Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-05-05
atuinn and Amrriran.
WHY THE CHOLERA COMES FROM
THE EAST.
The Philadelphia Enquira, under the
.hove canton. has the following.

The Philadelphia Enquira, under the
above caption, has the following:
The name Asiatic cholera indicates the
invariable origin Of this dreadful disease.
When, i'm modern times it first appeared
about thirty wears since there were various
theories as 10 its causes. Some said that in
the rice diet and light food of the Asatics
%Ee disease took its rise. Later observation
has demonstrated that the filthy habits and
want of personal cleanliness of the Orientals
cause the dreadful scourge, which common
cling where the provoking circumstance are
the most abundant, travels the earth where
ever it finds food Of course, in the time Of
infection. the clearly who are exposed 10
the fatal influence often suffer with the neg
hgent, tut the fact is undisputed that
thorough ventilation and cleansing disann,
if they do not prevent the pestilence.
The French government as our readers
are aware, some time since dispatched
a commission to investigate the causes Of
cholera. The conclusion reached by their
investigations is, that the Mecca pilgrimage
is a SORT Of pestilence centre. The introduce
of steam navigation has doubled the danger
and the deaths But cholera by no means
succeeds upon every annual pilgrimage 20
Mttfd. 80. dAlllilllillk Allt tNlin hllAAi lbt-
low the pigriage, we must look 10 the daily
careless habits ofthe Orientalsfor the scourge
that eliminates at distant intervals. The
poets have led rs 10 think of the East As a
country of fountains and perpetual baths
and washings Nothing could be farther
from the truth. Many Of the much-talked
Of additions are mere forms, not so thorough
even as those Of Tittlebat Titmouse. He
did wipe off the soil with a damp towel.
But thousands of the Asiatics are crustcd in
dirt, which stays with them from childhood
till they 90 back 10 the kindred dust in
which they lived all their days in a closer
relationship than Christians have any idea
Of
A book recently published in England,
the work Of governess in the harem Of the
Turkish Sultan, represents the whole estab-
lishment as varying from gilded to ungllded
nastiness. The wives, whom the poets
would have US think scarce human in their
ETHEREAL personal purity, are dreadfully dirty,
with pOpulous heads, and, except at inter
walls in a slovenly dishabille which Brigham
Young would never endure And their
toilets are said TO be made without regard to
the useless trouble Of soap and water. The
poor negroes of Africa are a thousand times
as clearly.
These facts incline us 10 the opinion that
the functions of the skin need special care
and attention, if we would fend off the
scourge. 1t is necessary that the public
authorities do their duty, that all offensive
substances be removed from the streets and
lanes and that house-holders carefully clear
their premises Of all decaying matter.
But there are those who have not the
opportunity, and there are too many who
have not the inclination TO attend strictly
enough TO personal cleanliness. If public
baths could be established in our crowded
districts, and the people as well as the pre-
misses be secured, vast benefit would result
The wearing Of flannel next the skin, es-
pecially by laborers, is another precaution
which all who can should adopt: and the
army shirts now 80 common, would facilitate
the general introduction of the custom.
This flannel should be often changed; if
daily, 80 much the better IL has the advan-
tage that il is easier to wash than cotton,
and thus the want Of time of INDECENT house
keepers would be favored. The sensible
mechanic or laborer who will be sure not to
sleep in the same flannel in which he has
labored through the day, and who will not
wear the same two successive days (even
though that which he lays aside is merely
yentilated) would find It such a cheap and
easy course of hygiene, added to proper care
of his premises and reasonable attention to
diet preventive not only of cholera, but
Of many other diseases. Sailors choose
flannel shirts 10 wear i'm the tropics. When
once accustomed to them they are found
more pleasant than any other fabric.