The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1867-03-28
What has been Learned about Chol-
era in New York

DIR. Harris, the Register Of Vital Sta
tistics for the New York Board of
Health In his first annual report sums
up briefly under the heading "Was
cholera generally epidemic i'm 1865 ?" all
the important features Of the visitations
Of that year. These conclusions, it NAV
be assumed, from the gist of the infor-
nation that was published during the
whole season, and all that was learned
by the Board of Health, are correct:
"First-TAat true Aslatic cholera ap-
peared in various places in the cities of
! New York and Brooklyn, in scattered
and widely-distant localities, for some
time previous to July 10; and that, as
early as June g i J@abspiGlsif'ea Giia teR56g5
Epidemic even where there existed no
rated clothing and the undisinfected ex-
crcmcnts of the cholera sick and that
at an early period in July there existed
in New York and Brooklyn certain we'll
! marked cholera fields, in which the
virus OF the epidemic appears to have
become, in some manner, fixed in the
soil or i'm the local atmosphere of those
neighborhoods.
'Second-That neither the house ep-
idemics' nor the cholera fields were in
variably those in which septic or COM
mon summer cholera was most likely
to occur, and that the grouping of cases,
and the particular places OF outbreak
could not invariably be accounted for
upon the hypothesis of loca! origin an,!
self-produced or domestic causes, tho
the presence of recognized collateral OF
localiZing cond tions that favored the
propagation of the malady had few ex-
ceptions, those exceptions were signifi-
cant and important.
'Third-Ihat III houses and localities
where well marked first cases of cholera
were not promptly treated by local
cleansing and specific dislnf.ction, chol-
era soon gained a foothold as local
epidemic, and that we have found nc
large group Of fatal cases in which this
was not true; while in n great number
of instances, where the disintection wa,
prompt and adequate, the arrest Of chol.
era in the very worst localities, and the
worst houses and populations, was i'm
mediate and final.
"Fourth-That in three hundred ant
sixty-two houses where individual per
sons or families were smitten by cholera
but which were promptly brought undel
full sanitary control by disinfection ant
local publication, the pestilence did no
extend beyond the family in which til,
first case occurred.
Fllth-lhat over croWdinK, bad ven
tilation, dampness and filth OF apa.t
ments, dwelling houses and blocks, to
gcther with neglected waterclosets, com
mon privies, domestic neglect, stree
filth and defective drainage, were thu
chief localizing conditions of the cpl
demic wherever it spread rapidly or re-
mained obstiDately.
"Sixth-That about one-half of all tn,
victims of cholera who reached the col,
stage died, and that no method OF med
ical treatment seemed to have any posi-
lively curative effect upon cholera il
collapse.
"Seventh-That every important out
break of the epidemic affecting NOR,
than one person or one family seems /.
have been preceded some days, or NOR,
than twenty-four hours, by a first cast
or a small group Of cases Of cholera o
cholcraic diarrhea in the house or tn,
immediate locality.
Eighth - That in most instance
where a first case Of cholera was, from
any cause, left to contaninatc fou
common privy, a damp, porous or filth,
soil, or a crowded aud filthy house
. without thorough disinfection soon ap
Piled other cases followed"