Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1873-07-08
SFirit Of yffffrsol1,
Charlestovn, Jener,on county. west Ya. 3.
- TUESDAY MORNING. JULY / Z 5, 1875.
CHOLERA.
The Rrepaatng Disease Cholera Asplyaia;
d. e. As'aticsC Cholera The Remnants oftde
Epidenic of 1884 M

From the Memphis Daily Register, June ls
Editors Register-I have expected to see
Communication from some one of our able and
experienced physicians on the character of the
complaint that has recently carried off in few
hours number of our citizens, and that has
been called by some Asiatic cholera; by others
cholera morbus, and by few dysentery but,
after waiting several weeks, and finding no
such communication in either of our city
papers, l have thought to submit as shall
now do, brief statement Of the prominent
features of the epidemic of '34. and of the
disease still lingering here, and offer few re.
marks, which may clear up the minds of some
of the 'tdoubtine Thomases" And, that I
may not seem TO be presumptuous, I may pre-
mise that, in '34, when it first visited Vir>
ginia, saw there hundreds of cases of Asiatic
cholera; and since, on its several incursions
Up our city, have seen many more cases, and
have no hesitancy in prononncing the dis
ease now diving out among us cholera as
phyxia or Asiatic cholera. Time, however.
or some modification of the poison that prop
agates this malady<has divested it of some of
the terrible phenomena which accompanied it
at its first appearance in this country. And
this fact will account in part for the conflicts
ing opinions entertained by members of the
profession in regard to the character of the
prevailing disease but this fact should have
been anticipated and considered in making up
q diagnosis, for most writers assert, and all
old practitioners know. that all epidemics lose
some OF their features, and more or less of
their force on each recurrence. And this
fact will be proven by a comparison of the
symptoms of the Asiatic of 1884, and tho
symptoms of the disease that has arppeared
here recently. Those who have read the
graphic descriptions of the cholera of Asia, as
given in the London Lancet, in 1919. by able
British physicians, whose essays on the SUBJ
Ject have never been equaled, will not be sur.
prised at the identity there and here of this
terrible disease as it first appeared in this coun.
try. | have stated above that I had seen
hundreds of cases Of Asiatic cholera in 1884.
[ was on Nlac-A damised road then being
built from Harper's Ferry to Winchester. on
which and the canal across the river from Har
per's Ferry, there were several thousand Irish
men at work, and one>third or more of them
must have had the disease, to say nothing of
the many citizens who were also attacked
by it.
The cholera | am first to describe. made its
first appearance on this Continent in Montreal
in 1888, Int came early into the Middle
States in S34, and soon pervaded nearly the
whole country: In this year every fatal case
ed with these symptoms vomiting. cold
tongue. cold breath, contracted pupils "rice
water objections, intense Thirst and a cold
skin. which soon assumed dark leaden hue.
and was hathed in perspiraton, or in the
serum of the blood rather, which ran from
every pore and through the bowels until the
blood was lett dark, viscd mass. During
the progress OF these symptoms the skin over
the hands and fingers hung dark aud in folds
as if every muscle had been absorbed: the
nails became livid the voice, at first sepul>
chral, was soon heard, if heard at ali, in
faintest whispers, the walls of the abdomen
were drawn back to the spine, the pulse inn
perceptihle at tho wrist and the patient soon
expired from loss of L1ooa
Many cases for the first hour or two were
attended also with violent spasma. and strange
as itmays seem, those cases were the most
amenable to treatment! Cases preceded by
diarrhea were almost always fatal, and termi-
mated in few hours. sometimes within an
hour! Hence physicians advised the people
to regard every case of diarrhea as incipient
cholera, and to "govern themselves accord
ingy'-to lie down, be perfectly quiet, to
take some suitable preparation and to cat
nothing but rice, boiled milk and bread, and
toast and tea, until finally relieved A mum.
her of valued friends lost their lives by dis
regard of this advice; and it would be no ex-
aggeration to say that many thousands in this
country have fallen victims to this temerity
So much for the cholera Of 1881; but let MS
look at it it comes to us in its greatly miti-
gated form of 1873
AS in 1854, most of the cases have seen
here recently were brought about by impru-
denco in eating or drinking. or of those whose
systems had been debitated by previous dis
ease. But in Eo case have 1 seen the cold
tongue and breath, contracted pupils, skin al
most livid and bathed in perspiration, or
'rice water" objections within an hour or less
from the commencement of an attack. But
a large majority of our cases here have been
attended with vomiting and spasms, cold
damp surface and rice sodter discharges and
when not relieved within few hours, COL
lapse and death have followed. All this has
been witnessed by some OF the ab!est and
Oldest physicians in the city. Does cholera
morbus ever so battle eminent physicians p
Is it constantly, or usually, attended with rice
s0ater objections? Is dysentery ever attend
ed, from the first. with copous watery stools
Aud does it ever Kill in few hours Did
ever mortal see rice ,cater detection in this
most painful complaint?
That we have bad cases of cholera morbus
Is true, for early in this month had several
such myself; but not in one such case did 1
observe that most truly pathognomonic symp-
tom-rice water discharges. Any intelligent
reader can now decide for himself whether or
not we have among us, in subdued form,
cholera. ,.--
Let all then again be advised to take warns
ing from the slightest arrangement of the
stomach and bowels to avoid all nos.rums,
undue excitement or mental emotion and i'm
proper food to be regular in their hours to
be temperate in all things" and to keep the
body warm. a broad flannel roller drawn
agreeably tight around the abdomen will be