The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1866-05-02

Kept up, though their ordinary allowance
ought in no case to be exceeded. The strictly
temperate will derive no increased immunity
from resort 10 stimuants Of any kind. Nos
trums and medicines of all kinds, unless pre-
scrlbed by a judicious physician, should be
carefully avoided.
For former epidcmics, particularly the first,
much harm was done by rigid system OF
abstemiousness, amounting, in some cases, al
most to starvation. Wholesome, nutritious
food, in sufficient quantities, and at regular
intervals, is essential to the maintenance OF
healthy organic sensibility.
All excesses, or all articles of food which,
under ordinary circumstances, are known to
produce even slight discomfort, should be
carefully avoided. Those accustomed to their
use may eat ripe fruits, fresh from The tree or
vine, in moderation, with impunity and even
with advantage. Light meats, wholesome,
fresh vegetables, and the ordinary beverages
sf milk, tea and coffee, are what the healthy
appetite calls for, and nature will be found
not only to tolerate, but to profit by them.
The clothing should be such as to preserve
uniform temperature of the surface. Flannel
next to the skin has been universally recon-
mended, and there can be no doubt ofits utili-
ty. The clothing generally should be accom-
modated to varying conditions of the tempera-
turc All sudden transitions should carefully
be guarded against, and the body when heated
by exercise should be permitted to cool under
some Slight addition to the covering. The
laws regulating the diffusion and >concentra-
ton of atmospheric poisons should be borne
in mind, and our advice given in accordance
with them. As the sun gains power in the
morning, such poisons are gradually expanded
and lifted into the higher regions Of the at
mosphere. So in the evening, as the sun goes
down, and the shadows of night gather around
us they are rapidly. concentrated near the
surface Of the earth.
During this period of condensation is to be
found the greatest danger of exposure; hence
the morning, the late evening, and the early
night air, should be avoided For the same
reason chambers should be selected on the
second or third floors in preference to the
first-cholera having always found faVorite
abode in cellars and Easements. During these
hours the windows and doors Of houses should
be closed, even though it become necessary to
open them at later period. 1t has been re-.
commended to wear a veil of some kind over
the face, when persons are compelled to go
out at unreasonable hours, and there can be
no objection to the adoption Of such n recon-
mendation. Davy's safety lamp efectually
excludes the inAammable gases from the lamp
fame, and there can be no reason why atmos-
pherc poisons may not be excluded from the
air-passagcs by mechanical contriVances con-
structcd ou the same principle. -.
Fear, acting through the animal, makes
heavy draughts on the organic sensibilities;
hence tranquility ofmind furnishes an impor-
tant safeguard against an attack of the dis
ease. 10 secure this, persons should be ad-
vlscd to attend to their ordinary occupations,
or encouraged to spend their time in admins
tering to the wants of the sick. The sooner
any individual rids his mind Of. the fear of
contagion, the sooner he familiarizes himself
with the presence of the disease, so much the
sooner will he occupy position of compare
tive security. Distance. as it "lends enchant-
ment to the Yiew," also increases the apparent
magnitude of all DANGERS One of the worst
effects of belief in the doctrine Of contagion
is that, whilst it gives no protection to the in
dividual it dcprives the sick of the ordinary
Offices Of humanity. Humanity in all its ben
eficent warmth often shrinks from visit to
the bedside of contagion. Once satisfy the
mind that the disease is not contagious, and
that increased security is to be found in bencT
olent ministrations, aud We will no longer
witness the shocking scenes of neglect which
disgraced the epidemic in 1928. =.
When the epidemic influence is fully de-
velopcd in any locality persons should be es-
pecially cautioned not to leave their homes IN
search of places Of safety. They already car
ry with them full load of the poison, and
the exertion incident to hasty preparation and
rapid travelling has the effect of impairing
their powers Of resistance. A large proper.
ton ofthose who left Wheeling, after the cpl
.dcmic was fully pronounced. were attacked
with the disease before reaching their destna'
nation Under such circumstances home IS
/ the place of greatest safety.
One paramount duty of every physician,
both before and during an epidemic, is to i'm
press upon all who depend upon him for ad-
vice, the vital fact that diarrheea, in whatever
form it commences, is the first stage Of cho-
era, and that the sooner it changes to the
characteristic rice-water appearance the more
speedy is the descent to the last and fatal
stages. From ignorance or Tilful disregard
of this fact, thousands and tens of thousands
of lives hare been sacrificed lie who neglects
this symptom fails to put an e1tinguisher on
the burning train which conducts to the ex-
plosiye mine on which he stands. 1t is as
serted by some writers that cases occur in
which the violent symptoms of the second
stage set in without a Observation-Disclosures.
Without denying the truth ofthcsc statements,
| must be permitted to say that no such case
fell under my observation, or under the obser-
vation of those physicians with whom l was
Immediately associated in practice. In some
cases it was, certainly, Of very short duration,
and, in others it was at first denied, but in all,
upon close inquiry, its existence was clearly
ascertained The Importance of this stage, as
the only one generally durable, cannot be too
oftenror too forcibly inculcatcd.
Many other points suggest themselves as
worthy of being mentioned, but we have al
ready transcended our limits. Attention has
been directed to these points, having direct
bearing on the, prophylaxis and general ny
giene of the disease, to the exclusion of much
that might have been said on other branches
of the subject, particularly the treatment. II,
however, we have succeeded in showing that
every community has at its command the sure
means of diminishing the number Of cases,
and of converting the most fatal into COM
paratively manageable disease, we. have ac-