The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-11-29
THE CHOLERA.

Meeting OF the Health Conn mfssfoners.
MEDICAL DISCUSSION AS TO THE CAUSE AND TREAT
MEsT OF THE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES AND I'M
PoRTANT FACTs-ADvICE FOR OUR CITIZENS
THE QUARANTINE QUESTION, ETC.
The Commissioners Of Health met yesterday at the
Mayors Office. Present-His Honor the Mayor, Mr.
Jones, President Board Of Alderman, and Drs. sayre
and Murphy
Dr. sAYRE presented and read communication from
Dr. Marsden Of Quebec embracing plan for the quaran
timing OF cholera. DR.. H. claims that space Of one
hundred feet Is sufficient 10 arrest the contagion Of
cholera.
The report received with favor and referred to the
medical members-Drs. Swinburn Sayre and Murphy
TO report on.
Dr. SArRz said that inasmuch as the newspapers had
teemed with communications tho subject OF cholera,
and many Of them animadvertng the action Of the
board be wished TO vndicate from the highest authority
the proprey Of the pursued by the Commission
ers Some OF these communications had been signed
by to which the letters NJ d. had been affixed;
and In Of them these letters might stand for Mad
Dog, or Muddled Dotard, TO judge from the want Of
science and common they displayed He felt was
due to the public to know what had been done BY the
Commissioners and that they had been guided solely BY
the best sources Of which they could have
influential body OF citizens had given attention to CON
Trajectory and absurd theories the subject Dr. 8 then
read from the statements Of Dr. Post one Of the medical
advisers OF the Department OF Hygiene Of the Citizens
Association In which he asserts that general impress
sion prevails that the medical profession do not know
the causes OF cholera its treatment, whereas
disease better understood BY profession As
its cause, there were two eemcnts hrst an epidemic
inhdence of which We entirely ignorant; second,
as TO the agency by which II ia transmitted we are unac
quanted After tracing the history OF the disease Dr.
Post advised that the wealthy and influential classes
lie confidence and second TO give advice to the medical
profession. Dr. sayre said the first reason stated was
proper but the second entirely absurd and an insult
TO the medical profession: Dr. Sayre opposed these
views by authority, by the report Of Dr. Mug, trac-
ing the course Of the recent visit OF cholera TO
Constantnope demonstrating its contagious characters
and also by that OF ~ dAlence, sent by the French
government TO Constantnople, Mecca and Alexandria,
who reports that cholera is contagious and not
epidemic, and that 1t is perfectly comfortable and
checked by rigid quarantine DR.. Marsden formerly
President OF the College Of Physicians and SURGEONS,
Lower Canada lays down these propositions In relation TO
choera:1 That 1t is communicable and controllable
disease 2 That Its not in the atmosphere, nor
g. That It accompanies human travel and human traffic
That progresses only at the rate OF vessels across the
ocean, but never precedes them s. That 1t is transmits
be by clothing and effects as well a. by passengers
That II never appears in q new locality without commu
nication, directly indirectly, with infected person
place; and lastly that 1t may be arrested like the
plague by an absolute quarantine Of short duration
These propositions agree with those submitted by N.
Alexander MORGAN do Jonncs p 1881, In report made
to the COnse Superior de Sante In Paris pestentia
cholera DR. Sayrc algo read from tho reports OF DR.
Tripler Of the United States Army, showing that
by rigorous quarantine he had been enabled exclude
cholera DR. Ssyre concluded by insisting on an en-
orcement Of rigid quarantine. BY means Of the Com
mssoners had been able TO keep away the disease for
three weeks in spite Of conditions very favorable for It's
development A port without quarantine should be
closed II like hotel without bedrooms kitchen
prvies He recognized the necessity Of sanitary regua
tons, house inspection. domestic instruction In diet
cothing and Cleanliness coan streets and proper
age We have had crowded tenement houses and filthy
localities, and yet cholera He controverted the idea
OF DR. Snow that cholera need be apprchcnded in
winter In Russia cholera had prevailed In tho coolest
weather Dr. urged the paramount necessity Of pro-
curing proper quarantine accommodations and that the
government we're obliged from every consideration to
protect this port.