Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1866-12-20
Thursday Morning, Dec. 20. 1866
An Interesting Work.

the tnlrQ cnOIerd epluelliC huO"A
in Europe and America. Each
visit lasts two or more years, and
hence the common error of great
ly increasing the number of visl-
tations. The cholera of 1882
reached America in 1888, and con-
tinued in 1884, and in some pla-
ces later. The cholera of lS48
reached America in l849, and con-
tinued travelling about until 1854.
The cholera of 1865 has reached
our continent in 1866, and will no
doubt prevail in many localities du-
ring one, two, or three years to
come.
Bearing these facts in mind, we
have been much interested in OBJ
serving its ravages during the late
pestilence, and in gathering what
information we could from our
medical friends. Upon the whole
we have come across nothing
which has struck us with so much
force as the views entertained by
DIR. w. X. Bowling, the distin-
guished professor of medicine in
the University of Nashville, which
we find published by him in a PAM
phlet which he has kindly sent us,
entitled "Cholera, as it appeared
in Nashville, in 1S49, 1850, 1854,
and 1885," We may remark that
DR.. Bowling had very extensive
experience with this epidemic in
Kentucky in 1853 and subseqent
years:
So much has been written upon
this subject to SO little purpose,
that few readers would undertake
alengthy article upon it. This city
has been awfully scourged with this
plague. From the 9th of June
until the LIST of August, 1850, it is
probable 500 persons persisted in
this city and suburbs from cholera.
During the progress of the epiden-
ic a large majority of our first ply
sicians were agreed as to the fol-
lowing facts:
/. That the disease was worse
in those districts where the popu-
lation used spring or well water.
2. Thatit was most fatal among
those who were not acclimated.
8. That those who ''ate and
drank, as they always had" du-
ring the epidemic, when assaiied,
almost invariably died.
4. The abstemious and prudent,
when assailed, almost invariably
recovered.
5. Those who relied on patent,
and other cholera nostrums, died.
6. Those who kept such pre-
scriptions by them as experience
here had demonstrated most effect
i've, and took them instantly upon
seizure, recovered.
7. Small doses of mercury and
large doses of opium combined,
proved the surest method of ar
resting the disease.
Four grains of opium to five of
calomel, in powder, given instant
ly upon the appearanceof liquid
and copious excavations, and re-
peated after every such evacua-
ton, efectually put stop to the
progress of the disease in those
persons whose stomachs had not
been gorged with fruits or crude
vegetables. With the latter the
prescription had little or no effect.
Where the powder could not be
easily retained on account of ex-
treme gastric irritability, pill
composed of three grains of opium
and four of pill. hyd., and repeated
after every discharge, was success
full, except among the fruit and
vegetable eaters. Ice eaten ad
libitum, and no drinks, succeeded
bestin allaying the agonizing thirst
and vomiting. A blister early APP
piled over the region of the stom-
ach, was a powerful means of
Aneliorating gastric distress. The
remedies enumerated were alone
those that possessed the confidence
of our ablest and experienced ply
sicians. ALI manner of remedies ,
were tried, and every plan. ration
al, irrational and empirical, which [
it were wanton waste of time TO ]