Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-07-16
"WHERE THERE rs No WOOD FHEi
GnHHHI nIIE .

FIRE GOErH OUT.'
The essential facts relating to cholera
should be written in words so plain that sll
who live in log cabins can understand them.
A PERSON sick with The so-called rice-wattr
discharges from the stomach and bowels,
with remarkable contraction, If not cor
rugation of the skin, with dull blue color,
has disease with the symptoms of the
Asiatic cholera. In one instance, in India,
rice-water matter from the bowels
Of cholera patient was, by accl-
dent, thrown into drinking water.
Nineteen men drank of this infected water,
of whom five died with all the symptoms of
cholera, and fourteen were more or less af
fected but under skillful and prompt treat
ment recovered. 1t has been found 10 In
dia and else = here that rice water dischsrg-
es, whether by vomiting or objections, have
an alkaline reaction or properties. The
fourteen cases that recovered,
and thousands of others, have been sue
cessfully treated with acids, in
the belief that cholera poigon or germs
cannot live in acids, no more than a live
coal can live in water. But as scaldiDg
water may burn one SO that he will die be-
fore it is removed or male cold, so cholera
poison may do irreparable injury before its
extinction. What we aim to do is to make
this cholera poison as plain to the eye of
reason, as fire is to the organ of see
ing. This poison is In cells or germs.
The organism is not much unlike the
spores in the mother found in good vinegar,
with this remarkable difference, the later
plant grows only in vegetable acid, and it
must not be too strong, Qor pure distilled
vinegar produces no spores or motherD
while cholera spores grow only in slightly
alkaline manure water, or its equivalent in
other liquid filth. Farmers hear of the
loss of ammonia from manure heaps.
All the changeable matter in the world,
from granite rocks up to the thinest air and
vapor, inclines to be either alkaline, like
common hartsborn, burnt lime and wood
ashes, or acid and sour, like sour milk, wine
and cider, or aqua FORTS, oil of Vitgiol,
muriatic and silicic acids. The Creator of
all has adopted life in plants and animals
more or less, 10 either acids or alk9lies, as a
natural home, avoiding extremes in either
direction.
We questioned DR.. Peters closely for
facts going to show how long cholera germs
can live in dry cholera dust in India, or in
clothing in trunk or dry room. It did
not appear that this question is definitely
settled in any country. DR.. Peters ex-
pressed the opinion that under the most IA
vors' lie conditions the vitality in cholera
poison will live as long as life
in grain. This journal expressed
the same idea month ago.
Undoubtedly cholera lie is easily destroy
ed and prevented coming again. "Where
there is no weed the fire goeth out" Now
a fire is ; purely chemical action, and with
out chemical ion, there can be no in
crease of heat as in burning fluid, no life,
no sickness and no death. Hence Il is
proper to view cholera in its purely vital re-
lations. Cholera can not subsist on
a naked rock, on a pure sand or
clay, impure air, or pure water.
Imagine an ounce of knits deposited in the
carcls of dead horse by flies, ard see how
soon each egg gives existence to being that
weighs thousand times more than the
vital germ in the knit. Nutritious food in
great abundance could alone support 50
rapid a growth. Make cholera food as
plenty, and its germs will multiply almost
Infinitely faster than large blowirg flies can
increase under the most favorable condi-
tions. Cholera germs kill man in few
hours, often byIob5ing him Of the aliment,
alike in the a'imentaVy canal and in
his blood vessels. But what has chemistry
to do with all this? Chemistry tells Us that
healthy gastric juice in stomach has an
acid reaction, is in fact partly weak sOlu-
ton of hydrochloric acid. This acid kills
cholera germs and many other alkaline
poisons, taken unswares into the human
stomach in bad water, bad air, or damaged
food. The essential element in this d.
gestive acid is chlorine, and chlorine
forms sixty per cent of pure salt.
To eat fresh meat, bread and vegetables,
with no salt, favors and insures an alkaline |
condition Of the stomach and bowels, and |
favors also cholera and every other mslady |
Of similar character. OF course, one can |
eat too much salt, and swallow too much |
vinegar or other acid. We encourage no |
yet We may point to common
errors and show that salt, acids and aka |
lies play an important part, not only
in chemistry. but in organic life.
To our agricultural readers who live on
farms, we wish to say that in place of |
drinking quart of spring water 10 day,
more or less) mix pint of good butter
milk with the same quantity Of cold water
'or drink, and the Tactic acid in the milk,
and its curds, will be promotiYe of health
and strength, while too much spring or we'll
water may do harm in the system. Fur
1ish no kindliDg wood, fat pine, nor friction
matches to start the Ares Of death, and all
is sparks vii! go ont, because there is 10
wood.
In The present contest the Richmond