Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1866-02-01
THE CHOLERA.
From the Baltimore Gazette. J

and is making fearful ravages among the IN
babitants OF the Island OF Guadaloupe. But
when we come to consider that Guadaloupe is
distant from Cape Hatteras not more than
weeks voyage the fact that this dreadful dis
ease has made a lodgment mparatlvely SO
near to us, is really matter for serious reHec-
tion. Dr.. Sayre Of New York, confidently
assures the public that with proper quarantine
regulations he can keep the cholera out OF
that city. We doubtit 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 stringently carried
out, they can be made to operate as an entire
safeguard is sheer nonsense. 1t can be intro
dnced into city by the simplest article OF
infected clothing, says DR.. Sayre. A pocket
handkerchief viii do it, Is it always possible
toedisinfect these trides? Whilst we are put
ting ships into quarantine that arrive from
places where cholera is known to prevail, can
It not be introduced from places from whence
ships are allowed to pass free? We import
large quantities OF rags from Italy and else
where Do we know where these rags were
gathered?
But, apart from any one possible source of
Infection, there are a thousand ways whereby
this terrible disease can inslnuate itself into
the heart OF great cities, and it We place our
and on the funligatlon OF vessels and OF the
clothiog Of passengers we may discover our
mistake when it is too late to rectlty it. ltWas
remarked by the physicians Of this city, dur
inc the previous vlsitations OF cholera, that 1t
fo1nd its first victims in the narrow lanes and
aIleys, crowded with the poorer class OF the
population, and was especially prevalent along
the line of fetld water courses, and wherever
houses reeked with foul vapors, and streets
and cellars and back yards were filled With
stenches from accumulated ttth and garbage.
til in such places that cholera has It's strong
holds. It is there ltreaps It's largest harvest
Of Death 1t has been coDcluslVely demon
strated that wherever q proper attention Was
paid to cleanliness ; wherever an inhabited
l0cahtv Or district was subjected to a thorough
publication, but few, if any, cases occurred;
and that. evenit there we're isolated instances,
they were Of the mildest .ype 1t has also been
nroyen that wherever cholera has developed
itself n its more malignant form, It's ravages
speedily ceased with the removal OF the exciting
cause, Here, then, are points by which We
NAV be safely guided. Cholera limits it's de-
struct;re uowors almost exclusively 20 cities
and the Great highways Of travel 1t rarely
makes its appearance IN the rural districts by
reason OF their pu1er atmosphere and the alb
sence Of the fuel, % TO speak, or which Il
feeds and thrives ."
What we have to do is to take advantage Of
this fact. We must deprive it ofthat noxlous
eA1uyia which constitutes its chief allment =
We must cleanse and scour, and whitewash and
fumigate and purify generally. Ii. our streets
were as free from fermenting substances, and
the humber classes OF our dwelling houses as
spotless}y clean as are those of the famous Dutch
Village Of Brock, we might bid defiance to the
cholera and our list ef fever patients would De
reduced to>a minimum But a large city can
not be treated like d model village, where the
brass dairy utensils shine like molten gold, and
even the COW 5 tails are decorated with knots
Of blue ribbon, Sil, all that is really necess3-
ry In the way of prevention, may be accomplish
ed if the proper men be selected Tor the W0I&
and the proper means &c taken TO 90 1t. ! ne
question Of ex pense IS q mere 5DagateAe Vhen
compared with the loss that would accrue 20
the trade o. the city i it were known that THIS
dreaded scourge had made It's appearance II
our midst Even those OF our own cl5lzens
Mho Were.in circumstances to do SO Would seek
a temporary refuge elsewhere. 1t was the case
here Ia 1882 ltwas still more recently the case
m.FIance For a short period Marselles was
partially depopulated, and as soon as the cholera
reached Paris, Brussels becamed thronged
with refugees. No our duty in this matter
is clear. AS soon as the weather permits we
must act as if we were certain that the cholera,
moving westward from the shores OF Europeo or
northward from the Caribbean Sea, would at
tempt to make odgment on Our shores
There should not be a street, lane, alley, vacant
lot backward Or cellar within the limits OF the
municipality that remained unpurlhed, and
that was not subjected to frequent visits OF IL