The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1873-07-23
CHOLERAIN NASHVILLE.
Views or DR.. C. X. Winston as to the
Late FIsitafIOfe OF Ch0lera---S0me
Suggestions as 10 Prevention and
Treatment.

Cochran, Perry, Snider and others
Of Culleoka, Tenn.-Gentlemen
Your favor of the 28th of June, in
regard to cholera, was duly received,
and avail myself of the first leisure
for responding.
Without confning my response to
the order of your enquiries, l pro-
coed to remark that Asiatic cholera,
now prevailing in this place, is an
imported disease; it is of foreign
origin; it is transmissible, portable
or contagious. shall not stop to
! discuss these points. It made its
appearance here without any preva-
lent form of sickness. 1t is true the
season was peculiar, and there was
some tendency to bowel complaints.
The cause of cholera has been
very thoroughly Investigated without
coming to any satisfactory conclu-
sion. Speculations upon this point
have been numerous. 1t has been
sidereal, telluric, magnetic, elective,
miasmetic, animalcula or fungous :;
after all, a vegetable parasite. Es-
pecially may this idea be the more
plausible since late pathological in
vestigations by Virchow, Conheim,
and others, have shown the yegeta-
bic parasitic origin of pyemia and
septicaemia.
1t commenced its first grand march
in 1917, making its appearance sud
denly at Calcutta, where it ragged
more than year. Since that time
it has again and again visited most
Of the important cities of the civil
lied world, usually pursuing the track
of commerce, in England the NOR
tality is put at SO. 5 per cent. Of
/ those attacked. In Russia, where it
RACES, at St. Petersburg, in mid win
ter, the mortality was $50 per cent.
In Paris the deaths were 40 per
cent. More than one-half the deaths
occur within tweny-four hours, the
danger being less the longer the pa
tient lives.
The present visitation came, rs
it did in 1866, by ship to New Or
leans. and thence up the river to
Nashville. 1t made its appearance
about the middle Of June, and was
founded upon such a malarial con-
stitution of the atmosphere, and the
people. as caused our physicians to
doubt its true character A short
time, however, and the large num-
Der of cases, occurring so rapidly,
soon satisfied all Of its true charac-
ter A short time, however, and
the lage number of cases, occurring
so rapidly, soon satisfied all of its
true epidemic nature. Its uneXpec-
ted appearance in our midst caused
unusual alarm, the people flying in
all directions.
This is the fifth visitation of chol-
era which have witnessed. In fact
| have been in the very midst of it
on all these occasions. From close
study of its nature, mode of propa-
CATION and treatment, have been
led to the following conclusions:
/. 1t is foreign-an epidemic
for centuries on the banks of the
Gauges. 2. 1t is portable. q
1t always gives notice of it's APP
proach. 4. 1t is alaooyS preceded by
prenaonitory symptoms, sick stomach,
or loose bowels, in the great ma
jority of the cases by the latter,
which are painless. 5. All the
people, by prudent living, may avoid
the disease 6. Any person as
sailed by the premomitory symp-
toms may avoid the full attack by
laying down and keeping stiles
pecially if some simple anodyne be
taken. Z. The morbid cause acts
principally upon the blood, causing
a veritable fermentation of it, where
by it is altered in its relationship
and constituency the serum becom-
ing aerid is poured into the elemen-
tary tract, profoundly irritating the
mucus membrane and causing a
complete exfoliation of the epethe-
lium. s. 1t is a veritable hemor-
rhage by which the patient is reduc-
ed to collapse, the solid constituents
of the blood being left in such an
instipated state as that it can no
longer enter the capillary system.
9. Death follows for the want of
animal heat, which cannot be pro-
duced except by intersticaial action,
or conburtion.
might write lengthily upon all
these points, but will not do so now.
| come at once to speak Of its
PREVENTION.
Can this be done? l affirm that
it may. If it were not for this fact
clolera would be substantially the |
most dreadful Of all scourges. If
every family would establish strict
police. call the roll three times daily
observe the rules of personal clean |