The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-02-12

do harm, by leading to a false security,
il may be proper to give 1t some special
attention. In the first and great epi-
demic of the disease in Wheeling, none
of.these! prodroUnes wete observed. al
though special attention was direeted
to the subject, and Notwithstanding eY-
cry individual was on the qUt rfpe for
some symptom OF an approaching at
tack. Physicians from all lquarters bore
testimony to the correctness of, this OBJ
servation. t,i .iii5tsl. D. '6.9.l ..-li.i
In some cases twas observed that the
pulse became extremely slow for q
short time previous to an attack, fall
ing as low as forty. and even thirtyTnye
beats in a minute, but this was rarely
detected, and when it did exist, It pre-
ceded an unusually severe attack OF
the disease. In other cases, where lndi-
gestible food had been eaten, it pro-
duced sense of prmcordial oppression, !,
but, as a general rule, the first warming
consisted in the development OF the one
great pathognomonic symptom OF the
disease. During that epidemic, diar-
rhsa, ending in rfce-water discharges,
was unit yersally considered the one, and
onl 7premonitory symptom, ana J9s
that symptom was absent each individ-
ual preserved his sense of perfect secu-
rity. In numerous instances, persons
enjoyed such feeling of perfect health,
even for some timeafter the commence
ment of the diarrhoea, aslto be persua-
ded with difficulty, that they were in
be so persuaded and died in coIse=
quence, thus showing that, whilst the
automatic system of nerves We're far on
their way to destruction, the nerve CEN
tres of animal life maintained their in
tegrity. What was Mt that time called
and considered mere ,premonitory
symptom, is now very correctly esteem
~ - I,s, ft,a II rat Stoua Of the 1tSnaSa -
1t commenceS with very little II any
pain and is at first fieculent and in no
respect different from an ordinary diar-
rhusa. Very soon however it changes
It's character; If pain existed in the hrst
place, this ceases, and the bowels net by
The stimulus OF distension n alone; the de-
jections become more and dmore,fIequent
and copious and are thrown off in n full
stream, with very little effort. From
being ffeculent they soon become Sc
rous, and for time are slightly tinged
with bile, but at last they present that
appearance to which, by com mon con
sent, has been accorded the name of
rice ,6dteT.. They resemble this more
than any thing else, and are probably
composed of serum mixed with chyle,
through which float epithelial cells or
flakes cast off from the mucous mem
brane. This first stage Of the disease,
varies in length from a very few hours
extends even to two or three weeks
During the whole of this time patients
win continue to go about, presenting to
others the appearance of perfect health,
and unconscious themselves of the gulf
that yawns before them. After q longer
or shorter period, to this stage are su
peradded tile symptoms of the second
stage. Suddenly, without much nausea,
vomiting commences. AT first the
inGesta are elected, then follows ut
dinlinished intervals, a serous fluid sim
liar to that discharged from the bowels,
but without the admiNture of chyle.-
The bowers of life now rapidly fail,
the skin becomes cool, the thirst in
tense, the pulse loses its force and IN
creases in frequency, soon the whole
surface Of the body is bathed in a,pro-
fuse geXudation, the features shrink
rapidly, and the whole expression of
countenance Is changed in a short time,
so as scarcely to be recognized by an
intimate acquaintance. The voice sinks
to an. almost inau6ilble, husky whisper,
cramps of the eXtremities set in and
finally extend to the trunk; the sensi-
bility Is rapidly impaired, being scarce
ly aroused by the most violent muscu-
lar spasms, and the patient eyfnees, a
remarkable Indifference as we'll to
his present condition as to his future
This stage is usually of short 'dura-
tion, and with the subsistence of the
active symptoms, the patient sinks into
the third, the cold, or the algid Stage
Here the vomiting and alvine dejee-
pended; the shriveled skin partially re-
lakes and wears the coldness of death;
the pulse is no longer TO be felt, and
the beating of the heart Is scarcely to
be either felt or heard; all the functions
dependent on the vitality of the or
ganic system of nerves are suspended,
1.-THE centres ofthese nerves themselves
seem TO repose in death; whilst the grim
king of terrors sits Visibly enthroned
ON the countenance of the lpatient.tt
Dnring all this time the patient snf-
I fers much less pain than Is generally
supposed. The intense thirst and the
frequent vomiting and calls TO stool are
sources of much discomfort, Gbut the
only cause of actual pain is to be found
in the cramps!s The manifestations of
acute pain even from this cause do not
compare with those witnessed daily in
cases of ordinary cholera morbus,
cramp collie or other acute diseases. The
terrorS OF the disease are due, not so
much to the sufferings of the patient, as
to, the great and sudden changes which
take place, and to the rnpidity with
which the patient is conducted to the
grave. % be- ~ -t. il19={ -
Pro0nosiS.-This may be condensed
into verv few words, When taken in
the first stage, the patient, underprop-
er management, will recoyerin almost
every instance. The disease, in this
stage, is almost as auienable TO treat
ment as an ordinary diarrhea. a ces-
sation of the diarrhoaa Will indicate a
speedy return 10 health.
| When the second stage becomes fully
developed, the chances of recovery are
vastly diminished. Absorption is soon
suspended, and sebsibility SO far i'm
paired as to place the disease beyond
the control of the most judiciouS medi7
cal treatment Unless n prompt i'm
preston be made by the first use of
medicine, the patient will generally die.
Not more than fifty per cent. of those
who reach this stage recover. Recove-
ry. fromtte third or algid stage furniSl1-
es only an exception TO the general rule.
Dearh, however, even in this stage, Is
not so ineyitabIe us to destroy all hope.
MISUNDERSTANDING in the whole
catalogue of diseases there is no one
which has been subjected to a greater
variety oftrentment, or for which more
specifics have been recommended, than
cholera Through the medical journals
each physician heralded forth the re-
marknble success of his own peculiar
treatment-whilst the newspapers of
the day literally teemed with specifics
each declared to be almost infallible.
| On the other hand, the bills of mortali-
ty told one uniform -tals; fifty deaths
out OF every hundred of those WI o
reached the second stage of the disease.
In former epidemics, those laboring
under the so called pFemonitbry dinr-
rhoea, were not included in the count
From these conflicting statements we
may deduce the certain conclusion that
in its early stages cholera Is one of the
most curable, whilst in its latter stages
1t Is one-of the most ineurable of all
acute diseases. Many cases have been