The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-02-12

A g.
9 mile from the Ohio river, was small
Iibasin of low aluyial land, surrounded
by high hills, and separated from the
river by a forest of native trees. In
this secluded spot, were several log
cabins, occupied by poor families, with
degreeaof filth. Some time after the
disease had left Wheeling, the choleraic
Epoison found its way to this locality
| and multiplied with such rapidity that
most of the Inhabitants were attacked
within twenty-tour hours, and nearly
one-fourth OF them died, before relief
could be obtained. Itcould not be as
certained that any one exposed to chol-
/ era had ever entered the place. Other
examples of like Significance might be
adduced, but it is not deemed neces-
sary.
By special causes cholera oftentimes
makes it's appearance and spreads in
particular localities, in anticipation OF
the regular epidemic, and it is to the
ltnun1er0us facts, bearing 5upont this
! point, that we are indebted for the gem
eral belief that cholera is contagious.
A vessel loaded with emigrants, among
whom cholera prevails, lands atEaay
which is laden with impurities,
and very soon the disease makes
| its appearance on shore and
spreads with great pidtty. 1t is very
| natural to attribute such an occurrence
tosome direct contact between the pa
tients on board and the individuals on
| shore, and yet the,same thing has hap
pened where no such contact could pos
| sibly be ascertained. The vessel
l being filled with, ,choleraic poison, and
coming into an atmosphere favorable
for its reproduc uction, the poison soon
multiplies itself and spreads in every
direction. We're the same vessel to
Io,,I iS - ~ m isr,i ft THhara M.
in one already exhausted sof its pabu-
lum, by an epidemic of cholera, no
such result would follow, though free
communication with the vessel were
permitted. For months after the cessa-
ton of the epidemic in Wheeling,
steamboats, having cholera patients on
board, arrived at her wharf, and trans
acted their business as usual, and many
of these patients were transferred to
theihotels ofIthe city, without produc-
ing any new cases of the disease, al
though the town was at the time filled
up with persons who had not passed
through the epidemic.
At what rate of speed the poison of
cholera propagates itself in an atmos-
phere or ordinary purity, has not been
determined, but It is certain that 1t is
outstfipped by vessels, whether pro
/ peIled by. steam, or sailing before IA
yorable winds. Hence the occasional
J.
the regular epidemic. The distance to
which the poison may be conveyed
will depend very much upon circum-
stances. AS long as vessel furnishes
pabuIum for its reproduction, just so
long will it continue to exists when this
pabnlnm is exhausted the poison be
comes effete, and is no longer capable
ofpropagatng itself. In a small clean
vessel, the poison would soon be extin-
guished, but in q large one densely
crowded, with a population, constantly
engendering filthy yeXhalations, IL might
be ipropagated almost indefinitely.
The facts bearing on this question are
so general that they need not be indi-
| vidualized.
From the foregoing facts and consid-
erations we think the following conclu-
sion may be fairly deduced:
FirstlCholera is not contagious
disease, in the strict medical acceptation
of the term; its poison not having the
property of reproduction within the
Second-oholera is propagated by the
reproduction of its poison within the
atmosphers.1 as saf 4. 7t1lF- ss-
Third-The condition of atmosphere,
upon which the propagation. of this
| poison depends, exists to a limited ex-
tent in atmospheres far removed from
the habitations of man.
Fourth-This condition can be mate
| rally modified by human agency.
Fifth-When once exhausted, this
condition is renewed only after the
lapse of many years; during which time
l cholera becomes a disease almost un-
heard of and unknown. e
q Sixth-The poison of cholera is capa-
Bile of being transferred from point to
point in advance OF the regular cpl
demic.
These points have been dwelt on at
much length, because they are believed
| to be practically of more Importance
than all others connected with the his
| tory of the disease. Upon their settle-
ment depends the determination of the
means best adapted to ward Off the
disease, or mitigate its severity, and di-
| Ininfsh its mortality. The practical
deductions from these premises, how
| ever, will be brought to the attention OF
the reader, in subsequent part OF this
article, and we now proceed to consider
very briefly the pathology of the dis
ease.
During the prevalence of theepidemic
in Wheeling numerous postmortem ex-
| aminations were made, and all with the
same general result. Nomorbid anato-
my could be discovered, ,or If discovered
atlall, it was evidently the result Of
different and previous disease. There
was no uniformity of structural change,
and when such changes were found, in
| no instance could they be traced to the
| Effects of the CHI olera.S Intense conges-
tion of all the great central organs, was
found in every instance, but in no one
was there sign of recentinflammation
| lVncuity of the arteries, and plethora OF
the veins was the rule without an ex-
ception. The blood, much diminished
in f1uidity, presented dark and tar
like appearance.
Now, upon what pathological princi-
1 pie can we account for death, without
any of the structural changes. which
ordinarily lead To such a RESULT Man
1 ifest1y, by supposing that some very
| powerful depressing impression was
/ made on the great nerve centres. Upon
what nerve centres? Certainly not the
brain and spinal column, because these
centres maintain their integrity until
the diseass is far advanced towards
death, and show no symptoms of being
primarily affected. One of the most
! noticeable peculiaritfes of cholera, as il
has fallen under. my observation, was
that the brain, unless disturbed by ex-
| cessive stimulation or powerful ano-
dyne5, never manifested deliriOus
mind. The functions of the brain, it is
true, became enfeebled and gradually
died out, but they never wandered from
their regular path. So also of the spinal
column; sensation was sunperverteda and
| voluntary motion unimpaired, until the
advent of the second stage, when
cramps, as an indication of impaired
vitality, very generally supervened.
Indeed, the contraction of the voluntary
muscles, which so often took place after
death, would seem 70 indicate that some
sensibility remained in the spinal cord
after organic life had been extinguished.
The congestion of the cord, in common
with that of other organs, was the result
/ of the impression primarily made on
the nerve centres of organic life. 1t
seems evident then, that the poison OF