Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-11-07
THE CHOLERA.
Discussions I'm the French Academy
OF Observation-Disclosures of the Dis
ease fin Paris.


Discussions I'm the French Academy
Of Observation-Disclosures of the Dis
> I'm Paris.
At Il recent session of the Academy of
Sciences in Paris, NJ. Costa, the Secretary,
mentioned that he had received a mass of
letters announcing what were called Sin
falfible receipts" for the cholera, more or
less absurd.
Dr. Bonnafond read a paper on the same
subject. He stated that the condition of
climate, geology, &c, of a country en-
gendered distinct maladies. Thus the
cholera is peculiar to India, the yellow
fever to America, the intermittent fever
to Africa, and so forth. He did notthink
that the eareasses ofthe animals sacrificed
by the pilgrims at Mecca could account for
the epidemic. Africa should on these
grounds be constantly ravaged; and the
plains of La Plata, where thousands of
cattle were Slaughtered, should be like
wise infected. He was of opinion that
the malady should be combatted in the
very place of its origin-namely, India.
The cause of it in India is found perhaps
in the mud of the rivers. The measures
which the French government recently
suggested should not be limited to Cairo
or Constantinople, but be extended to
India.
NJ. LIE Verrier, the astronomer, COM
planned that the timeof the academy was
taken up in condemning remedies with
out Indicating those which were more Ca
pable of arresting the evil. The newspa-
pers publish receipts every day which con-
tradicted each other. Every medical man
hadhis own system. What was necessary
was to point out at least what should be
first done in the absence of the doctor.
In a word, he wanted positive suggestions
instead of negative discussions.
These remarks called up the celebrated
surgeon, DIR. Valpeau, who said:
an. LIE Verrier appears DESTROYS that I
should answer him. To indicate efica-
cious remedies is easy to say, but difficult
to realize. The cholera is a maladv as vet
really little known, and which, like other
maladies, is often cured without remedies.
Manymaladies, gentlemen, are cured with
out remedies. The truth should be told
In 1889 we tried all the means which are
at this day again sot much spoken of. In
~O.no lnstdHces Lney wCIv Successful; IN
others they failed. Was it because the
patient cured himself alone, or was it the
remedy that cured him We do not know.
How many persons are sure of their reme-
dy? They speak of it confidently. and
yet the patient is lost. 1t is probable that
in the first case he cured himself, and that
the remedy did not do much. This does
not prevent every one from believing that
his own receipt is infallible. Every doc
tor, like every other mortal has his RENE
dy. There is nothing so difficult as to in
dictate remedies where every one NEEDLES
in the matter"
DR.. Valpeauthen related an anecdote of
Louis NV, and his physician, Fagon. ex-
employing what he had just said, and
continued:
II am obliged to avow that it is not al
ways III Il power to point out an efica-
clcus remedy. The cholera is no doubt
caused by the introduction of a poison into
the organism. If the poisonous element
is in small quantity and the organism
strong, 1t makes no ravages if the con-
trary be the case, the danger is real. Also
when the patient absorbs what is admin
istered to him, his cure is probable. But
sometimes the. stomach refuses te absorb
anything; and in this case recourse should
be had to external means, which are often
insufficient. In a word, the maladv al
most always commences by characteristic
symptoms, such as ~premonitorv diarrhga.
The preventative treatment is easy. and
1t Is for each person to guard himself. Ex-
cess of every kind Should be carefully
avoided, and the rules of salubritv atten-
lively observed. The means of arrestinp
the malady at its outset are verv simple
My advice is this-pour from three To
four drops of laudnum on a lump of sugar
and swallow it. Repeat il two hours af-
terWards, and SO on, until the collie and
vomiting pass away. Take also very
small injections of starch, poppy flowers
with SLY, seven, eight or ten drops of laud-
mum. This treatment will almost always
suffice to stop the diarrhGa, and guaranty
against the malady."
Dr. Montainer writes to the Paris papers
to say hat he visited, on Tuesday. the Ho-
tel Dleu, the most important and the most
central hospital of Paris. He found that
there were admitted on Saturday from
thirty to thirty-five patients. On Sunday
there were only ten or twelve. On Mon
DAY but five or six; and up to ten o'clock
Tuesday morning not one. He was in
formed that the same proportion was OBJ
1aA1S ~ aaAA I
moreover, that che Hotel Dieu NAV at this |
moment be considered as the indicator of
the public health. He adds that. while the
cases diminished in number on SUNDAY
md Monday, their gravity ALWAYS dimin.
Lshed That sudden cases are rare, and the
cures are proportionately numerous than
On previous days. He has every reason to
hope that with the cold weather which is
2onlng on, the epidemic will continue to
decrease, and soon disappear; but at the
time it is right to guard against the
of so sudden a change in the tenn
DeratUre.
The Union MedicaEe contains the state
nent that the cholera is exceedingly light
n Paris. 1t says;
"The number of admissions TO the bosz
1ltais dIminishes sensibly in the course of
sunday. Another r~eassuring sign is that
he patients admitted have u better aspect.
md that the cases are becoming more ae-
.esslble to the resources of art. The epi-
doubtless makes its influence felt in
learly all the quarters of Paris, but il NAV
70 said in extending its range to decrease
n gravity. On the other bandit the num-
OF admissions into the hospitals still
ontinues high, that of the departures in
ohsequence OF cure augments every day.
he general opinion of the doctors is that !
he malady within the last few DAVIS has
Its maximum Of intensity, and that
mas now entered ON a period of decline. ,
he lowering Of the temperature annot
ut favor that tendency. {