Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-07-16
Some Sanitary suggestion &.


EDITORS Chronicle; The pre- yalencc
Of sporadic cholera through Middle and
East Tennessee has induced me &c point
out some prominent features connected
with its premonitory symptoms and pre-
vcntion as il may be Of some bencGt to
he general public. The questions natur-
lily asked are these Is the disease con-
agious?o Can we exclude it by quar-
ntine or sanitary measures? ." " Can it be
lreyentod or ayerted?'
AT this day tho medical profession do not
eqard cholera as personally contagious, by
,hich they mean that the disease is not
Isually cotracted by personal exposure 30
L. provided the party so exposed be in
.ood health. so far we have not been
IDLE to exclude the disease by quarantine
though we can mitigate its violence and
rapidly eradicate it from our midst. MI
merous examples might be adduced to il
ustrate this point. One, however, will be
sutficient In July of 1866, cholera broke
out at the worlIhousc on Blacxwell's Is
land New York, and out of 500 inmates,
d died. Dr. +. il. Hamilton subdued
and entired removed the epidemic in five
laws, simply by the enforcement of rigor
rus sanitary measures, viz: The inmates
we're sent out in the open air when able,
lac building thoroughly ventilated at
hight. Disinfectants were very literally
Used throughout the entire building and
T.. all vessels, as soon as used by patients.
The clothing of patients was either burned
~ al once placed in boiling water. A lib
raj diet was given inmates, aud wards
Fere established for diarrheal cases. Chol-
va is rapidly generated by filth, and the
Utmost care should be taken to remove, or
iestroy by disinfectants, all noXious and
impure matter.
Statistics in abundance demonstrate the
i,ct, that the disease may be prevented, if
ttention be paid to the premonitory symp-
.onls, which are diarrhoa and morbid appe-
ties.
or. Mclaughlin, of London, says "tbat
{ 9 0O2 cases OF cholera, premOnitory diar-
thea eHistcd in all.n Reports from French
.Cspitals show lis existence in 40 patients
yIt of 0TL cases. in cholera, before the
laractaristjc rice discharges have occur
red patients habitually prudent are tempt
d TO errors Of Diet which in health would
have been avoided. Morbid or unnatural
appetiJes take possession of them, so that
'ur habitually temperate man will indulge
.lTself in Getting and drinking to excess
81 Will in some way, deviate from hi;
-sual mode Of living The consequence is
lie is taken in The night with vomiting ant
1Irgng a few hours find him in II col
apsed state, followed by death. All thi!
Is attributed to his imprudence, when il
reality he was laDOIlng under tne early
.ymptOms Of cholera, during the previous
day, which rest and a mild estringent o
0piate would have checked.
l.eta rigorous sanitary system be enforced
let these premonitions, morbid appetite
and dianhea be attended to, and choler
viii become comparatively harmless
During the prevalence of cholera all diar
rhea, however slight, should be prompt.
arrested. Rest and pure air, with som
simple astringed and opate will proven
nany deaths from this much dreaded pest
4 very useful combination is
r. ~ulphate Of quinine, 10 grain
Calomel s grain
Powdered opium, 8 grain
Let six pills be made, and one take
very two hours till symptoms abate.
-l- disease be not arrested ut once il
services Of physician should be immed
-toly engaged, lest valuable time be lost
Respectfully yours, &c,
c. e. BERAN, VI, D.,
alident Physician Montvalc Springs.
NTonfNale, July z, 1878.