The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-06-21
The Cholera.

The Cholera. i. 4
The cholera il undoubtedly prevalent. 10
the cities of the Mississippi Valley, and THIS,
we think, may be set down as a chofefa sea-
son, The tendency of diseases TOWARDS tne
symptoms Of cholera shows this to DC the
fact. 1S - >[
But do not be alarmed, reader, and DO nor
alarm your neishbors. The cholera never
goes where 1t is not invited. All you nave
70 do then. is not 10 extend the invitation.
Ianics. however. are among the things that in.
wife the cholera. III Wheeling many years ago
tho authorities became frightened about this
time in the year, and caused q certain street,
which was full of filth, to be thoroughly
tleanscd, as they supposed. But the cleans
ing process turned out to be process for
the manufacture of cholera cases, Of which
there were more just in the neighborhood
of the spot which had been unwisely dis
turbed than anywhere else in ths@ty. We
trus, that our authorities will profit by this
example. Late in the season it is better to
lesve certain sorts of spots untouched than
to poison the atmosphere with the eNhala-
lions that result from opening and exposing
their disease-breeding contents. Rather
cover them up decper-and to cover them
With lime would be unquestionabiy an, ex.
ce!lent eSpedient.
Richmond has competent Board Of Health.
We believe that their efforts to get rid OF
the small.pox-which, by the way, have
proved successiul--have resulted in giving
It's at the present moment y city better pre-.
pared to resist the visitations of the cholera
than il was ever known to be before. ~
What is the cholera: A disease that can.
not easily be managed after it has once taken
possession OF a person, but opse which the
doctors tell us may be guarded against. A
good diet of fresh meats, fresh fowls, and
fresh vegetables (not fresh fish, however,
an abundance of fresh air in your bedrooms
clearly habits; and, some add, clear con
sciences. will almost render you secure from
its attacks.
Whilst upon the subject, let us say that
it is remarkable that our water-fXtures,
which ought TO be our best ally in the war
with disease, should be enlisted on the side OF
the enemy. The cutters Of street after street
flow with water from the bydrants, which
water with the ofiai Of the neighborhood
undcr the influence of the summers sun
will soon become green with the seeds OF
disease. Indeed, there are several streets
already in this undesirable condition. The
water runs from the hydrants into the
streets, and becomes stagnant and diseased
In walking over the city we have been
struck with the fact that where there are NJ
bydrants emptying into drains leading
into the street, there as no stGgnant
are such hydrants, if there are not also
paved cutters, there is no such diseased
water. Mother Earth, to which the ancients
were wise in nscribing the power to reviVify
whatsoever it touched, also drinks in all
su.face-fowing water if allowed to do So.
and permits no pesLilence to walk at noon.
day nor night upon her all-cleansing breast.
Much better would it be for the city to take
tow them to entangle the water, stop its
Gow, create puddles, and finally disease
and death. But there is no necessity for
Ibis TO he. done. Let the drains from the
hydrauts empty into cuIyert.conncctions
and not into the streets. The water is
needed in these connections, and, as the sun
does not therein shine upon it. it will not
become green nor stagnant, nor eraporate,
but viii assist in keeping the culyerts them
selves clean. Where there are no culverts,
some other means must be found to prevent
the escape Of the water into the level cutters
that will not carry it of.
In New York, the telegraph told us the
other day, the authoritiesare cleaning out the
easements, and compelling the poor Simple.
tons who occupy these abodes of filth and
disease TO find residences above ground.
Here, in some parts of our city, we have
a number Of these underground dwellings.
In other parts, we have tenement houses oc-
cupied by many familes-more than can pos
sbly live together safely. We are told that
one house on Second street, when the small.
pox broke out in il some three months ago,
had twelve families living in it. The au-
thorities must see to it that all such houses
are cleaned out. There will be no suffering
consequent upon it here; for the farmers
need and will employ every one of these ne
groes if they will 60 to the country.
Again: Too many people, in reduced cir
cumstances perhaps, allow families of ne
grocs to live in their kitchens-Degroes not
needed as servants, we mean. They arc a
very hospitable people, these negroes are,
and they rarely refuse bed to any conner,
let the number be as large as it may. Let
Such people look to their kitchens.
These are mere hints. We give them for
what they are worth. We doubt not that
the cholera can be kept away from Richmond.
Let US consult our own welfare, and do
whatever we can to accomplish SO desirable
an object.
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Tho 7 a uyuorc, rT,oct Caro