Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-07-17
THE CHEmIsTRY OF CHOLERA.

THE CHEMISTRY OF CHOLERA.
The perusal of DR.. Winston's instruct
i've letter on the prevention, nature and
treatment ofcholeIs, published in the UNION
AND AMERICAN of the 10th inst, prompts
us to say few words on the chemistry or
this disease. DR.. Winston says:
81, 1t is foreign-an endemic for centu-
ries Oh the banks Of the Gauges. 2. 1t is
portable. ,. 1t alSays gives notice OF its
approach. 4. 1t is dl,UdyS preceded by pre-
nlonitOrg symptoms, sick stomach, or loose
bowels, in the great majority OF the cases
by the latter, which are painless. D. All
the people, by prudent living. may avoid
the disease. 6. A person asssiled by the
premonitory symptoms may avoid the lull
attack by laying Gown and keeping still
especially if some simple anodyne be ia
ken. I. The morbid cause acts principally
upon the blood, causing Veritab!e fermen-
tation of it, whereby it is altered in its re-
Iationship and constituency; the serum be-
coming aerid is poured intO the aimentary
tract, profoundly irritating the mueus mem
brane and causing complete eXforlatlon OF
the epethelium. s. 1t is veritable hem
oTrhage by which the patient is reduced TO
collapse, the solid constituents OF the blood
being left to such an inspisated state as that
it can 10 longer enter the capillary sys EN-:
9. Death follows for the want Of animal
heat, which cannot be produced except by
interstical action, or combustion"
"a veritable fermentation of the blood"
means not only active chemical changes III
its organized constituents, but the develop
msnt of the yeast plant, or of some other OF
the same character. 1t is well known that
this microscopic cellular plant acLs like
q little yeast or lesVen, to excite
fermentation where all the conditions are
favorable. If the condi ions are unfavOr-
able, the ferment or vital germs die
and 90 for nothing. All chemical and vital
phenomena are based on certain condi-
lions. Sound health is one chemical condi-
ton, and only one. Il matters not whether
a ferment or chemical element enters the
blood with air through the lurgs, or with
drink or food through the stomach and aO-
sorbents. 1t may, however, be in The
bowels some little time before it reaches in
quantity if al all, the general circulation of
the blood. What DR.. Winston calls a
"hemorrhage," or flow of Blood into the
bowels Gall of the thinner and more watery
parts of the blood and the discharge of the
same from the system, may be regarded as
an effort of nature TO remove the vital and
chemical fermentation which is likely
TO DESTROY the life of man.
Mercury is powerful chemical agent, and
fatal 10 all the lower forms of animal and
vegetable life. In this respect it resembles
sulphur; both kill the Itch insect and blight
on grapes very readily. Mercury in the
form Of blue pill, calomel, and corrosive
sublimate, may be called the king of popu-
lar medicines, to kill the germs of disease.
If we may properly regard cholera as a
species of fermentation in the stomach,
bowels and blood vessels, it simpliies the
malady and its best treatment very much.
Chemists already describe four kinds of
fermentation, and the alkaline cholera on
the Ganges, described by eminent British
physicians and chemists, may give TO science
q new ferment with an alkaline reaction.
In our limestone caves, the dung of bats or
Of persons, in cecomposing, forms nitric
acid and which unites chemically with lime
to form the nitrate Of lime. From this salt,
saltpetre is manufactured for making gun
powder. The same manure Without
the presence Of an alkali forms
ammonia "A strong alksli. Thus it
appears plain th-t nitrogen, which
is indispensable in all vinous and ascetic
fermentation, brewers yeast and bread
yeast cakes, may, in one condition, form
aqua FORTS "a strong acid and in another
condition ammonia, or strong alkali.
When one atom of nitrogen unites chem
ically with five atoms of oxygen, a power
full acid is formed; when an atom of nitro
gen combines with three of hydrogen,
a strong alkali is produced. Both oxy-
gen and hydrogen exist in water,
and nitrogen in the atmosphere.
Medical men should study closely the chem
istry of animal aud vegetable physiology.
Mulder's great work on this subject,
although now a little antiquated, still is
both elaborate and critical, and contains a
large FIND of useful information. To show
how warmth, moisture and suitable food
multiply cholera germs, let us suppose that
a little dry yeast powder is placed in a bar
rel of dry -four. So long as both flour and
Yeast remain dry, No chemical or
vital action can take place.
Wet the -four and yeast properly in a
YARN room and both chemical and vital
action commence; carbonic acid gas is form