The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-07-08
The Causes of ChoIerR-- Limestone
Water.

Water.
(From tho Louisville Courier JOuInAl)
Is cholera contagious or infectlousH II
seems not Contiguous diseases are those
which are communicated by actual con
tact, as 'scables and others, Infectious
diseases are those which are Communicat.
I'd through the medium OF the atmosphere
INDEPENDENTLY Of actual contact, VIZ:
measles, Vh0opiug cough, humps, small
pOx, Ecatlet and yellow fever These
recognized infectious diseases must be
prODagated through the medium of either
auimal or vegetable parasites, Tor It Is
only animal Or vegetable life that can re-
produce itself. These diseases move
slowly, Il requiring many days Tor them
to pass from one portion Of city to an-
Other, and from ono neighbOrhoOd TO an
other; not so.wiLh cholera. Its passage
from point TO point is Hs the flight Of a
bird; it Is here to-day and hundreds Of
miles away on the morrow. One attack
gives no protection against subsequent
epidemicS.
Win quarantine check the course Of
ChOleraP Certainly not. 1t moves onward
in the face oil every obstacle, over noun
lains and river, across broad oceans;
against adverse winds. Not the chilling
blast of Russian winter, nor the scorching
rays Of a tropical sun seem to check Tor
moment this ASiRtiC monster. II passes
an eaglein is flight, with death and des-
citation. dripping IRON its pinions. II
hurlb defRnce al al barriers 10 It's course.
We know that neither climate nor season
Influences this disease. II was as fatal In
Russia in midwintGr as at the tropics In
midsummer. II has prevailed here at all
seasons OF the year, spring, summer, fall
and Winlers In lS40 1t prevailed here in
January, when the ground was frozen
and covered with snow. This hct destroys
Vt once the theory Of malaria as an essen.
tial element In the production Of cholera
for under that temperature no malaria
could exist.
lit be true that tho remote cause oil
cholera Is GtmospheriCAl, then comes the
vital, all important question, what is the
most general exciting or proximate cause
oi cholera? We assert, and feel prepared
by facts TO sustain the position, that It Is
limestone and organic water used as a
beverage or drink This disease, that de.
ties climate and season, seems 10 shrink
from granite Countries, or from localities
where cistefn water Is exclusively drank.
Upon this proposition VIC invite the closest
scrutiny OF all, Tor II this proposition be
acknowledged, Bit must be eventually,
then thB terrible acouFge Is at once robbed
OF its terrors, and the lives Of millions will
be saved.
Tncetbe cholera nom tue banks Of
the GangeS tothe Equator, and you find
II has never prevailed as an epidemic in a
grSaite country, but 10 calcarCous or lime.
stone districts, or whore the water con-
laius organic matter. .SN
will mention few facts which show
clearly that ehOlerG Is developed BY The
character Of the water used as y drink
In 1888 the beautiful and clearly city oil
Lexington, situated in the Bluegrass re-
glon-lhe most fertile portion Of Ken
tuCky-wRs first visited by AsistiC chol-
ERA. 1t swept through that city as a
Thirlwind, The Angel Of Death seemed
10 hover over the doomed city for dAYf
and weeks, clalmiRg all as It's victims
But two families escaped the diseaSe-Dr
Benjamin Dudley's and DR.. James
bush's These were the only families in
lhe city who used cistGrn water as q
drink Cisterns were then almost mn
known. The quick perception Of DR.
Dudley had detected the fact that persons
using ireestone or cislern water were ex