Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-06-25
GOOD ADVICE ABOUT CHOLERA.
How TO Disinrect and what 10 do 4, wi,

nov 10 Dtsinfect and what 10 do ft WITH
The Executive Committee of the Ameri-
can Public Health Association, composed
OF eleven doctors from different States, all
eminent in their profession, issued an adj
dress to the people of the country, dated
June 1G, 1878, in which they treat fully of
the causes, nature and preventive of
cholera. 1t contains so much sensible and
good advice that we give below pretty full
extracts from it:
To combat and arrest the progress, and
prevent the epidemic prevalence of this
scourge of sanitary negligence, 1t is neces-
sary that the inhabitants of every city and
town should promptly resort to the most
efiectual publication, and the best known
means of disinfection, and that this sani-
tary cleansing and preparation should, MS
far as possible, be undertaken before any
cases Of the cholera occur and that in the
presence OF the disease, these sanitary du-
ties should be enforced in every household,
and throughout the entire district. Ex-
perience has proved that the best way to
prevent both pestilence and panic is to
know and prepare for the danger. 1t is the
only way to deal successfully with cholera.
SANITARY CLEANSING.
The local conditions that chiefly promote
the outbreaks and propagation of cholsra
are
l. Neglected privies.
s. Foul cellars and filthy or badly-drain-
ed surroundings of dwellings.
4, Foul and INSTRUCTED house-drains.
5. Decaying and putrescent materials,
whether animal or vegetable.
6. Unventilated, damp and uncleansed
dwellings and apartments.
The security of personal health requires
pure drinking water, fresh and substantial
food, temperance, and the needed rest and
bathing of the body.
RULES AND METHODS OF DISTINCTION.
For privies, water-closets, drains and
sewers, eight or ten pounds of sulphate of
iron (copperas) dissolved in five or six
gallons of water, with half pint of crude
carbolice acid added to the solution and
briskly stirred, makes the cheapest and best
disinfecting fluid for common use. 1t can
be procured in every town and by any
family, and if the carbolic acid is not at
hand, the solution of copperas may be used
without it.
TOprevent privies and water-closets from
becoming infected or offensive, pour pint
of this strong solution into every water
closet pan or privy seat once or twice q
day.
To disinfect masses of filth, privy-vaults,
sewers and drains, gradually pour in this
solution until it reaches and disinfects all
the foul material.
For the chamber vessels used by the sick,
and for the distinction of ground upon
which any eXcremental matter has been
cast away, for disinfecting extensive masses
or surfaces of putrescent materials, and for
drains, sewers and bitches, the dead oil of
coal tar, or coal tar itself is available coal
tar may be used as disinfecting paint
upon the walls or cellars, stables and open
drains.
Quicklime is useful as an absorbent and
dryer upon such walls and in damp places,
and wnitewashing with it should be prac-
ticed in common tenements, factories,
Easements, closets and garrets.
To disinfect the clothing detiled in any
manner by eXcremental matter from the
sick, throw all such articles Immediately
into boiling water and continue the boil
ing for half an hour; or place them in a
solution, covered, made as follows: One
pound of sulphate of zinc, six or eight
gallons of water, to which add two or
three ounces of pure strong carbolic acid.
Keep the soiled articles saturated until
they can be boiled. If the acid is not at
hand use the zinc water alone.
Apartments, bedding and upholstery
that have been used by the sick with
| cholera or diarrhea, should be fumigated
by the burning of several pounds of brim-
stone (sulphur) upon defended iron pan,
| with the place tightly closed for several
| hours, under physicians directions.
The watchword against this destructive
| enemy should be, remove the local causes
| that favor the propagation of cholera, an d
whenever it appears, let its germs be quick
| ly stamped out by powerful disinfectants
and instant cleansing.
| From being the most feared and de-
| structive pestilence, cholera now may be
controlled and extinguished more quickly
and completely than any other epidemic
| disease.