The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1857-07-29
EPIDEmlCs.

Thing about epidemics when choleta or
yellow fever comes sweeping through city,
if il does nothing else it sets everybody con-
eclurng causes for lie having come this par
licular year and not another. Each one brings
up facts 10 support, of his theory, and though
the theories may die, the facts remain. In
The present age, news flies BY lightning; facts
are compared and sifted. Thus old theories
are rapidly exploded, and broader generaliza-
lions take their place.
Are not epidemcs all the effects Of passion?
or this there seems very little doubt. Thus
scarlet fever is found 10 be best treated, when
regarded as an irritating substance perhaps
inh aled through the lungs irto the blood, but
chiefly 10 be expelled from the system ihro'
the surface, that is the skin, where its poison
is destroyed. The chief effort of medicine
should, therefore, be 10 stimulate the system
so as 10 enable il 10 expel the poison. instead
of allowing the vital powers TO be depressed
by it. II person is bitten by ratlesuake,
every physician knows that the best treat.
mem is a slimulant Brandy, whiskey, or
ammonia must be KEEP, ut work upon the
system, and The vital forces can hardly be
rallied This seems now 10 be considered
the best method of treating fevars. They
must be considered as poisons which have
got to be slowly worked out of The system.
But how do they werk their way in Thie
is the next question. Is it In what we eat or
what we drink, by the touch or through in-
b.I,,;o,q Thoxo eaons IN ba M raaeon IN
Joub, ,ha, il may be by any of these means.
The effect of poisons on the skin, ard their
different results at different times are well
known. If painter gets handling his white
lead paints before breakfast, he will be lar
more likely SO 10 imbibe the poison as TO
take The painters cholic, because his stomach
is emply, and the absoTbents are active. But
after breakfast, with a vigorous system, he
may labor with far greater hope of impunily.
So we have no doubt il would be found among
those attending yellow fever and cholera pa.
tieEts. They may handle them even when
dying or dead, and so long as the system is
vigorous, feel no evil effects. Blu, if after be-
ing fatigued with the watches OF The night, the
depressed system is brought in contact with
disease, and copious ablulions be neglected,
it will often absorb the virus. 1t is on this
accoun, tha, some hard drinkers have thought
the practice contributed 10 their safely. But
as all such sumulanls must be succeeded by
corresponding reaction at'mes, the habilual
use of such things kills twenty where it saves
one. So it was found by Walkers army in
Nicaragua.
But the poison usually takes more subtle
form. 1t is chiefly through the ar that il is
propagated In cholera seasons, there is no.
ticeble an almost total absence OF asone from
the atmosphere where the epidemic prevails,
an ingredient in some way connected with
the presence of electricity, while influenza is
probably owing in par, 10 its excess. Wheth.
er these are direct causes ,or whether only the
means are letting loose other causes upon the
sy stem, through the fermentation OF certain
minute bodies, none can say. Carbonic acid
gas willy often seem TO product typhus fever
But sometimes there will be malaria in bn
atmosphere in which no chemistry has been
absence of any unusual element In the
neighborhcod of Charleston, S. c., malaria
will prevail so marked as 10 be certain death
10 any stranger sleeping on plantation Tor
single night, end yet those who live there all
the year round enjoy health. All these are
most certain 10 be injurious for few hours
after sundown and a few hours before sun-ise.
A hearty meal, by preventing the action OF
the absorbenls, Is one Of the best preventlves,
and warm woolIen clothing next 10 the skin
is almos, equally necessary. Hence it would
seem that either the lungs or the skin may
imbbe death through virus so subtle that
no analysis can detect it's presence.
OF course whatever poisons may be float
i6g in the air will be amost certain 10 i'm
pregnate more or less the waller exposed 10 it.
Often water will become most obviously the
means of conveying the poison into the sys.
TEN. In London, the impure water OF the
Thames taken from certain localities, inlro-
duced cholera and death into many houses,
while families supplied with water drawn
by another company from different spot
were scarcely in any case affected by the
disease.
Do poisonous masmas always act on the
same organs primarily, or on different ones
That is a very impoHan, question. In some
cases, such as scarlet fever, ii would seem as
if the virus was absorbed through the lungs
into the circulatory system, producing all its
effects thus. But, in many cases, the frs,
impression would seem 10 be made upon the
nervous system. Hence those pains in The
back, and lha, lassiiuds and mental ianguor
which so commonly precede ordinary lever
attacks. But, in cases of choleIa, i, may be
regarded as uncertain which organs are first
affecied--indeed, different organs may be in
differen, cases. Thus, where the poison il
[ imhibed through water, il may primarily al
tack the stomach and intestines; where in
hailed or absorbed through the skin, il may
frs, affect The blood or the nervous system
That ii does destroy the vitality of the bloot
with surprising suddenness. in some cases