The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-06-20
Asfatic Cholera.

cholera in Nashville and Memphis? Has
this disease become indigenous to the
South, and especially those cities? And
if so, why such change in the laws that
have heretofore governed that terrible
monster, as far back as we have any ac-
count of it2 In all its previous conduct,
the morbific column leaving its retreats
about the Ganges, moved westward
steadily and uniformly, like body of
soldiery, sending terror and consterna-
ton to all in its pathway; and complies
ing in about three years, its circuit
around the globe.
II the affection now prevailing in the
above cities, and which has created so
much sensation and alarm, be Asiatic
cholera, then it is clearly demonstrated
that the poison producing it can be gen.
Grated here, and the disease should no
longer be called Asiatic; or that it has
departed from the laws of nature, which
govern alike the pestilence and the
storm; and has leaped over enough of
earth-surface for two continents and a
thousand leagues of sea, without affects
ing single being of the knotted up
millions of humanity in Berlin, London,
Paris, New York, and other cities, which
lie in the track OF its former visitstions,
to depopulate two cities in Tennes~
see? The nearest case of cholera COM
ing from the East, the telegraph in~
forms us, is away in Prussia, and may
be here about this time next year,
should the German Emperor be less
successful in the use of disinfectants
than he has been for the past two years.
There is no malady perhaps, the name
of which carries with it so much terror
as that of Asiatic Cholera, and when
admitted by physicians to be in our
midst, it is not surprising that people
should be more or less panic>stricken.
But is there, after all, so much reason
for alarm? 1t is true that some physi~
clans have pronounced the prevalent
disease Asiatic Cholera, and among
them, are some of learning aAd large
experience in their profession, yet we
believe when their statements shall
come before the bar of the future histO~
rian of this malady, TO be critically dis
sected in the full light OF all that is
known of this oriental plague, that they
will not do violence to the laws of the
disease and its universally acknowledge
ed specific origin, and admit that in 1873
Asiatic Cholera, leaped from its Hindos-
tanic home, made Memphis at ono
bound, or was certainly then and there
produced by the action of the solar rays
upon the various accumulations of filth,
together with the consumption of fire.
queRtIy handled and Iongtraveled veg
etables and other unwholesome food.
In view of all, is it not more probable
that the affection now prevailing in the
above localities is an aggravated cholera
morbus, sporadic or climatic cholera,
(all meaning the same thing}, which we
know can be produced by the eating of
stale vegetables, decayed fruits, impure
air and a sudden change of tempera-
ture from cold to hot, than to suppose
that Asiatic Cholera, in soIne mysteri-
GUS way, has gained foothold in our
midst?
Though cholera-morbus, sporadic or
climatic cholera, Rs you may please to
call it, may frequently simulate Asiatic
Cholera in it's symptomatology and I'm
der a concurrence of circumstances,
may even be as fatal as the Asiatic, yet
it is radically and essentially different
affection from the foreign one. The
former may be almost entirely removed
by prudence in diet and cleanliness of
our persons and our surroundings,
while the latter, though somewhat
shorn of it's mortality by such observ
ances, yet moves on unchecked in its
devastating career.
There has been quite number OF
cholera-morbic cases in this section dur
ing the last two weeks, but no deaths
from it as far as we are able to learn
from the physicians. In almost every
instance it has been traceableto some
imprudence in diet.