Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-11-09
Cholera as An Epidemic.

DR.. EDWIN NJ. STONE, OF Providence,
Rhode Island, in letter to the Board of
Aldermen of that city, expresses views
which are of equal interest to other cities.
We copy: p "| .lf''" taJ. q. '. ''"
Il SO far as the city of Providence is con-
cerned, if quarantine regulations were of
any value, They would be useless here while
we have communication dozen times daily
with New York and other cities; but there
is no principle more certainly established
In the minds of all intelligent observers of
the disease, that quarantine regulations are
absolutely and utterly useless to prevent
the introduction and spread of Asiatic
cholera. rnt.a r. -ul
The cholera cannot prevail as an epidemic
without the presence of certain mystic
rious condition of the atmosphere. OF this
atmospheric condition little is known, but
it is known that its presence or absence is
not affected or regulated in the slightest
possible degree by quarantine measures.
Vessels may have the cholera on board, and
may land the sick on our shore; but the
disease will never become epidemic, nor
spread among the people until that mystic
rious atmospheric condition is present.
But.tha atmospheric cause may come and
may be present, and the disease may spread
epidemically, without any connection with
the arrival of vessels from ports where the
disease exists. ggI
If not single vessel should arrive in our
ports during the next five years, it would
not make single days difference, in the
presence or absence of the cholera as an ep-
idemic. .....,. ......
The doctrine stated so positively in the
document from the United States Legation,
at Constantinople, that cholera is conta-
gious, is equally opposed to the opinions OF
| physicians and others who have seen the
disease, and is calculated to work most Sc
rious injury, if fully believed, in any COM
munity where the disease exists. If the
cholera was actually contagious, in the or
dinary acceptation of the term, panic
would exist, and it would be difficult to OBJ
tain nurses, or medical attendance for the
sick. But no intelligent medical observer
of the disease in this country, at the pres
ent day, believes that cholera is contagious
/ have myself, in two epidemics of cholers
| in this country, seen a great number o.
cases of the disease, and have carefully OBJ
served and studied its causes and progress
and may say, in common with many 9TH
ers who have made similar observations
that we know that cholera is not cOnta-
gious.
DR.. Snow adds:
The causes of cholera are, first, the mys-
terious atmospheric condition of which we
have spoken; and, second. local conditions
of filth and impure air. The disease can
not prevail without the combined presence
| of these two causes. The first cause is be
/ yond human control; it advances and re
cedes in obedience to the laws of which w
know nothing; it crosses continents ant
oceans as freely as the winds of heaven, ant
it would be as reasonable to attempt tt
control the movements of the east wind a:
| attempt to control the movements of this
cause of cholera by quarantine restrictions
But the second cause of cholera, and with
out which the first would be comparatively
powerless for evil, is, to very great eX.
tent within our control, and here is where
our duty lies.