The New York herald., 1866-08-03
The Choiern scare.

SIZE has come, Ike tue prisoner 70 INC icasc VI
the caunibals, " not to eat but to be eaten"
The Cholera scare.
The state OF 'facfs disclosed by the medical
reports from Ward,s and RlackwelFs Islands,
as well as from the Kings bounty penitentary
and Jail, has contributed very indcn 70 intensity
the alarm caused by the steady increase or 10
cholera. We do not, however, see in 1t snffi-
cient to justify the panic thus caused. 1t only
proves what was already known to every one,
that where the seeds of coniagion are carefully
nourished they will fructify and spread. II
cholera did not happen to be the prevailing
epidemic, there existed in the filthy, crowded
these establishments influences that must have
bred some other epidemic equally fatal as soon
as the hot weather began 10 operate upon them.
But what a stigma does this state OF things
cast upon the keepers and visiting committees
of our prisonsl Nothing can excuse their con-
duct for permitting its continuance in the pres
ence of scourge so prompt to seize hold Of it II
they had paid the slightest attention to the re-
ports Of the Board Of Health or to the warnings
Of the newspapers, they must have known that
the condition Of the establishments under their
superintendence was incompatible with inn
itself free from blame in the meter A care
fnl inspection Of the prisons and penitentiaries
was among the first Of it, duties, and its
members are oil the moro censurable from the
fact thot there existed in connection with these
establishments organizations which could have
been promptly made use Of to carry out their
Instructions
Tins far all the facts developed in regard to
the spread Of the cholera 90 to confirm the
theory that those who observe the ordinary
rules of personal cleanliness and who pay at
tention TO their diet and the proper ventilation
of their dwellings have but little to fear from
it Not single death has rs yet occurred
tracesble to the violation Of one or more OF
these precautions. At any ordinary period the
infraction o. them would be sufficient to breed
disease. How can 1t be expected that people
reckless Of them should escape at time when
the atmosphere Is poisoned by the seeds OF q
bic for gutton to look for immunity from
apoplexy or n drunkard from dc,;rium fyemesss
Those who love dirt and foul atmosphere
must pay the penalty OF their nastiness. We
can suggest no means Of protection for Them.
nor, indeed. Is any desirable.
There il a class of persons, however, who,
from other causes not dependent on themselves,
are liable to become prey TO the disease,
whose safety has not been considered in the
precautionary measures that have thus far been
adopted. They may be cleanly. regular and
temperate in their habits, and live in The proper
conditions OF atmosphere, and yet be as
readily seized with il as persons observing
none Of these conditions. We alludc 10 The
large number Of nervous and physically de-
pressed persons especially fcmalcs) who are
TO be found in all city populations. II iss well
established fact that during the previous vista
tons of the pest this class furnished a consid-
cradle proportion Of the deaths set down 70 II.
In many instances, IL is true, they were killed,
not by the disease, but by the apprehension Of
IT, There is nothing, however, which so
readily prepares the system for the reception
Of the malady as fear, and therefore everything
should be avoided which has q tendency 70
aggravate the existing alarm.
il seems to us that the press, in its desire 10
secure the public against the consequences Of
Indifference and want OF energy on the par, OF
the authorities, has wholly overlooked this
consideration. We have now reached the
point where arguments and warnings are pow
erless TO stimulate them to any greater degree
Of activity. Nothing more, IL may be assumed,
can or will be done than the Board Of Health
is ct present doing. We therefore do not see
the use Of Publishing articles and reports the
only effect Of which 10 10 tsrrify The timid and
TO help the spread Of the disease. In Paris.
during the period when the epidemic was
carrying on three or four hundred persons
daily, the newspapers were entirely silent on
the subject, and no Official reports Of any kind
were Issued. This reticencc was not The re-
suit OF government policy merely II was
urged upon II by the medical profession, and
In acting upon their recommendation the
French authorities did, We believe, the very
wisest thing that could have been done for
the security Of the excitable population which
hey had under their charge.
From the facts that have recently fallen