National Republican., 1873-06-28
ASIATIC CHOLERA.
PROGRESS OF fHE DREAD DISEASE.

L hUuhboO VT Inn bhbab blouhoos
Talk with Dr. e. G. Coz, President Of
the Board Of H-aIih-whai He ThIaks
ofthc BPidcmic-Ne Doubt bat That the
Genuins Asiatic Cholera l. Prevailing
In tho West and souihwest-Timeiy
suagestion- on the suhIect.
The general interest manifested by this COM
munlty In regard TO the spread OF the cholers,
now prevailing In the Western and Northwest
eru cities. and the fear that II may In Us onward
march reach Washington, caused q reporter Of
the RErUBLicAs to call yesterday upon DR.. c.
Z. Cox, president Of the Boartl Of Health, with
the view Of having talk with him on the sub
Ject.
The Doctor was found at his ofiicc, the occG-
sion Of the visit made known, and the following
conversation ensued:
orieinT'
n do not. Although no epidemic has ever
been 30 widely lifuscd and fatal, or preserved
~ identity AMI intensity under such variable
conditions Of climate and temperature as that
OF 1899, cholera has nevertheless been disease
Of centuries. According 10 very remote HindOo
auth lrity u prevailed In India long before start
ing on its fierce career westward from the delta
Of the Gangra, In 1911. The ancient writers,
Hppocrates, CELSIUS, Aretrus, and, more recent
w
Il will doubtless continue, at periojs, to sweep
over large sections OF the earths surface as long
as and wherever the cpidemlc in1u-
ences exist to reproduce It,"
elbow does u compare with other cpllemlcs In
the rapidlty Of Its march 2"
''CholerG distances them ALL II flrst appeared
In Paris In March, ls92, within the same month
invaded England aud Ireland, on the sth OF June
following appeared In Canada, and on the 2ist Of
the same month reached New York. All the
| seaboard cities followed In rapid succession,
| and hpfnFR Tho aulumnal hal uInuapn
itself over the largest part Of the United states.
Since then u has appeared In this C,un'ry al
different periods-lsSt, iSS, ~ and lsS v
prevailing ln the Western and Southwestern
cities IL genuine Astatic cholera7-
"None whatever. Il has all the characteris.
tics Of that fearful epidemic, and this fact should
neither be ignored nor denied. IL IA night the
/ people should knOW that Aslatic cholera u on us
march, 10 order to stimulate everywhere proper
"HOw do you account for It's appearance In the
South, and Its course castwatd1T
| at has doubtless made It's way from Cuba 10
| New Orleans, finding itting lOdgment In that
nlth-sodden city; thence, following the water, As
| usual, Il has advanced upon Nashville, Louis
vile, Memphis, Wheeling, and will continue tc
progress, unless checked by the health boards Of
/ the county, aided aud supported by the people
/ II mas been demonstrated that cholera may be
/ crushed out Of q community by the early adop
/ ton and enforcement Of prompt and etilcienl
sanitary measures. To this end bsards Of health
| should be endowed with power and money, and
then held responsible for consequences"
"In what manner does cholera attack tho hu
man subjectfn
Sometimes suddenly, with little or no pre-.
monitiOn. Apparently well At betl-time, the vic
tim Is aroused at midnight by violent vomiting
and purging, and Is rapidly precipitatcd INTO !
condition OF hopeless collapse. Generally, how
| ever, mllder symptoms precede the attack. ~
| languor and lassltude, sometimes nausea ant
vertigo, dtauhga, at nrst focal, but soon waterl
| and nocculent"
gated ="
ait unquestlonably revels in dirt Of eyery de
scTtption, In crowded and ill.ventilated quarters
and, Just In proportion as we get rid Of NTH, in
pure water and air, foul pryles and dirty sewers
IL is chiefly, however, generated by the deco9
posed eXcrement Of those who have been seiZet
with cholera or happen TO be affected by the pre-
| liminary diarTh9a. DIR. Greenhow, In his inves
legations upon this subject, has shown that al
atmosphere lmpregnated with the products o
fermenting exctement Is at once the most Oh
ylons and most constant conoomltanto Of cholera.
such exhalatlOns,' he further observes, 'wert
often found, even In q concentrated fonA, II
houses where the existence OF any palpable caus
Of insalubrity could scarcely be suspected, an,
thus the fact Ia In soma measure eNplCab,e tina
the pestilence, sometimes passing over slun
and roOkerics, Knocked at the door OF the CON
Portable annuitant or the wealthy tradesma1.
was found that persons appeared TO suffer Il
proportion To the contamination of the air the
breathed with the priyy OdOr, and that immunit
from this appeared to secure immunity fror
been confirmed by the overwhelming testlmOn
Of other distinguished observers. Hence tn
great Importance OF promptly dlslnfecting au
removing the excrement and boiling all clOthn
csetiOns from the bowels. The rapid and odOl
less disposition Of the night soil OF a great clty
at all times vitality important, Is pre-emlnentl
"whal Individual precautions would you sua
gest against cholera7"
personal cleanliness, regular life habits, tn
: | NJ Al alaaIN lF.afa
ripe or decayed fruits and vegetables, Oyer-iu
dulgence In eating, from alcoholic beverage
aud impure water, aud from undue eNertlOt
"If taken In time do you consider It ameuabI
: TO treatment7"
! Certainly; In a large majority OF cases. II
earliest symptoms should be noticed aud al
tackled, the physician having boon summOne
! without delay. sometimes the disease cOII
] mences with vertigo and nausea, and very slgt
diarrh9a. Ia this case brisk emetlc OF war;
water aud mustard should be resorted 10 at one,
and afterwards Tin the abaence Of the medic,
alyiseD pill swallowed, consisting Of ha
q grain each OF calomel, opium, capsicui
: and ipecacuanna, TO be repeated, every hOu
i or two, according to the symptoms. At III
. same time mustard plasters should he al
], piled over the bowels and the recumbent pos
1 ton persistently maintained. LumPs Of ice an
!, iced gum water, In small quantities, should on
5 be permitted. II the affection begin with sinp
a focal or bilious diarrhea, occasional doses
: Iris nitrate OF blsmuth (twcnty gralnsl with on
o teaspoonful Of paregoTic and one Tablespoonful
5 OF cinnamon waller should be administered, or
' tablespoonful OF the ordinary chalk mixtur
I with addition Of thirty drops Of tncture OF kin
!, to each dose. Powerful astingenis and lars
J. quantities OF Opiates often do harm In the ear
{ stage. Cholera, u must be remembered, is
blood poison. The early darrh9a Is doubtle
% an effort of nature TO eliminate the poison, al
l. hence II should not be too suddenly Checke
l. but gradually restrained, while the strength
ls the patient Il carefully watched and sustained
"Do you think the type OF cholera as strong
"a marked and fatal as formerly ?"
4. "I do not believe cholera has lost any Of
10 characteristics, and the reason fewer numb
70 contract the disease, and larger percentage 7
cover now than formerly, is undoubtedly due
improved sanitary systems and measures, al
more judicious medical treatment Al tirst litt
was known Of cholera, its pathology and trea
D ment The most violent and opposite opiniO
10 existed, and thousands died for want OF Intel
gent management. Il Is otherwise now. Prop
y sanitary precautions can either prevent or great
% modify II when it exists, and improved medic
e skill save q large proportion oil suffering Vi
d "Do you apPrehend the appearance of chole
In this Districtf"
" entire exemption, but, with energetic measur
p on the part OF the Board Of Health and the pc
y sopal caution and effort OF every citizen, '
have nothing to fear. ] deprecate panics, a
n am no alarmlst, but think 4 certain amount
- fear, sufncient To inspire prudence and preca
n tion, Ia wholesome aud should not be dlscoI
10 aged. Enough for US To know that cholera
y not stationary but steadily making Its WI
through the lines OF interoomnunlcation by II
" and water"
le Satisfied with the courtesy extended by /
10 Doctor, and fully believing his views as Civ
y. were entitled TO publication, the reporter ba
. him adieu.