The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1856-07-05
Opinions Regarding the Cause of Cholera.

John Lea, oil Cincinnati, author OF the
/ Geological Theory of Cholera, recently pub.
/ lished an article in the Cincinnati Gdzette,
addressed to ms, in which he adheres to his
opinion that cholera shuns all primitive form
ations where no cacorio magnetism water is
to be found lie asserts that if people died
Of cholera in New York in 1854, They
must have subjected themselves to the dis
ease by the use of hard water. or doses Of
magnesia.' He also says: 81 have never
yet known single individual to die of cho-
lera who used rain water exclusively. / be
licve that not one has died who used water
that had been boiled, and the cholera gene
rating impurities prccipitated." He asserts
that the use of rain water is preventive Of
this disease, and that it is neither looked for
nor feared in southern cities, villages, and
, on plantations, where such water is cyclu-
siveiy used as 4 beverage. II this.iS SO, cho-
lera need be no cause OF terror in any place J;
and we admit, 1t is not OF so much cOnsc-
quence TO know what causes the disease as
to know how to prevent it. We have no
positive data, however, on which to place
implicit reliance for such opinions. He is,
undoubtedly, mistaken in regarding the use
Of hard water and doses of nagnesia as be-
ing the cause of so much cholera in 1854
in New York. The water with which this
city is supplied contains Only 2.s grains OF
carbonate Of lime and magnesia to the gal
lon-thus it may be called soft water II
cholera were geological disease, belonging
to the limeStone-magnesum formations, it is
certainly strange that before the introduction
Of Croton water, when New York was fur
nIshed for a long period with water contain
ing 12S grains Of limestone and magnetism
impurities to the gallon, cholera was un-
known. During the prevalence OF cholera
in August, 1854, from 600 to 600 persons
were carried off by it weekly. We are not
so creduiOus as to attribute such mortality
to large doses Of magnesia taken by those
persons, ns,-CrOton water having its source in
the pr mitivc formations of gness and mica.
Impure water, no doubt, causes and con-
tributes 70 disease, but this Is mostly owing
to the organic matter, and not the lime or
magncsia it contains. This was found to be
the case in London during the prevalence of
the cholera in 34S-9 One district in that
city was supplied by two river water compa-
nics-one company supplying $1,000 houses
and the other 10000. The mortality was
only 81 in 10000 Of the population supplied
by one company, while 1t was no less than
l3O in the same amount OF population sup
Piled by the other. This difference of NOR
tality was unmistakabiy traced to the water,
not, however, u any excess Of lime or mag
nesia in the one over the other, but organic
matter. This Is the opinion O; the most
eminent physicians in London, as expressed
by them IN conversation which took place
IN the Society of Arts only 50 recent a the
l4th Of last month. in discussing Dr. Clarkes
method of purifying water by the use Of ny
drate Of lime. There are 50 many facts be
fore US which seem to contradict the geo,o-
gical theory Of this disease adopted by Mr..
Lea that we cannot accept it
We arc not prepared to deny that the use
Of rain or boiled water i sure preventive
Of this disease, as Mr.. Lea asserts. If thi,
IS so, we heartily rejoice that the remedy is
so simple But We must have more facts
I'VE really hope we may obtain them to en-
dorSe this theory before we can place i'm
plicit reliance in it-Scilstjfc Amegicau.