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

the pubic, which was subsequently published IN
pamphlet form, under the title Of
WHAT CAN BE DONE AGAINST THE CHOLERA?
Munich has good cause indeed to fear the pesti-
lence whenever 1t shall arrive In Central Europe.
The great death year Of 1854 is not yet forgotten;
the large Crystal Palace erected for the exposition
Of that year, stands az its monument The canal.
cation of the city is very imperfect; the people
themselves are not noted for over-cleanliness in
their habits; the drink water is avoided on &C
count OF its pernicous qualities, and many attrac
sons for cholera epidemic are present In the CITY,
The action taken by the City Council is, therefore,
very praiseworthy. The selection Of Professor Pet
tenkofer to draw up the address was the very best
that could have been made, he being, as
you are aware, one Of the most celebrated
scientists OF Germany He has paid great atten-
ton to the subject OF the cholera He discovered
the connection and influence of the spread Of |
cholera and typhus to the height Of the underground
water, and has also elucidated the subject OF the
influence Of the forests in India IN checking the |
spread OF cholera Since 1S47 Professor Petten-
kofer has been professor in the medical faculty Of
the University Of Munich.
NATURE OF CHOLERA.
Or. Won Pettenkofer admits that the causes of
cholera are az yet unknown to us, although the |
examinations made In regard to the nature OF the
pestience have led to the discovery OF important
facts which enable US to take preventive measures
against Its ravages. The Portuguese found the
disease in India 1t the commencement of the six
teenth century. 1t reached Europe in the first
third Of the present century, having been brought
hither by commerce. 1t was at first thought to be
contagious disease for the that 1t then kept
chiefly TO the main commercial arteries by water and
land; but subsequent researches have shown, as
well in Europe as in India dts home) that its
Il
and place, and that If the conditions necessary to
the development Of the disease are not present it
does not make its appearance. 1t has been OBJ
served that many places and districts lying on the
direct course taken by the cholera have been left
untouched by the scourge. "The conclusion has
been arrived at" says DR.. Pettenkofer "that to
the specific germ of the disease which spreads
from India and attaches itself to national inter-
course there must something else be taken into
notwithstanding which does not lie in huma
beings themselves and spread the germ-but some
thing arising from the geographical position Of the
place; something, however, which is not found at
MI times and in every place, but which serves as
local nourishment to the specific germ Of the dis
ease, which is first Of all spread by intercourse
THE SPREAD OF CHOLERA
Ii dependent not only on personal intercourse but
On time and place. The influences Of the TWO last
named factors have been named the local and sea-
sOnal disposition. In all places where cholera has
appeared in epidemic form 1t has been observed
that the inhabitants, although equally subject to
she influences at work, are not all attacked. The
Individual disposition has, therefore, to be taken
Into account. 1.-THE appearance and frequency Of
cholera is essentially dependent on the stimuli
tene0us working of number Of especially these
shree local and seasonal dis.
position and the individual disposition II one Of
these factors Is wanting the cholora does not
break out. Therefore to protect ourselves
against the pestilence we can proceed In each
OF these three directions Our success depends on
the degree OF knowledge possessed and the power
We possess over the single agencies but every CAL
culation for preventing the ravages Of cholera
must be established on one OF these three factorso
DR.. Pettenhofer then goes on to define each factor
and what can be done in connection with It, He
speaks nrst OF intercourse-tnat is,
FREE COMMERCIAL INTERCOURSE
by which cholera has always been spread. To bar
mp commerce for the purpose OF checking the
spread OF the cholera would be, he says, a much
greater misfortune than the ravages Of the pesti-
hence itself The total interruption OF commerce
would be an impossbility; but it should be our
mission to purify commerce from the germs OF
cholera attaching to it. But in order to full
ii THIS mission we must know exactly
tach, and whereby they are transported
from one place to another Hitherto the cou
clusion has been drawn from the study OF INSULT
caent facts That the cholera, because II trans
ported by human intercourse, Is a CONTAGIOUS dis
ease transmitted from the diseased to the healthy
and then, after running its course through the
body OF the person attacked produced new con-
tagious material for others; but the evident and
essential connection OF the spread Of cholera not
only from commerce, but from time and place
leaves the contagiousness OF cholera very doubt
ful matter. Experience has taught us that physi-
clans and nurses In cholera hospitals do not suffer
in attending to persons attacked with the cpl.
demic more than persons who have nothing at all
TO do with the sick. 1t has been observed in great
hospitals which contained great number of per-
sons attacked by the epidemic that neither physi-
caans, nor nurses, nor patients under treatment
for other diseases were affected" This fact has
been observed In the cholera hospitals Of Calcutta
1.-THE fact that the cholera arises more from
INJECTING LOCALITIES THAN FROM INFECTED PER-
SONS
most powerful lever for a fearless nursing OF the
sick. No one has any reason to shun person at
tackled with the cholera living under his own roof
He can give him any help necessary without any
danger to himself II the house has already be-
come hearth OF infection 1t does not help the
healthy In the least to anxiously avoid the presence
Oh the SICK; and II the house is not hearth OF In
lection, but the sick person is infected from some
other place, the person attacked cannot be looked
npon az an injecting object.n DR.. PettenkOfer
Anen goes On " say that where. in exceptional