Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-02-08


lowing well-timed remarks, which are as
applicable to Nashville as TO the locality for
which they were written:
II Is not perhaps very startling thing 10
be told that the cholera has crossed the
Atlantic, and is making fearful ravages
among the inhabitants of the Island OF Gau-
daloupe. But when we come TO consider
that Gaudaloupe is distant from Cape Hat
teras not more than weeks voyage, the
fact that this dreadful disease has made
Judgment comparatively so near to US, is
really a matter for serious reflection. DR..
Sayre. of New York, confidently assures the
public that with proper quarantine regu-
iations he can keep the cholera out Of that
CITY. We doubt it. All such precautions
are excellent enough in their way, and may
do much towards arresting the approach of
cholera, but to say that even when strin-
gently carried out, they can be made to ope-
rate as an entire safeguard is sheer nom
sense. II can be introduced into a city by
the simplest article of infected clothing,
says DIR. Sayre. A pocket handkerchief
viii do it. Is ii always possible to disin-
feet these TRIES? Whilst we are putting
ships into quarantine that arrive from
places where cholera is known to prevail,
can il not be introduced from pisces from
whence ships are allowed to pass free? We
import large quantities. OF rags from Italy
and elsewhere Do we know where these
rags were gathered?
L But, apart from any possible source Of in
fiction, there are thousand ways whereby
| this terrible disease can insinuate itself into
the heart of great cities and if we place our
| main dependence ON rigorous quarantine,
1 and on the fiimigation of vessels and of the
| clothing of passengers, we may discover our
/ mistake when it is too late to rectify it. 1t
was remarked by the physicians of this city,
| during the previous visitations of cholera,
| that it found its first victims in the narrow
| lanes and alleys, crowded with the poorer
| class of population, and was especially pre-
| yalent along the line Of fetid water courses
| and wherever houses reeked with foul yspors,
/ and streets and cellars and back yards were
| filled with stenches from accumulated filth
/ and garbage. 1t is in such places that ehol-
| era has its strongholds. 1t is there it reaps
its largest harvest of death. 1t has been
conclusively demonstrated that wherever q
| proper attention was paid to cleanliness I;
wherever an inhabited locality or district
was subjected to thorough publication, but
few. il any, cases occurred and that even If
thew were isolated instances. they we're OF
the mildest type 1t has also been proven
that wherever cholera has developed itself
in its more malignant form, its ravages
| speedily ceased with the removal of the ex-
citing cause. Here, then, are points by
which we may be safely guided. Cholera
limits its destructive powers almost exclu-
siyely to cities and the great highways Of
travel. 1t rarely makes Its appearance in
the rural districts by reason Of their purer
atmosphere and the absence of the fuel, so 10
speak, on which il feeds and thrives. What
we have to do is to take advantage of this
fact. We must deprive it of that noxious
efiluyia which constitutes its chief aliment.
We must cleanse and scour, and whitewash
and fumigate, and purify generally. II
our streets were as free from fomenting
substance, and the humber classes of our
dwelling houses rs spotlessly clean az
are those of the famous Dutch village OF
Brock, we might bid defiance to the cholera
and our list Of fever patients would be re-
duced to a minimum. But large city
cannot be treated like model village
where the brass dairy utensils shine like
molten gold, and even the cows taiE
are decorated with knots of blue ribbon.
Still, all that is really necessary in the way O
prevention, may be accomplished if thS
proper men be selected for the work and thC
proper means be taken to do it. The ques
ton of expense is mere bagatelle wher
compared with the loss that would accrue Il
the trade of the city If it were known thai
this dreadful sccurge had made its appear
ance in our midst. Even those of our owr
citizens who were in circumstances to do SC
would seek a temporary refuge elsewhere. II
was the case here in 1882. Il was still more
recently the case in France For short pc
riod Marseilles was partially depopulated,
and as soon as the cholera reached Paris
Brussels became thronged with refugees. No
cur duty in this matter is clear. As soon as
the weather permits we must act as if W,
were certain that the cholera, moving west
ward from the shores of Europe on north
ward from the Caribbean Sea, wouldattemp'
to make Judgment on our shores. Their,
should not be street, lane, alley, vacan
lot, back yard or cellar within the limits o
the municipality that remained unpurifed
and that was not subjected to frequent visit
Of inspection. All offal and garbage o
every sort should be removed daily beyond
the precincts of the city. Our system o
, surface drainage admits of a perfect super
:. vision of the cutters, which should be FIRE
quently cleansed and deodorized. But it II
in the crowded districts and among tn
habitations of the poor that the most careful
: scrutiny will be required, and where tn
most complete sanitary regulations SHOULD
be enforced. With these precautions pro
perly taken, we need have no fear of tn
cholera, andeven If, in its erratic course,
should fortunately pass us by altogether, tn
expense incurred would be amply com
pensated by the greater freedom from
anxiety, and the assuredimprovement in tn
: general health.