Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-02-07
We Must Prepare fOr Cholera.

We Must Prepare for Cholera.
The first week OF the last winter month has
passed. With the approach Of warm weather
we will have good cause TO apprehend the pre-
sence among US of the Asiatic cholera. Rich
mond is in its usual line of progress, and has
never escaped its visitation when it has pre-
vailed in this country. We sounded the alarm
several months ago, and cndeavored to stin,u-
late our city authorities 10 the adoption of adc-
quate precautionary and hygicnic measures.
For short while the subject attracted their
attention. They manifested then some show
eofpreparation As the winter season set in,
however, and temporarily arrested the spread
Of this fearful scourgc, all apprehenSionS alN
peared to subSide, and the stir that had been
commenced in the way Of preparation com
pletely died away, Literally nothing has been
done regards the adoption Of preventive
measures. The city is in Glthier condition
than it was three months ago. New accumu-
lations of dirt have been superadded 10 the old
accumulatiOns OF the preceding four years.
The city is foul enough to generate cholera
spontaneously, without getting it by the ordi-
nary mode. Should il come amoug US while
our streets, alleys, cellars, stables, and other
deposits Of trash, garbage and flth OF all sorts
are in their present condition, We would nave
reason to apprehend a universal prevalence Cd
the disease and a fearful mortality from II.
We must not delay the needful preparation
much longer if We do, it Will be too late. The
City Council should at once take up this sub
iect where it dropped it a few months since.
1t seemed then in a fair way to adopt the ne
cesSary measures. Let It begin again aud ma
ture and carry out such measures. The eNpe-
rience, not only Of this city, but OF numerous
other cities, American and European, should
be ayailed OF in the institution Of preeaution-
airy and preventive measures. Our best ply
sicians should also be consulted as to the pro
per hygicnic means To be employed. Within
one month, or six weeks, at larthcSt, after the
Council shall determine upon the plan Of ope-
ratiOns and shall provide the means for carry
ing it out, the whole city can, IL proper dill
gence and activity are used, be placed in
thoroughly sound and wholesome condition. .
The great preventive OF cholera, and, when
not prevented, the great mitgator Of the
scourge, is cleanliness. All men are agreed
about this in all parts Of the world that have
been visited by cholera. The cause Of this
pestilenco may be briefly said to be-.fHh The
Scientific Amerjcau says, boldly and without
qualification, "The proof Of this is conclusive
1t continues 1.-The progress Of the disease,
d" in its several cpidemics, has been carefully
" watched and faithfully recorded its history
" is remarkably full and minute and, without
" exception, it has attacked filthy cities only,
Z" and it has prevailed only in the filthy por-
- tionS of the city which il has attacked"
This opinion is also expressed in report
made to the Citizens Association Of New
York, by their Council of Hygiene and Public
Health. This council is composed Of the most
eminent physicians of New York. Their re
port cites many statistics in proof Of the cor
rectness ortheir opinion. They say, in Buffalo,
where the mortality from the epidemic in 1919
was fearful, its principal ravages were in the
filthy and undrained sections Of the city. In
Sandusky, where nearly one-third Of thereSi-
dent population died in a single month, DR..
AcELEY states that "a stencil peryaded the
streets" At Louisville, the centres ofthc cpl
demic were associated with filth, malaria and
crowding. Of Cincinnati, st. Louis and New
Orleans the same may be said. This report
cites numerous instances in this country, and
in England, in which the cholera was averted
from cities by the sanitary measures Of cleans
ing, drainage aud ventilation. One OF these in
stances was the city OF Worcester, on the Sew
ern. Having been twice Scourged by the chol-
era, it undertook to avert the later cpidemcs
by cleansing and other sanitary regulations
The result was that it escaped, while the pes
thence swept through the neighboring cities
and villages. Philadelphia was another in
stance. The cholera broke cut and made some
progress in the districts Of Moyamcnsing and
Southwark, where the work OF cleansing was
incomplete. The other portions ofthc city had
been placed in a thorough sanitary condition,
and the consequence was that, out of the whole
population, only 474 died of cholera, while in
New York, where the same precautions had
not been taken, the deaths from cholera were
SOL.
While we do not adopt these views to the eX-
tent Of believing that this seourge can be alto
gether diverted from its line Of march by sani-
tary measures, we believe that it can be SO
modified and mitgated by them as TO be stripped
Of most of its terrors, aud be converted from
epidemic into sporadic cholera.
The old adage-'' An ounce Of preventive
is better than a pound OF cure"-applies with
peculiar force to this dISeaSe-more so than
TO any other epidemic known amongst us
Its cure, when it once attacks, Is very uncer-
tain. The true policy is TO adopt all available
and possible means to prevent and avert it.
We desire to impress this upon the City Coun-
Gil, to quicken aud arouse it TO a sense OF the
Importance of these preventive measures, rs
also to a sense Of its own duties and RESPONSE
bilities 1t must not be inundated 10y the
consideration of expense. To prevent the
cholera, and to sustain aud keep up our police
organization are two things that rise superior
TO all considerations OF expense. Cost what it
will, an adequate sanitary and hygienic sy>-
tenn must be put into operation. This whole
city must be thoroughly cleansed, and disiniec-
tants must be literally applied. Moreover, a
medical police, with searching almost inquiSi-
torial powers, will have to be organized The
city must not only be eleanSed, but it must be-
kept clean. We beg leave, respectfully, but
urgently, to invoke the earnest and Immediate
attention of the City Council to this subject.
The Subject Of Rents.
The complaint about high rents IS not con
fined to this city. 1t appears TO be general
In New York the exoTbitant rents have be