The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-03-22
THE CHOLERA.

In our exchanges that come to us daily, we
find all sorts of precautions and devices
suggested to enable us to evade visit from
this terrible pestilence. We fear our people
do not realize the full importance of the ne
cessity for prompt and energetic measures, in
view of this scourge being amongst us this
summer. We intend to discharge our duty to
the public by giving them timely warnings Of
the danger at hand, and we trust our Board
of Health and the citizens generally will ex-
ercise that active vigilance which, at this
time. is so necessary.
We have seen in the Richmond Wing some
most excellent suggestions, taken from DR..
Halls Journal of Health. The Wing says
DR.. Hall, who publishes and edits the
Journal of Health, one Of the most sensible,
practical and useful Montlliesn this country.
devotes the whole of the March number to an
interesting article on Farmers Houses"
showing where they should be built, how they
should be built, ard indicating certain con-
veniences to be secured, and certain inconve-
niences to be avoided; and pointing out all
the essentials to health, comfort and content
ment
One of the most interesting and useful por-
tons of this article is that devoted to cellars
in Dwelling Houses" which he declares are
oftentimes the sources from which those gases
constantly ascend that impregnate every room
in the houses to which they are attached with
a vitiated and unwholesome atmosphere He
speaks of the habit prevalent among house
keepers of making their cellars the summer
and winter receptacle of every variety of veg
etables and fruits, as well as of rubbish and
kitchen offal and of all that is old and un-
seemly. He advises a thorough examination
and cleansing of the cellar attached to every
house in which slow and obscure disease
prevails among the members of the family
He says such cellars should be emptied of ev-
cry movable thing, the walls and floors thor
oughly swept and washed, aired for week,
and the former white-washed He cites the
following remarkable instance of the efficacy
of cleanliness in preventing cholera-with
which we are now threatened--and of its at
traction by uncleanliness. During cholera
summer unusual efforts were made in Boston
to provide against it. The most stringent
and thorough hygienic measures were taken.
Reliable men were appointed to examine
every house from cellar to garnet, and compel
The removal of everything which could have
even a remote tendency to invite the fearful
scourge: The results were admirable there
was not single case of cholera except in a
very restricted district-in fact, one family
only was attacked. A more especial examina-
ton of the house in which this family resided
was made, when in a remote corner of the cell
lar large pile of the accumulations of bad
housekeeping for years was found, and this
was in a state of putridity. On its removal,
and the most plentiful use of the most power
full disinfectants, the disease at once dsap-
peared and did not return.
AS the warm weather approaches we may
expect the approach of cholera, ard should
omit no reasonable precaution against its pre-
valencs. 1t costs but little of time, trouble or
money for each householder to cleanse and pu-
rfy his premises, especially when he can rely
in so doing upon the assistance of the city au-
thorities Exemption from this dire scourage
is purchased at cheap rate when it requires
only prudence in eating and drinking, clean
illness of person, and the removal of filth and
rubbish from our premises.