The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1866-05-15
PORTABILITY OF CHOLERA.

Contagion and portability are often confound-
ed by writers. A disease may be portable and
not contagious, which, 10 our opinion is the
case with cholera. The facts connected with
the breaking out Of cholera on board Of the two
ships, the Swanton and New York, that are
supposed to be the sources through which the
disease was conveyed to this country 10 the lat
ter part of l848, offer strong argument in favor
of the portability of cholera. On board of the
New York, some days before it broke out, there
was sudden change in the atmosphere, the
weather being quite cold, which induced the
emigrants on board to open their baggage to
procure warmer clothing, and before the disease
actually made its appearance the weather again
became exceedingly warm On board the
Swanton, before it broke out, there was simi-
lar condition of temperature. Yet the vessels
were one thousand miles apart. Now what does
this imply? Or board of these vessels
passengers that had left infected localities, and
we would naturally infer that the seed of tie
disease was conveyed in their baggage, which
NAV have germnated after being conveyed on
board the vessel and before the baggage
opened, or may not have germinated until
brought in contact with atmosphere of an
elevated temperature The ransackiDg of the
baggage it is stated, only took place on board
of the ship New York; therefore, how was it
disease
Swanton, when it is not stated that there was
uupacking of baggage. We would suppose that
as the weather was excessively warm before the
outbreak took place, there was more or less
seeking for lighter clothing, which would bring
the poison already germiDated in contact with
the emigrant passengers. If it was lying in
dormant state, the contact with the atmosphere,
at an elevated temperature, would be sufficient
to propagate it and favor its spreading.
The cholera germ may be conveyed in this
way from one locality to another, and remain
dormant for some time, or until atmospheric and
and thermal conditions favor its propagation
We can, 10 the same way, account for the er-
ratio course the disease sometimes takes, skip
ping tbickly settled localities and attacking less
densely populated sections of country. Cholera
is portable in another way, which may more
clearly explain its erratic course of travel than
by supposng it to be conveyed 10 clothing
When there is an impaired innervation, the
secreta of the slimentary canal become so modl-
fed, from what they in health, that when
| detected, and come in contact with the deoz-
onized atmospheric air. they undergo fermenta-
| ton, and eporule is generated, which becomes
waited in the air, and absorbed by water, and
| therefore imbibed by man, and the disease is
thus propagated Uncertain localities. person
with premonitory diarrhea, to leave Hamburg
| for New York, may be the means OF locating
the disease in the latter city. We can thus
perceive how case prenonitory ciarrhoea may
become central point or Oucleus from which
may be propagated the most malignant type Of
this disease, providing there is predisposition
of system, for without il the disease cannot lay
hold. l have DO doubt, in my own mind, that
i, is in this cay the disease is frequeDtly con-
veyed from one country to another, and sudden
" assumes violent form, and its cause or source
seemed unaccountable.-Dr. Pancodst, OF NY