The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-07-31
Cholera and Limestone Water.
A correspondent of the louisville Courier
Journal SAYS:

a correspondent Ol tue LOUISVILLE COuIteT'
Journal says:
If it be true that the remote cause of cholera
is atmospherical, then comes the vital, all-im-
portant question, what is the most general ex-
citing or proximate cause of the cholera? We
assert, and feel prepared by facts to sustain the
position, that it is limestone and organic water
used as beverage or drink. This disease that
de6es climate and season, seems to shrink from
granite countries, or from localities where cis-
tern water is exclusively drank. Upon this
proposition we invite the closest scrutiny, OF
all for if this proposition be acknowledged, as
it must be eventually, then this terrible scourge
is at once robbed of its terrors, and the lives of
millions will be saved.
Trace the cholera from the banks of the
Ganges to the Equator, and you find it has
never prevailed as an epidemic in a granite
country, but in calcareous or limestone districts,
or where the water contains organic matter.
will mention a few facts which show clear
ly that cholera is developed by the character of
the water used as a drink, In 1888 the beauti-
full city of Lexington, situated in the Blue
grass regon-the most fertile portion of Ken
tucky-was first visited by Asiatic cholera. 1t
swept through that city as q whirlwind. Tie
Angel of Death seemed to hover over the
doomed city for days and weeks, claiming all
as its victims. But two families escaped the
disease-Dr. Benjamin Dudley and DR.. James
Bush's These were the only families in the
city who used cistern water as a drink. Cis-
terms were then almost unknown. The quick
perception of DR.. Dudley had detected the fact
that persons using freestone or cistern water
were exempted from calcareous affections, viz {:
stone and cacult. 1t was to protect themselves
and families from these terrible sequels of lime
stone water that their cisterns were constructed
not against cholera, for none knew of its
coming.
Now, if this be merely a coincidence, that
but two families of a population of some twelve
thousand should escape, and those two only
using cistern water, then it is coincidence
strongly resembling fact on fixed principles.
Again, there has never been epidemic chole.
ra on single plantation upon the Mississippi
river from Cairo to its mouth, where cistern
water was not used, that the disease has not ex-
listed as an epidemic.
Again, every case of cholera which has oc-
Cured in Natchez, prior to and since 1855,
could be traced directly to the use of water OBJ
tanned from springs gushing out through cor
neian pebbles as clear as chrystal and cold as
ice, at The base of the bluff or river bank. In
1856 the cisterns became exhausted by the
drought, the citizens were forced to use river
or spring water and the cholera broke out in
most malignant form again. The town OF Ihl-
bouxville, situated on the Bayou Plaquemine,
in Louisiana, is divided nearly equally by a
small bayou. One portion of the town is occu-
pied by Americans, who use exclusively cistern
water, the other portion by French popula-
ton who have no csterns, but rely on wells for
water to drink. In 1S49 the French portion of
the town was nearly destroyed by cholera, and
not dozen cases occurred on the American
side of the bayou.
We now quote from DR.. Watson, Of London,
perhaps the most able and reliable physician
living. He says: "Some striking facts have
been collected by DR.. Snow, which warrant the
presumption that most fearful outbreak of
cholera in Joho was attributed to the water of
a certain pump contaminated from neighbor-
ing sewer. A remarkable converse fact has
been reported by Mr.. Lawrence, Bethlehem
Hospital and an asylum for children called the
House Of Occupation stand near each other on
an open space of ground containing fourteen
acres; lying in the parish of ST. George, South
wark. The Governors of these institutions be-
ing dissatisfied with the water then supplied,
sank, thirty years ago, artesian wells on the
premises. Water from these wells is exclusive
fy used in these institutions, which number be-
tween them about seven hundred inmates.
There has not been single case of cholera in
the hospital or house of occupation in any of
the three epidemics, although the disease has
prevailed extensively in the parish and in the
Streets in their immediate vicinity" l might
continue to multiply facts without number but
we think it unnecessary.