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

men who were directed 70 meet at Constant
nople as a cholera conference, whose duty i
should be 10 investigate the nature Of the poi
son which produces Asiatic cholera, and the
method BY which this poison is spread ovel
the globe, and report upon the best mean'
that could be adopted TO prevent its north
westerly ingasiOno Of Europe and other coun-
tries. The conference took place within the
last Few months, and eight weeks were ex-
hausted in the investigation Of the subject
for which those gentlemen were commits
stoned, and resnlted in a lengthy report
The editors Of the Boston Medical and Sirgi-
cal Journal, having secured the first copy Of
the report which has reached this country,
have published an abstract Of it, as follows
The Commission was divided into six sec
tiOns, 70 each Of which questions were dis
tribused for consideration; and the answers
then submitted for adoption by the whole
Commission.
FIRST GROUP QUEsTIoSs-TIE ORIGIN AND
GENESIS OF CHOLERA; THE ENDEMIC AND
EPIDEMIC PREVALENCE OF THIS DISEASE
IN INDIA.
!. Whence did the cholera, called Asiatic,
originally Gomez And in what countries
does IL exist in our day in an endemic form?
The Commission, with one voice, is able 10
cholera, which 1t different times has run
over the whole world, has its origin in India,
where it had its birth, and where it exists
permanently as an endemic.
Adopted unanimously.
ii. Out Of India does the Asiatic cholera
exist in our day in any part Of the world in
an endemic form?
The Commission considers as demonstrted
that the Asiatic cholera, wherever il ap-
pears, Is never spontaneously developed,
and has never been observed as an endemic
(care must be taken 10 distinguish secondary
foci, more or less tenacious ia their charac-
teri ia any Of the countries which have been
enumerated, Europe, etc, and that 1t he's
always come from abroad. As for the coun-
tries in the neighborhood Of India, while
admitting il as probable that the cholera
does not exist there as an epidemic, the
Commission does not feel itself authorized
70 come ts any formal conclusion on the
subject.
Adopted BY all the members Of the Com
mission except NM. RoLAK, SAwAs, and
VAN GEUEs.
III. Is there any reason TO fear that the
cholera may acclimste Itself in our coun-
tries2
The Commission, without rejecting the
possibility Of the fact, regards it as pro-
blematic.
Adopted unanimously.
~. Is there in the Hediaz an original
focus Of cholera, permanent or periodic?
The Commission is Of opinion that Asiatic
cholera does not appear to have had in the
liediaz its original focus, bat il appears 20
have always been introduced there from
abroad up 10 the present time.
Adopted unanimously, except by M.
Goodeve.
V. Are there in India certain localities
which have the exclusive privilege Of gen.
Grating cholera, or which are more particu-
larly favorable 10 its development2 In
other words, is cholera epidemic in all parts
of India, or only in certain regions which il
Il possible to circnmscribe?
AZ this time the Commission can only
answer that there are in India certain locali-
ties comprised principally in the valley Of
the Ganges, where cholera is epidemic, with
out being able to point out all Of them, or
10 affirm thai they have the exclusive privi-
loge Of giving birth TO this disease.
Adopted unanimously.
VI Do we know the causes by the con-
currence Of which cholera originates spon-
taneously in India, as well as the circum-
stances which make il take on an epidemic
character?
The Commission feels.0l5iiged 10 limit IT.
self 70 answering that we know not the
special conditions under the influence of
which the cholera breaks out in India and
reigns there in certain locolities as an epi-
demic.
Adopted unanimously.
VII. What are the circumstances which
concur in the development and fhe propaga-
ton Of epidemics Of cholera ID liza?
The Commission believes itsef authorized
in answering that pilgrimages are in India
the most powerful of all the causes which
tend to envelope and propagate cholera epi-
denies.
Adopted unanimously.
SECOND GROUP OF QUEsTIoNs-THE TRANS
NfssIHIIITY AND PROPAGATION OF CHoL-
ERA.
VIII. Il the transmissibility Of cholera
proved to-day by facts which do not admit
Of any other interpretation
DO not all these facts demonstrate con-
clusivoly that cholera is prOpagated by man,
and with a rapidisy in proportion 10 the ac-
tivity and rapidity Of his own movementsY
The Commission does not hesitate to answer
in the Affirmative.
Adopted unanimously.
The Commission, with unaniminity, con-
cludes that the transmissibility Of Asiatic
cholera is an inoontestible verify, proved by
facts which do not admit of any other inter-
probation.
Adopted unanimously.
TX. Are there conclusive facts which
force us 20 admit that cholera can prOga-
gate itself al a distance BY certain atmos-
pheric conditions by winds, or by any other
change, or modification Of the surrounding
medium
The Commission answers that no fact has
proved, up 10 the present time, that cholera
can propagate itself AZ a distance by the at
mosphere alone whatever may be its condi-
ton; and that besides it is a law, without
exception, that never has an epidemic Of
choler extended from one point TO another
in a shorter time than was necessary for man
20 carry IT,
Adopted unanimously.
Y. How is the importation OF cholera ef-
fected, and what are the agents Of its trans
mission3
Ii may be said, with more specific state
mcnt Cor the moment, that if all modes Of
conveyance from countries affected with
cholera are not likely TO propagate the dis
ease, Il is none the less prudent, at present,
TO consider all suoh means Of conveyance as
suspected. A more detailed examination
viii settle the question.
Adopted unanimously.
XI. Under what conditions does man inn
pert the cholera
Man affected with cholera is himself the
principal propagating agent Of this disease,
and a single cholera patient may cause the
development Of an epidemic
Adopted unanimously aud
XII The Commission has been led to
conclude that certain facts tend 20 prove that
a single individual with much greater rea-
son many individuals coming from a con-
taminated place, and suffering from diar-
rhma, Is able 20 cause the development Of a
cholera epidemic; or, in other words, that
the diarrhoa called premonitory is able to
transmit cholera.
Adopted unanimously.
XIII. What is The period Of incubation
In almost an cases The period Of incuha-
ton, that is 70 say, the interval between the
moment when the individual may have con-
tracied the cholera poison, and the COM
mencement Of the premonilory diarrh@a, or
Of confirmed cholera, does not 60 beyond \
Few days al facts ciied Of longer incuba-
ton belong 20 the class where the oontsmi-
nation may have taken place after departure