Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-10-18

VOLUME XXXIII.

air
Adopted unanimously.
XVI Can cholera be imported and trans
mitted by merchandise?
The Commission, while admitting witt
unaniHsity the absence fproof Of the agenc.
Of merchandise in the transmission Of eho
lera, admits (by q majority Of sixteen vote
10 six,) the possibility Of the fact unde
certain conditions.
The negative votes were those Of NM
] BYK0w, GOODBYE, LEM PELuEAs, BoLAT
and VAN GEUNs.
In consequence, Until more fully informed
/ the Commission believes that il will be wis
| TO consider as suspected al least under par
ticular and determined conditions, every.
thing coming (loute provenanee) from 3
cholera district.
Adopted unanimously, except by NM
GOODBYE, PELuKAS and PoLAK, who de
elined voting.
XVII. Can the bodies Of patents who
have died Of cholera import and transmit
the cholera?
Although il Is not proved by conclusive
facts that the bodies OF patients dying with
cholera can transmit the disease, Il is pru-
dent 70 consider them as dangerous.
sAwAs, who declined voting.
on THE INFLUENCE OF MEANS OF coAAIUEI-
CATION.
XVIII. What influence do the various
modes Of communication, whether by land
or sea, have upon the propagation Of chol-
era2
The Commission answers, that maritime
Communications are by their nature the most
dangerous; that is they which propagate
most surely at distance, and that next 10
them comes communication by railroad,
which in a very short time may carry the
disease 70 a great distance.
Adopted unanimously.
XIX. What is the influence Of deserts
upon the propagation Of cholera?
The commission, resting upon facts estab-
lished by experience, concludes that great
deserts are most efectual barrier TO the
propagation Of cholera, and it believes that
it is without example for this disease to be
imported into Egypt or Syria, across the
desert by caravans from Mecca
Adopted by all the members Of the Com
mission except NM. MoNLAU, PELIKAN,
PoLAK and VAN GEUNs, who declined voting.
THE INFLUENCE OF cRowDNG.
Xxx. What is the influence Of crowds up
on the intensity Of epidemics Of cholera, as
well as upon the propagation Of the disease?
And under what conditions does il exercise
is influence?
All crowding together Of human beings,
among whom cholera has been introduced,
Is a favorable condition for the rapid spread
Of the disease-and, If crowding exists under
bad hygienic conditions, for the violence Of
the epidemic among them.
In this case the rapidity Of the extension
of the disease is in proportion to the degree
Of crowding, while the violence Of the epi-
demic is, other things being equal, so much
the greater according as individuals have
been little exposed to the choleraic influence
or not at all; that is to say, in other words,
individuals who have already been exposed
to the influence of a cholera atmosphere en-
JOY sort Of relative and temporary immu-
nifty which counterbalances the bad effects
of crowding.
Finally, in the case Of a dense crowd the
more rapid its separation, 50 much the more
rapid is the cessation Of the epidemic, at
least if new arrivals Of unaffected persons
do not furnish new ailments for the disease.
Adopted unanimously.
tenacity Of cholera epidemics on shipboard 4?
The Commission replies that the intensity
Of cholera on board ships crowded with men
is, in general, proportiOnate to the crowding,
aud is 80 much the more violent, other
things being equal, if the passengers have
not resided in the focus of cholera from
which they started; that on crowded ships
the spread of cholera epidemies is ordinarily
rapid finally, the Commission adds that the
danger Of importation by ships, and that of
giving rise TO a grave epidemic, are not en-
tirely subordinate TO the intensity, not even
to the existence Of choleraic symptoms APP
pearing during the voyage.
Adopted unanimously, except by NJ. Men
Lac, who declined voting.
XXI What iGfiuence does the accumula-
ton IN lazarettos Of individuals coming from
a cholera district exercise upon the develop
ment Of cholera among the people at quaran-
tine and in the neighborhood
The Commission concludes that the crowd
ing together Of people coming from place
where cholera reigns in a lazaretto, has not
the efert Of producing, among the people at
quarantine, great extension Of the disease
but that such a gathering is nevertheless
very dangerous for the neighborhood, as
it is calculated to favor the propagation Of
cholera.
Adopted unanimously except by NJ. Mon
LAU.
XIII. What influence do great collec-
litions Of men, in armies, fairs, pilgrimages,
exercise upon the development and propa-
CATION Of epidemics Of cholera
The Commission concludes that great
gatheringsof men (armies, fairs, pilgrimages)
are one of the most certain means for the
propagation Of cholera that they constitute
the great epidemic foci which, whether they
march after the manner Of an army, or
whether they are scattered, as at fairs and in
pilgrimages, import the disease into the
country which they traverse; that these
gatherings, after having been exposed usu-
ally in a rapid manner, 10 the influence Of
cholera, become much less susceptible to
its power, and that il disappears very speed
iiy, unless newly arrived persons take the
disease.
Adopted unanimously.
XIV. What is the influence Of disserai-
nation upon the intensity and development
of cholera epidemics?
The Commission concludes that the break
ing up Of a collection Of people, at an OPP
portune time, may render less violent an
epidemic of cholera, and even arrest its ex-
tension but that this scattering, on the other
hand, gives rise TO great danger Of propaga-
ting il, il it take place in the midst Of E re-
gioa as yet unaffected.
Adopted unanimously.
XIV. What part belongs 10 the pilgrim
age to Mecca in the cholera epidemics Of our
day2
The part of the pilgrimage to Mecca, as
an agent in propagating cholera as regards
the neighboring countries of Europe (the
only one with regard to which we have pos
tive information) has been the introduction
Of this disease into Egypt twice, with an
interval Of thirty-four years, during the hot
season.
Adopted unanimously, except by M. Po-
LAX, who declined voting.
THE INFLUENCE OF HYGIENIc CONDITIONS
XXVI. What is the influence upon the
violence Of cholera epidemics exerted by
hygienie aud other conditions Of locality in
other words, what are the assisting causes Of
cholera2
The Commission recognizes that the hy-
gienic and other conditions which in general
predispose population TO contract cholera,
and consequently favor the intensity Of epi-
denies, are; misery, with all It's consequent
ces; overcrowding, particularly of persons in
feeble health; the hot season; want Of fresh
air; the exhalations from porous soil inn
pregnated with organic matters, above all