The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1854-08-24
VALUASLE HINTS.

extract the following timely and highly
, valuable hints, for the preservation Of
heath. The extract should be preser-
we'd and referred to during the warm sea-
son Of every year.
What is Cholera.
Cholera is the exaggeration of irtosti-
nal vermicular motion.
This definition, explained in language
less professional, would DO more good
than all the popular receipts for the cure
Of cholera ever published, because it ex-
presses the inherent nature of cholera and
suggests the principles of cure, in its ear
ly stage, to the most unrcaccting mind.
The public IS none the better, or wiser,
or safer, for one of all the ten thousand
cures for cholera, proclaimed in the pub
lie prints with a confidence which itself IS
a sufficient guarantee, that however well
informed the author may be in other
matters, as regards cholera itself they are
criminally ignorant; for no man has Il
right to address the public on any subject
connected with its general health, unless
he understands that subject in its broad
est sense, practically as well as tLeoreti-
cally.
As cholera has become a general, and
perhaps, at least for the present, a per-
mancnt disease of the country, and at
this time is more or less prevalent in any
State OF the Union-and one, too, which
may at any hour sweep any Of Us into the
grave-it belongs to our safety to under
stand its nature for ourselves, and do
what we may to spread the knowledge a
mong those around Us.
\ live cheese or a cup Of fishing worms
may give an idea of the motion Of the
intestipe5 in ordinary health. The
human gut is a hollow, flexible tube,
between thirty and forty feet long; but,
in order to be contained within tho body,
it Is, to save space, arranged as a sailor
would coil a rope; forever moving in
health-moying too much in some dis
eases-too little in others. To regulate
this motion is the first object Of the ply
sician in every disease In headaches,
bilious affections, costiyeness, and the
like, this great coilcd up intestine, usual
IL called the bowels, is torpid, and med
icines are given to wake it up and what
does that, cures the man. Costivencss is
the foundation-tiat i, one Of the first
bcginnings-or ii Is The attendant Of ey-
cry disease known to man. in some stage
or other Of its progress. But the human
body IS made in such a manner that
single step cannot be taken without tend
ing to move the intestines; thus it Is; 10
the main, that those who move about on
their feet a great deal, have the least sick
ness, and on the other hand, those who
sit great deal, and hence move about but
little, never have sound health-ia is an
impossibility; it is a rule to which have
never known an exception.
Cholera being Il disease in which the bow
els move too much, the object should be
to lessen that motion. The very first
thing to be done in case ofchoIora Is to
secure quietude. It requires but a small
amount Of intelligence to put these ideas
together, and if they could only be burnt
in op every heart, this fearful scourge
would be robbed Of myriads Of its vie
tins.
b There can be no cure Of cholera with
out quictudc-the Quietude ofiyiug on .he
back.
The Physician who understands his
calling is always on the look out for the
instincts Of nature; and he who follows
them most and intcrfcres with them least,
Is the one who is ofteucst successful. They
are worth more to him than all the Tig-
marolc stories which real or imaginary
invalids pour in upon the physicians ear
with such facile yolubility. If, for ex-
ample, a physician is called to a speech
less patient-a stranger about whom no
one can give any information-he knows
if the breathing is loHg, heavy and meas
ured, that the brain is in danger; if he
brcaths quick from the upper part Of the
chest, the abdomen needs attention; CT if
the abdomen itself mainly moves in res
piration, the lungs are suffering. 10 Vi
olent cases Of inflammation of the bowels,
the patient shrinks inyoluntarily from any
approach 10 that Par5 Of his person.
These are the instincts Of nature, and are
invaluable guides in the treatment Of dis
ease.
Apply this principle to cholera, or even
common diarrhel. when the bowels do
not act more than three times day; the
patient feels such an unwiiIingness to mo-
ton that he even rises from his seat with
the most uncouqucrable relunctance; and
when he has, from any cause, been NOV
ing about considerably, the first moment
Of taking a comfortable seat is perfectly
delicious, and lie feels as if he could stay
there always. The whole animal crea-
ton is subject to disease, and the fewest
number, comparatively speaking, die OF
sickness, and yet insticti Is their only ply
sician
Perfect quietade, then, on the back, is
the first, the imperative, the essential
step towards the cure of any case OF chol-
era. To this art may lend her aid to-
wards making that quietude more perfect,
Il