Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1873-06-26
a FALSE PROPHET.
MEMPHIS, Tenn, June IS, 1873.


cheering news comes to US here to-day
from reliable sources that the cholera
is abating, and is without exception
confined to the imprudent in diet. AT
first the attack of cholera seemed mere
ly question OF use or abstinence from
"boiled cabbage" then afterward, at
the time Judge Hudson, U. S. District
Attorney and other prominent citizens
were taken OF, it seemed almostimpos-
sible to avoid attack by prudence in
diet and proper use of hygienic agen-
cies generally, SO virulent and fatal was
the disease. But now we seem to have
reached the first stage and only those
die who ignore healthful articles OF
food. On Sunday morning last while
priest was performing funeral cere-
monies over three persons in one house
who had died in less than twelve
hours, of cholera, the father of one OF
the deceased was in his death agonies
in an adjoining room from same cause.
But to-day | am assured by physicians
that the disease is undoubtedly on the
decline and must soon disappear. You
can well imagine our thankfulneSS and
our earnest wish that our city may be
spared in future such affiiction,- alarm
and death rs have characterized the
workings of this terrible visitor. You
will have among you, doubtless, men
who will insist that Asiatic cholera
cannot be in this country; but do not
as far as precautionary measures are
concerned, abate your efforts to remove
all causes Of disease from your town,
Just because sure, rapid and terrible
death does not come into your midst
by slow approaches from some foreign
country as in former years of epidemic
cholera. Where personal friends, with
whom one day am in pleasant associ-
alton, are dead the next, after but few
hours sickness, the exhibitions OF
which are identical, SO long as life
lasts, with cholera, in terrible vomit-
ings, cramps and collapse; cannot
question the judgment of experienced
medical men, and therefore accept
their decision and say we have had
cholera in its worst fornl here. Let
me say on the score of precautionary
measures that there is no preventive
so great as a quiet mind in connection
with pure ciStern Water, and properly
cooked food, eaten in moderation, par
ticuIarIy at night; raw food OF that OF
greasy nature seems inilnical to health,
and / have noticed that those who ale
plain food, in moderate qualities, drank
only good cistern water, and ignored
all medical preSentiyes in the shape OF
cholera c0rdials, etc. have Jared best.
Ilather than restrict the appetite many
Fave kept themselves constantly in d
state of fear under the effects of medi-
cine, and produced thereby just what
they wanted toayoi1. The ground oc-
upied by DR.. Carpenter Is the true
one of relying as preventive solely
upon pure air, water and diet with
proper exercise and use of hygienic
agencies. Under such circumstances
he holds it impossible to contract
cholera and the experience Of all mere
certainly warrants implicit reliance
upon his suggestions. 1t is an interest
ing question for scientific men to de-
eide upon whether the reliance placed
here by our physicians upon pure els
tern water is sustained by fact or not;
that is to say, will cistern water be pre-
erable to water of percolation in such
soil as yours? Here there is no doubt
OF the danger Incurred by drinking
from wells. Bat am not sure it will
hold good farther north. Large els
terms are built here and tiiled during
the winter; then no more is added. a
species of fermentation cnSqeS by
which all impurities are separated
from the rain water leaving it as clear
and pure as possible, and what is
strange, to me at least, dse does not
effect it unless 10 brig ehten it, conse=
.quently the PEOPLE speak of water two
or three years old rs preferable to that
of lesser age. In the past | have read
many articles upon the merits of good
cistern or rain water, out not until
this Memphis cholera experience
where ipdisputabIe eyidepees of its su-
periority have siienced all soepticism,
could / realize that other towns ana
localities may have necessity for
other than 50 called pure we'll water.
That such necessity exists eau only be
demonstrated by experiment and COM
parison. We hear of cholera in many
localities in cur State, and that it is as
yirulent and deadly AS ever here. /
trust if may expehJ its energies before
it extends beyond our bordersi thai
Eastern Ohio may escape altogether is
the earnest wish of BUCKEYE.
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