The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-07-25

cases, the cholera has appeared to be q contagious
disease-that Is, when o person has brought
with him the pestilence from another place. and
persons about him have likewise been attacked,
the phenomenon Is explained In the fact OF his
having carried with him Infection matter produced
In the place he left, not from personal contagfon
Such cases ~ were considered contagious have
been observed most plainly and frequently In just
the very cities which show no receptibility for
cholera flor example, Stuttgart, warzburg)." And,
ADDS DR.. Pettenkofer nothing speaks more
against the usual acceptance Of contagiousness
than these cases. since the disease did spread, but
NO epidemic was developed therefrom.
PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES
He warns people earnestly about bringing dirty
linen from places already affected by the cholera
to places where the disease has not yet appeared.
He refers not merely to linen or clothing worn by
persons attacked by cholera, but linen or clothing
coming from place where the disease RACES. The
injection matter germs may thus be transported,
and, II the necessary conditions of local and
seasonal disposition present the place. this
imported infection matter can serve IS the
seed for local epidemic. Where the necessary
conditions OF local and seasonal disposition are
not present the cases remain isolated sporadic.
Carefully avoid, therefore," says Dr. Pettenkofer,
''sending objects from cholera houses without FIRST
being disinfected. Before receiving, also, open
them in the free air and disinfect them. Many
cases have been recorded where wet and mucous
articles OF food from cholera houses or other
hearths OF infection have contained Infectious mat
ter and produced the disease In those partaking
OF it." These observations have been made IN
England, in Switzerland and in India In regard
to excretious excrements as bearers Of infectious
matter DR.. PettenkOfer does not attribute any in
nuence to them as spreaders Of the disease n care
fully treated and disinfected. He thinks that too
much influence has hitherto been attributed to this
matter. He says:-"A house becomes the abode
Of cholera not because 1t possesses o closet in
which the excrements OF q person attacked by
cholera have been placed, but in other ways which
have been overlooked. This state of things and
your knowledge compels us, II we would success
fully disinfect in the future, not to confn our
selves to purifying the closets Of cholera locality,
but also parts Of the house and objects which have
through our blind belief In the principle
of c0ntagion, been neglected"
LOCAL AND SEASONAL DISPOSITION.
Dr. Pettenkofer proves that the cholera germs
be taken from one place to another, put for the
development Of the disease there must be local
conditions present, which need only the pesrien-
tial germs.as seed in order to produce epidemic
In Germany. especially IN Thuringia and in Bavaria,
1t has been found that the cholera epidemics have
taken the course Of river and drainage districts
more than the course Of railways and highways,
proving that intercourse is not the only agency
that bears the germs Of the pestilence. Some
places ana districts are liable to the disease
than others. Some have always withstOod its en-
The causes OF these phenomena are
as yet unexplained Local atmospheric and cir
matte influences have undoubtedly great influence.
In regard to the influence Of season on the de.
velopment OF the epidemic, the cholera statistics
OF Prussia nom 1s4s to $780, gives clear picture