNian. Touch not an atom OF the thousand
things proposed by brains as simple" az the re
NEEDLES are represented to be, but wait quietly and
patiently until the arrival Of your medical at
tendant.
But many Of my readers may be in condition
by distance other Fise where it is not possible to
obtain physician for several hours, and where
such delay might prove fatal. Under such cir.
cumstances obtain ten grains Of calome. and make
II into pill with few drops of cold water dry /,
little by the fire or in the sun, and swallow II
down. II the passages do not cease within two
hours, then swallow two more Of said pills, and con
tinue to swallow two more at the end Of each two
hours until the bowels cease to give their lightco
o.ed passages, or until the physician arrives.
NoRDrRrARI, OR RANBIEs IN ICELAND, BY
PISY MILEs.--C. b. NORTON, CHAMBERS
SrREEr.-There are so very few acceptable
books in our language that give either an in-
telligible or faithful account Of that lonely
islesof the North, which seems as 1t were, placed