The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-05-01
NUMBER -lO5,
The Cholera-cause and Treatment.

serving Of attention. 1t is by VIM. Schmnle,
we find it in the National lateMgencee,r..: p . .
The Asiatic Cholera is miasmic or con-
.tagious disease. This is too generally recog-
nized and admitted to require any further
proof. One infected person may carry the
disease to place till then entirely free from
It, and ,ditfuse it over the whole neighbour
hood; whence again it may spread, by simt-
lar propagation, through patients. over q
whole country or continent - ''--'3'' !
This involves, by necessary implication,
that the cause Of the cholera reproducss it.
self In every patient. and is thus multiplied
and propagatsd.
Now, The power of reproduction and pro-
pagation of, their own species is an attribute
belonging exclusively TO living organisms. !
Hence, it follows, with logical certainty,
that the cause Of the cholera consists of living
organisms or parasites. III, - - '--l ~
This deduction agrees with, and explains,
all well defined facts presented BY the history
Of the cholera. 80 - - -
Localixation. question of the localiza-
ton of the Cholera parasites in the human
body may be solved thus: We must looF for
the localization of the cause where we find its
main and uniform effects, viz: il the mucous
coat of the small intestnes. There we uni
formlyi meet the primary and main symptoms
or LESSONS, produced by the cause of the chole-
re-, which may be explained as follows In
the chyle of the said portion Of the alimentary
tube, the parasites, or their seeds or germs,
find aready prepared and rich nutriment, and
all other requisites for their vigorous growth
and development, as well as for their speedy
reproduction and multiplication. Being for
eign bodies, they cause by their irritating pre-
sence, and by the catalytic influence OF their
organs, chemical process of growth and de-
velopment, q high degree Of inflammation in
the mucous coat Of the small intestines, from
which, by physiological and pathological ne
cessity, all other symptoms Of the cholera re-
suit. r.
.Difusion.--To reach the mucous coat Of
the intestinal tube, there is no other way for
the parasites, or their seeds, but to be carried
thither with the food. This is self-evident.
But how may the cholera parasites, or their
seed, get on or into our food? In the absence Of
all direct observations, we must and can sat
isfactorily answer this question by analogy.
We know that certain other parasites, which
cause the putrefeetion OF, dead bodies, reach
the latter by being carried on the vapors Of
WdEIx akIs 41nSy tACk&&l@b,4l lilo GUOlol n
parasites, or theirsseed, bes equally carried on
the vapors Of warm air, and deposited on our
food, or other objects coming in their way.
This-agrees with and explains thu universally
admitted miasmatic or contageous nature of
the cholera and all otherwise inexpicable
phenomena connected with its diffusion,
The original parasites of the cholera, gene
rated in the hot and luxuriant swamps of
A mo ha hov
of warm currents of air, coming from those
swamps, over the surrounding country. and,
being deposited ON, or adhering to, the food
Of the Inhabitants. or lodging in the mouth
be carried, as before stated, with the food,
into the alimentary tube, and cause the dis
ease, as before described. Being reproduced
in great numbers, they and their seeds will
be carried with the excavations of the bow
els, out Of the intestinal tube, into tho open
air. : 40
Being thus brought into the open air, the
parasites, or their seeds, may be carried on the
very yapors arising from the excrements OF
cholera patients, and on the yaperssot the sur
rounding warm air, through the, vicinity, as
far as such vapors may be carried, and BE- de-
deposited on, or adhere to, any articles of food
or the mucous coats of the mouths of persons,
with which they may come in contact, and
then carried, with the food, into the small in
testines, as before described.
Prevention. it follows that the chol-
era cause cannot be diffused if proper care is
taken to disinfect the execrements of cholera
patients Immediately upon the discharge from
the bowels, before the vapors arising from
then, can spread the affection around. This
may be secured by keeping fresh chlorinated
lime In the vessels used by the patients, IN
order that the chlorine gas which Is constants
ly set free from the lime, may meet the infec-
tious Of the excrements as they are formed,
and disinfect them, by destroying the para
sites. sf}0GH
If this rule is applied on all sea vessels on
which cases of Asiatic cholera make their APP
pearancs, there will be no danger of further
diffusion Of the parasites, either on such yes
sells OF by the persons coming from them ::
provided that sufficient time has elapsed be-
tween the last case Of cholera happening on
such vessel and her entering port to preclude
the supposition that some persons might
carry the infection with them before it's full
development. The excrements should never
DO permitted to remain standing about, but
should be sueedily thrown into privics, after
being first thoroughly disinfected by free adj
ditions of ehloripated lime. water. Especial
attention should also be given tothe frequent
and thorough disinfection of privies.
1t follows further, that we may disinfect
our own alimentary canal by remedies which
may be sufficiently powerful to destroy min
ute parasites, yet not powerful enough to in
lure our mucous coats. Such remedies are,
for instance, all the strong mineral acids, par
ticularly sulpharic acid. The last named
acid may be taken with cold water, say two
or three drops in tumbler full Of cold or ice
water, so as to render the waterightly acidu-
lated. If we take tumbler full of such
acidulated water, (which may be sweetened
to the taste,) an hour or two after every
meal, it will effectually destroy whatever
parasites, or their seeds, may have been, car
ried into our digestive tube, and serve, at the