The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-07-21
THE CHOLERA.

THE CHOLERA.
We regret that there is any thing like a
panic with regard to this disease In Rich
nend, because it is not justifable. II is a
fact that one man may produce panic which
Il Is hard for whole community to allay.-
The faculty generally concur in the opinion
that Cholera has not yet assumed an epidem-
zeal form in this city. The gentleman who
edits the local department of this paper has
been indefatigable in his exertions to procure
facts, and he has spread them before our
readers. They show that nearly all the cases
Of Cholera are traceable to the grossest ex-
cess and to neglected diarrhoa and further
that nearly all of them were those Of negro
men who provide for themselves with what
are commonly known here as board wages,
i. e. they are psid so much per week for their
board. They lodge where they can, and eat
what they please. These negroes have favo-
rsble opportunities for indulgence, and a
greater part of their time have no one to
watch over or restrict their proceedings, ex-
cept the police in the streets.
In the face of these facts, showing that the
disease was almost confined to these persons
and that even amongst them it was palpabiy
diminishing. physician. whom the Enquirer
calls eminent, authorizes that paper to say
that it is "alarmingly on the increase Yes
terdays Enquirer gives up Dr. JOHN DOVE
as the physician who authorized the state
ment We shall say nothing of DIR. DOVES
eminence. lie is venerable physician, well
known and well appreciated. But without
intending any disrespect to so respectable
gentleman, we consider him far too excitable
and quite too dogmatical in his opinions, to
entitle him to be regarded as dispassionate
and calm observer. But leaving out of view
the remarkable suitableness of his tempera-
ment to the excitement of q panic, there Is
the certain fact in this case that he is in ter
rible minority-if he may not be regarded
the first person singular of the panic.
We beg pardon for this liberty; for which
his assumption of the panic must plead our
excuse.
Returning to the subject of the health OF
the city, we believe we are justified in say
ing that the health of Richmond is better at
this time than many sections of the country.
Fevers of a malignant type prevail in several
districts that we have heard of, while ifthere
is a case of typhus or bilious feverin this city
we have not heard of it. Almost the only
sickness we have had is a tendency to bowel
disease--generally ordinary diarrhGa. 1t is
the neglect of this disease-in itself not
serious, and easily cured,-which has pro-
duced nearly all the cases of cholera in this
city. This will be the better understood
when our country readers learn that many of
the negroes laboring in Richmond are, for the
want of room and nurses, sent to the mfr
mary of the Medical College, when they are
taken sick. Among them there prevails a
superstitution, that when they enter the In
Urinary they never come out alive; although
servants are no where better treated and ia
ken care of than in that establishments there
fore they will not complain, but will often
conceal their real condition until too late to
do good In this way many of the cases be-
ginning in diarrhGa have in the course of
few days, progressed to collapse before medi-
cal aid was called in.
But it is now a matter of very little impor-
lance, SO far as the panic is concerned, whe-
Their there is or has been cholera epidemic
in this city. What with panic makers at
home and abroad, assisted by those in other
parts of the State who have no objection to
help along any thing to our prejudice, the
people of the country are frightened as bad
rs they were in 1882, when with population
of only 10000, we had sixty and seventy
eases day-and they are just as fearful of
ceming to the city. We may therefore con
sole ourselves under the idea, that as the panic
is as bad as it can be, it will likely now dimn-
ish. We are glad to be able to say this.
whether it does or not the disease has Ger
tainly diminished.