Delaware State journal and statesman., 1866-03-16
THE CHOLEItA.

We have heretofore directed the attention
of the proper authorities to this matter, but
in view of the fact that the period is rapidly
approaching when this dreadful scourge will
make its appearance in the United States,
we deem it necessary to again refer TO il, in
order to impress the proper authorities with
the necessity OF taking sanitary measures to
prevent its Introduction into our midst in
malignant type. Its course so far has hecn
just the same as its course in previous vista
tions, and we have no reason to hope that
we will escape So well convinced arc
physicians of this, that almost everywhere,
through their recommendations measures
are being adopted to prevent it, or al least
amelorate its effects 1t has been ascer-
tanned beyond cayil or doubt that iilthncss
is the cause of Cholera. The progress of
this awful disease in its several epidemics
has been carefully watched and faithfully
recorded, and without exception it has at-
tackled cities only, where filthincss prevails,
and is more terrible in its consequences in
those portions where the least regard is had
to cleanliness.
In New York, the Citizens Association,
by their Council of Hygiene and Public
Health, have recently Investigated the mat
ter 1t is composed OF the leading physi.
clans of that city-men of tile very highest
position for learning and character. Tic
report of the Council Of that Association
treats the subject with mastery ability Ii
/ m nf hn thf1 4,
its yisitations, and shows that in all place,
the one cause of its prevalence was want o
cleanliness. The report in order to substan
tiate this declaration, says
TN the city of Buffalo, where there was
fearful mortality from the epidemic of 1S40
its principal ravages were witnessed in the
filthy and undraned sections of the city
and in the purlieus of poverty, vice anl
ievers along the canal. In Sandusky, whcr,
nearly one-third of the resident population
died in u single month, DIR. Ackley state
thata stencil pervaded the streets. AT Louis
vile, Ky, the centers of the epidemic wcr,
associated with filth, malaria and crowding
In Cincinnati, where the epidemic killc,
5,3l4 persons, out of population of llG, los
il was first associated with local filth ant
crowding. In st. Louis A, ,j57 inhabitant
persisted out of $4,000 Dr. McPhceters re
/ ported that the epidemic elected as its chic
centers the crowded tenant buildings, til
streets and dwellings alongside the stagnan
ponds and open bitches that then aboundc
in that city; also that seven-t -tenths of tn
/ mortality was among the German and Iris
[ population, In New Orleans, when til
epidemic appeared, the streets and gutter
G were filed with filth so that even the Boar
4 of Health declared that "the elements {
puueiaction had accumulated fearfully i
r every direction, until the atmosphere wa
# polluted by poisonous exhalatons in whic
4 il sickly acid smell predominated
$ The report then gives numerous proc
j. that by proper attention to cleanliness, til
: = pestilence may be avoided; we select one
o thesc.-
If sin various towns and cities of Englan,
3. the actual benefits of preventive measure
the sanitary works Of cleansing, drainag
= and ventilation, have been fully tested. FL
S example, the city Of Worcester on the riv,
n Severn, having been twice scourged i
o cholera, undertook to avert the latter ep
!. denies by means of efIectual cleansing an
Il efficient sanitary regulations. The resu
II was, that while the pestience swept throug
!, the peighb0ripg cities and villages, the pop