Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-06-30
The Asiasie CHOLERA.


ern times. Not the least OF these errors is that
which denominates q lingering sickness OF sew
era days Is Q case OF Asiafic cholera: which
was done in this city only q few DAYS ago
The true cholera Of Asia strikes unexpectedly,
and is a swift executioner.
In the city Of Baltimore, in the year 1882
where its ravages were frightful, this peculiar
lty OF its character had vivid illustration. The
choice OF victim had but one result-the sac
rince OF q life. i mean by that, that the chol-
era, where il was the Asiatic type, seemed an
parently, II not truly, without antidote. For
Instance, Mr.. Kline, the owner of a brick
yard in the southern suburbs of the city, and
experimenting il at the time, was seen 70 ride
TO his stable door, about one square from his
residence, dismount, and after securing his
horse, came lmping home. This was between
and O'Clock in the afternoon. In few mo-
ments the news went abroad that he had the
choiera' the doctor was summoned-an able
physician; in the meantime every exertion was
made 10 save him, by systematic rubbing Of the
body and limbs 10 remove the cramps; but when
the doctor came, after surveying the patient,
he simply tried the skin by the process of lift.
ing II upon the back Of the hands, and said
That nothing further need be done-the patient
was beyond recovery. At O'Clock the patient
was dead. A Mr.. Partridge, a merchant. who
had sent his family to the country in order 90
insure their safety, himself remaining in the
city, repaired TO his counting room at tue usual
hour, in good health apparently but at q
O'Clock the same day brought home with
the cholera, and before morning, notwithstand-
ing skilled attendants, was a corpse. These
were cleanly people, both in good circumstan-
ces. and yet they were not exempt, either from
the disease or the death.
private Waterman, in the employ OF what
was then Geist's shot works. was taken AZ night
with the Asiatic cramps, and succeeded in at
tracing with his outcries a person passing.
whom he besought TO take him to his home He
was placed upon a barrow, the only available
conveyance, but before reaching his home he
was dead. Yet the manner OF CONVEYANCE
seems not TO have affected the case; for Il hap
peDed that others, after attack, who were con
yeyed home in carriages Of ease, also expired
before reaching there.
These few instances, for 10 cite further would
be TO elaborate this article beyond its designed
intenf,) from among hundreds of that mem
orable period, exhibit the proOfs. il they were
wanting OF the mysterious and rapid process
by which the Asiatic cholera executes its mourn
ful work.
lady living at the inter section Of two streets.
where frequently as many as four and five I'm
nerais had met ana awaited their turn 20 pass
consulted her family physician, at that period
one OF the ablest and most renowned in the
Slty, the father OF the present Dr. George &. M.
Roberts, as 10 what II was best for her To 30 -
cOuntryY'
The doctor answered emphaticany, "No; il
TO go from the city,
Then she consulted Him as to diet. II was
plentiful seasoi-the markets were full OF veg
etables and fruits.
have been eating ali kinds Of vegetables
and fruits, " said the lady. Shall desist ?"
NO." he answered; 'whst you lave been
Above all, keep yourself as composed as pos
sible."
The lessons taught by this brief interview
were three in number, as applicable now as in
that period-forty-one years ago:
i. IL leds Escape 70 Ledce he Cifg.-The
very locality which the lady in question had
leaving the city, was visited by the scourge.
Although a suburban section 50 elevated that |
from any part Of IL overlooking the broad city |
could be seen in the far distance the shining
CheRQnlakl. sniff
from the city 70 have had pure air at ali times;
where springs Of fresh water abounded; where |
and the homes q s dwssTs Say
and bright; yet such locality, parsdisian in
measure, Gss not exempt. 1t was Sabbath /
ss s,n MI :; IA 81 20 an csare gehem
to the vestIy Of what was then the Otterbine Il
congregation, or Conway street, near Sharp. Il
As was his wont, before entering his carriage, /
he retired 70 his chamber to pray. In An In Il
cumbent attitude at his bedside, the Asiatic Il
cholera struck him, and in q few hours he was Il
laid in the attitude, ever mournful, Of the Il
particular and careful living; INDUCED in excess
of TO kind; abstemiousness was the motto Of Il
his life; but that, nor any Of il, among even Il
beautiful and healthful surroundings, saved /
him.
2. The Kind Of Food Eatsn--Here we have the /
advice Of this eminent physician against aban-
doning line of food to which long previously i
the system was accustomed. He was right; for /
during that epoch very many ignored the use /
Of vegetables altogether, and ate no fruits, /
although the markets were glutted with the |
finest that section Of the world could know, and Il
confined themselves to q simple diet Of bread /
and herring, or salt and smoked meats: but |
such q diet proved no exemption from the
and as quickly died as any other class Of eaters.
But the cholera was not in the food that was
eaten-not IN the water that was drank. II il
was anywhere in the world, land its presence in
that age was too manifest for DENIAL IL was in
the air that was breathed. The simple breath
ing of the air worked no damage; but 70 confine
il In the stomach and the region of the vitals,
by food. (no matter what kind of food, by
water, (no matter what kind Of water, was 70
give the air which contained the Asiatic cholera
local power in producing its peculiar form or
disc ase and death.
No discussion need be entered into 10 CON
vince the intelligent that TINS cholera of Asia
Is contai. cd only in the AIR; they are 70 remem-
Der that u has crossed wide deserts, and, with
ont hun IN conveyance, entered large cities
that, on tue ocean, IL has crossed the half of a
vessel, carrying death to that portion of the
crew, lee wing the other halt OF its human
freight u touched and unframed.
3. Comp ssre.-It will be noticed that this ex-
perlenceG physician, in the midst OF the pre-
vailing cisoltra, advised composure. liz has
been know n that persons took certain diseases
because Trey feared them. The fact is, fear
unstrung he nerves. weakened the system, 50
that When disease possessing the herculean
force OF cholera attacked them they were
unable o. cpe with 1t, and readily became the
conquere where otherwise they might and
Other ,..ductions grow out Of the facts not
more thai mentioned In this article, which the
writer t. obliged TO omit. One or two things,
however, Re lie constrained TO say before closing.
The hi; ory of the Asiatic cholera, since il be-
came far iliarly known i'm the year 1871, when ii
was rsgi z so terribly in the jungles Of India.
has dem nstrated one thing above every other
IL has proved its impartial character. IL has not
passed 10y the affiuent, and seized upon the
poor only. 1t has not confined itself to the I'M
clean; those Of clean habits have been wrscked
by its TEXTURES unto death. The sinful have not
alone b en- selected rs its victims; the devout
and pure have as often been embraced within
its deadly folds. Ii has always acted as IL il
had q understanding fiat to fulfl-as IL IL had
its selections to make-and il made them. In
that Sc assn, somebody died with it after eating
one thing, and somebody died with il after eat
ing Al other thing: 80 that somebody died from
every kind Of edible-bringing us 20 the conclu-
sion, il we were inclined TO the belief, that food
produced the cholera, that no kind Of food was
safe as q nourish ment.
IL Is sincerely TO be hoped that from 50 terri
BILE q scourge our fair city may be forever pre-
served.
june 81, 1873. GIN.
SCANpALoUs AFFAIR AT NKwPoRr.-In
Newport, r. l., for several months past, man
claiming to be Of the bon ton has been paying,
clandestinely, his addresses TO the wife OF gem