Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-10-31


quence of its passing quarantine resulting
from the falsehood of the captain. The
disease progressed from transport to trans
port, gradually widening its circle. The
cholera, says the report, is contagious, en-
inently contagious, and proper quarantine
measures may prevent the epidemic of
cholera, If not always, in certain eases. 1t
is true, when cholera has already infected
a whole country, when the seourge pro-
crosses from all sides of the continent and
traverses everywhere by railroads, all
quarantine restrictions will be useless.
Then indeed, control is no longer possible
except in cases where limited districts re-
moved from the highways Of commerce
are surrounded with restrictions OF extreme
rigor. In 1881 the Imperial Court of
Russia, composed Of ten thousand persons,
removed to a retired place and all COM
munication from outside prevented, and
although the cholera ragged through Rus
STA, not one of the ten thousand thus pro-
tected contracted the disease. This, how
ever, wa in u secluded district apart from
any communication with the rest of the
world. The cholera does not appear to be
contagious by simple contact with the pa
tients, but as it were develops contagion.
Whereas in smallpox contagion is by the
skin, in cholera it is by the excretions,
especially the stools. Thus infected, ships
may contain contagion for Il long time,
and become sources of newinfections. The
most rational and safe measure would be
to prevent communication with the places
where the cholera has appeared. Doctor
Sayre proceeded to remark that the cases
of sickness that have appeared in Brook
Ign, and tho II i'll Seventh avenue, in
this city, were lone of them cholera. The
one in Seventh venue some three weeks
ago had no symptoms of cholera except
purging. The patient was a weakly man
Of a delicate constitution, who had lived
imprudently, and INDUCED in late suppers
and other excuses during The Jews holt
day, and died from exhaustion, without
any riee-water discharges, cramps, or
spasms of his muscles, either of legs or
arms, and was a pure case of cholera NOR
bus. His wife and children, who were
also sick at the time, all recovered, al
though the house was in an exceedingly
bad sanitary condition, SO far as c~leanli-
ness was concerned, the eXcretions being.
at the time he was there, still on the sheets
and blankets. Yet no case of cholera has
developed itself from that point, which is
proof positive that the case was cholera
morbus and not Asiatic cholera. For had
it been, the necessary ooncomitants OF the
disease being 50 abundant there, it would
have propagated.
HOW To TREAT \ CHOLERA PATIENT.
DIR. Sayre thought a few common sense
views spread broadcast among the people,
might probably be of some service to allay
the terror connected with this plague.
Great fear and anxiety had Il great deal to
do in the propagation and spread of dis
ease, and influenced the physical condition
to such a degree as to make persons more
subject to it than they would otherwise be.
He thought if the people understood the
single fact the cholera is not necessarily a
fatal disease, and that it always is preceded
by certain premonitory symptoms, such as
lassitude, great lsnguor, debility and a
diarrhea, and that in this stage of the dis
ease it is nearly always durable if the prop
or precautionary measures arc taken, it
would tend to allay the popular terror.
At this stage of the disease it is of the first
Importance to pay attention to the svmp-
tom, which is the diarrhea. AT the very
first approach the patient should assume
tu0 uOTlZOHIdl posture, ana retain IL, with
the hips higher than the shoulders, and
under no circumstances assume the per-
~pendicular, even for a moment. Absolute.
positive rest is needed, the body beingkept
in Il warm condition. An artificial means
may be used for that which may be neees-
sary. The main thing is the horizontal
position and perfect rest at the very COM
mencement of the disease If the patient
is down stairs when taken, let him stay
there or be carried up; but do not let him
walk up. If he is out visiting, let him
stay at his friends house. Keeping this
position for forty-eight hours, in the ma
jOrity of instances, the disease will pass
over, and the patient need make no great
changes in his mode of life. OF course, if
he has bad habits, he should reform them;
eat and drink nationally, and attend to
business as usual, but not overdo himself.
In the peculiar condition of the atmos-
phere when a pestilence is abroad, the sys-
TEN is redered more liable by exhaustion,
and he should husband his strength by
avoiding violent exercise. With these
fow precautionary measures. and u prop
er sanitary condition OF the city, and a
rigid enforcement of quarantine, we may
hope to escape any pestilential epidemic.