Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1866-06-19
The Cholera.---No. 4.
Mr.. COVER

made it's appearance in this country
q hope was entertained that we had
been afflicted with a disease that was
isolated and accidental, and one
which we had long been taught to
regard as peculiar to the East and
that Cholera never could find n per
manent home in a soil presumed to
be uncongenial. That hope can no
longer be INDUCED. We mast hence.
forth make our account with Chol-
era as a frequent and pertinacious
VISITOR, II not as a permanent guest.
When we as a people shall have re.
alized this unwelcome truth-when
We shall have-detcrmined boldly and
resolutely to look the enemy in the
face-when we shall, profting by
past experience, and taught by for
mer error and neglect, have become
familiar with the steps which mark
its insidious approach, its mode Of
attack, ~and the sources whence it
draws the material of its strength,
then we shall be prepared, if not TO
extirpate the invader, at least to
render it entirely harmless. Know
ing well, and this knowledge we now
PROFESSIONALLY possess, the condi-
ions which are necessary for the
maintenance of Cholcra knowing we'll
that it gathers all its destructive vi
olence from the impure otf~scourings
supplied by the very populations it
devours, our policy is to oppose it
as we should oppose a foreign inva-
ding army superior to ourselves in
material strength, by cutting off the
provisions by which it is supported,
by depriving it Of the means Of subs
~sistence. There is no truth better
ascertained than that the Cholera
may be successfully encountered by
these tactics and the etfectual means
to be used must not be delayed In
til the appearance of the disease.
These means are anticipative and
preventative, not curative. All our
arrangements should be made before
hand. When the disease has actual
ly seized upon a locality, it is only
adding fuel to the flames to com
oronoe the neglected work of purlfi
cation. Our plan Of defense embra-
ces two distinct modes of procedure.
In the first place, every method
should nor be made to remove all
those topical influences which favors
the localization of the disease, which
provide it with the vitality necessary
to its existence. This duty compri-
sesalh those sanitary arrangements.
which have for their object to i'm
prove the localities known to be ia
vorable to the growth and spread Of
Epidemics. There is no difficulty
whatever in ascertaining what local
tiles especially demand the active APP
plicatiOn of these measures. We pos
sess the most abundant and the
most uncrring indications. Where
Cholera has rdged before there it UiH
rage again, unless tie local cause
,chich fed md nurtured it be remored.
The records we possess of the desc
lating footsteps OF the disease point
but too clearly to the path it will
again pursue. There is another in
dication not less sure and perhaps
more widely useful. The same top
ical influences which are subservient
to the development of Cholera, are
equally favorable to the maintenance
of other forms Of epidemic diseases.
Where Typhus reigns, where mea-
sizes, small poX, scarletina, &c, there
will infalIibIy be found the seeds of
corruption and infection which will
germinate into Cholera where the
specific poison of that disease shall
DO added to existing impurities.
With regard to the means we pos
scss to destroy the poison of Cholera
by disenfectants that is such arti-
cles as will destroy poisonous ctfiu-
via, by combining with n or more
of their elments, and thusdestroying
their chemical composition. Chic
rine is n substance which has this
reputation ; bromine another per
manganote of potash, chloride Of
zinc and sulphuric acid other arti-
cles might be named which seem to
have the power of arresting decom-
position, but there arc really but
two agents which cffcctually destroy
poison, of a miasmatic character
heat and cold. We are not quite
sure cold will destroy the Cholera
poison. but heat if carried up to It
least 250o undoubtedly will. This
is the cheapest and best means OF dis
injecting rooms and clothing. An
other great element in prevention is
rentiEttt0n. Publication Of cess pools
and privies should be insisted upon,
together with free ventilation Of all
houses, outbuiidings. and cellars.
The ground about houses should be
attendel to, and where there is any,
infltration Of the soil with decaying
organic matter, it should be covered
with lime or charcoal. To charcoal
there is one objection however, while
it absorbs noxious cfiuvia, it docs
not destroy them, and under favora-
Bile circumstances may exhale them
again. From cellars all filth and de-
caying vegetable matter should be
removed. Pig-sties, decomposing
material Of every sort, manure heaps,
arc matters which should be exam.
ined and dealt with if necessary by
compulsory measures, complete pu-
rifcation of every house in village
or country should be insisted upon