Minnesota weekly times., 1854-06-13
WEDNESDAY,, JUNE 7, 1854.
REPORTS OF THE CHOLER
SAFE EROM LIS RANAGES.

REPORTS OF THE CHOLERA-MINNE>OTA
SAFE FROM ITS RAVAGES.
In our last we spoke of the peculiar causes which
produce Cholera. We now wish to demonstrate
that the location of Minnesota precludes the pos
sibiliy of the disease raging to serious extent
in our midst. Here the material for Il malarious
atmosphere is wanting. 1t does not contain, to
begin, sufficient Of the rink, easily decomposing
vegetation, which is the first ingredient. The
tres Of the Territory mostly pine or oak
The vegetation of the FORMER, from being resinous
is littlc disposed to pass into fermentation, but is
decomposed by the slow combustion of several of
its principles in the oxygen of the atmosphere
and for this reason, even the pine woods Of the
far south, partially free from maarious disea-
ses. Oak trees are comparatively too few to exert
by their decaying vegetation any sensible influence
upon the air. The only other vegetation of mo-
ment is the gramineus grass, which covers the
praircs that the chief feature of the Terrific
ry. This grass contains, as all grasses do, in its
culms and blades, great quantity of sicate Of
potash, and in its seed much phosphate of mag
nesia and lime, and therefore undergoes decom-
position very gradually.
of the land, is of nature to form the produc-
ton of malaria, were other circumstances favor
able.
But the other circumstances not favorable
The moist hot atmosphere necessary to fermenta-
ton and favorable to decay, are lacking. For
whatever the reason--whcthcr due to elevation
above the ocean, to remoteness from great bodies
of water. the prevalence of south west and north
west winds, coming across immense dry plains, or
the distance from the equator-Nlinnesota is ccr
tainly blessed with dry, rarifed atmosphere,
braeing and healthy in the highest degree. In
such an ;eriform medium. decomposition must go
on very slowly; its result, malaria, be of course
quite unknown; as well as the diseases of which
it is the direct (and indirccD cause. But not
withStanding this on-malarious atmosphere, we
do not contend that pretty violent diarrhGas, dys-
entery>, and cholera morbus will not occasionally
occur, where prcdisposing causes arc favorable,
as have sometimes seen them, even in this
healthy Territory.
Before dismissing cholera, for the present, we
must audc to the variety of medicines and for
mulas employed in its treatment, and all of them,
if we believe the testimony, in some degree, cfli-
crcious. To readers of public newspapers, for
the last four or five years, the most of these are
familiar. There is one remedy, however, which
has never appeared in print. In the early cholera
times of 1882, when the Asiatic scourge was slay
ing its thousands in the eastern cities, young
man having retril drug store in New York OBJ
tanned quite run of custom for his - AntiChol
era Mixture,' from the success which appeared
nearly uniformly to attend its administrations
lie was not an over-scrunulols indv dual, being
one of 4 class who subsequently sought their for
tunes in the carly Texas speculation. year or
two after the epidemic had ceased its scourglngs,
on being asked VIII 1T were the ingredients of his
famous me lie ne successful against cholera, he
laughed and said. oh, sometimes one thing
sometimes another-but always something rery
Strong!" On explanation, it appeared, that, lind
ing the physicians non-plusscd by the new disease
and the whole populace rushing madly to the
apothecarics, for mixtures to prevent as well as
cure it, he seized the opportunity - to make u
little money by vending an eriempore prescrip-
ton, compounded of the stimulant, carminative,
heating, anti-spasmodic, opiatic tinctures, SO as
to meet the prominent features of the disease
He had no rule of preference in regard to the ex-
act medicines used; except that they should be
strongly heating, and tend to stimulate highly
while constringing the system and allaying spasm
and pain-and one set of tinctures became ex-
hausted, he substituted others. Careless perhaps
whether the Mixture killed or cured, so that it
sold, he directed his something very strong to
be taken in large and frequent doses; and the re-
suit proved, that reckessness hit the mark where
the cautiousncss of skill failed to roach it.
But, as we have no intention of competing
for the prize we leave the subject. In conclusion,
we repeat the hope, that the reports from below,
of cholera lurking around the river towns, wait
ing only for the heats of summer. to assume its
characteristic viruence and fatality, are based
upon erroneous data and that every part of the
Valley of the Mississippi, in common with our
own healthy portion of it, may be spared from
any further visitation of this dcadliest scourge of
mankind that modern times has witnessed.
SAINT PAUL, June, 1854.