The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-09-19

issued pamphlet, with drawings, with the
above title, containing, the clinical history,
by DR.. Isaac N. Danforth, of that city, of two
cholera cases. with view to ascertain ing
the cause of and the reason for the spread
Of the disease. OF course our space will
not admit of the publication of the detailed
technical description Of the cases, but we
give DR.. Danforths closing remarks, as a
matter of public interest in regard to the
manner in which the disease spreads itself
over space, as follows;
Having now completed the examination
and description of the specimens furnished
me, propose in conclusion to offer few
suggestions on the subject of contagion,
since the resolution of this society," (the
Chicago Society of Physicians and Sur
geons, under which | am acting, called
for special reference" to this matter.
The patients from whom my specimens
were obtained both came from infected
districts lying south of US, just prior to be-
ing attacked themselves, In what form
did they obtain the poison and how did
they transport it hither? | think the mi
croscopic revelations of the last few years,
especially since the introduction of very
high powers by Beale and others, are suffi-
cient to warrant us in believing that all de-
velopmental or reproductive power resides
in that portion of the cell which, following
Brown, zee call the nucleus" but which
Beale has very aptly named the ''germinal
matter" because it is the qermixaI matter
that this germinal matter multiplies with
wonderful rapidly, and, in the majority of
instances, by the process Of budding"
or ''gemmatlon !" that in its living state,
germial matter is not enclosed in cell
wall or closed sac, but is merely little
mass of gelatinous matter, wholly uncon-
fined by any membraneous envelope, and
that it frequently exists in particles quite
too minute to be seen by the highest mag
nlfying powers at our command. But this
is not all. The lowest forms of living mat
ter are known to multiply with far greater
rapidity, and to retain life with far greater
tenacity than the higher forms; numerous
examples illustrating these statements
could be adduced did time permit. The
experiments of Prof Tyndall and others,
seem to indicate clearly enough that the
lowest and most minute germs may be
completely dessiccated and blown about by
currents of air, and yet retain their power
of growth and multiplication in other
words, retain the principle of life With
these facts before u.s. it is easy enough to
reason with some degree of intelligence and
probability, not upon the nature of the
cholera contagium, but as to the manner
of its preservation and transportation. In
all probability the blood is the seat of at
tack in every case of genuine cholera
at all events is very soon and very pro-
foundy affected Next in order, we have
the choleraic discharges, and whether these
discharges be ''eimlnative" or not, they
take place with frightful rapidity, and they
must be derived mainly from the blood by
violent exosmotic action. In the next
place, thoughtless and frightened attend
ants are almost certain to throw the de-
jections into defective drains, or into ex-
posed cess -pools, or upon the ground in
some secluded spot, where they are least
likely to attract the attention and most
likely to do subsequent harm. But with
the greatest and most intelligent care. it is
impossible to avoid soiling the floor or car
pet or bedclothes or all three, and with the
most assiduous use OF disinfectants, it is
equally impossible to secure absolute pro-
lection from the harmfulness Of the dis
charges, if they possess the power to harm.
AS plain matter of fact. we al! know from
practical experience, that generally, hands,
wearing apparel, bedclothes, carpets fur
nture, each and all are more or less stain
ed and soiled by the discharges, in the
hurry and fright and excitement Of admin
istering to the many and urgent wants of Il
cholera patient: and precisely the same in
sane fright causes attendants to be neg
lectful of the proper use of disinfectants
Referring once more to the microscopy of
the discharges, it will be remembered that
numerous exceeding granules were
found to be present. Now these same gran
ules, which our highest powers reveal, to-
gether with presumably larger number
| which our highest powers do not reveal, are
constantly escaping from the bowels; are
constantly being exposed to the sun s rays,
to the air of heated rooms, and to moving
currents of air, which dessiccate them, and
Their watt them in all directions are con-
stantly entering the mouths, noses and
| lungs of those who are compelled to
breathe the infected air, and also con
stantly falling upon our food, and
into our drinks, and being carried thence
to our stomachs. From a mucous surface,
the way is directed and easy, and, once in
the blood, these minute germs find an
abundance of their most appropriate pabu-
| lum, and are therefore under the best pos
! sible conditions for rapid multiplication
But it is not necessary that the contagium
particles themselves should enter the
blood; it is not even necessary that
they should all be living indeed, it seems
to me more than probable that the great
majority of those that enter the stomach
must undergo solution before entering the
blood. But, granting that they are lique-
fed and then absorbed, it does not follow
that the poisonous principle is annihiated
or rendered harmless. This view of the
mode of propagation and transpoi tation of
the cholera poison Is strengthened by anal
ogy. According to Beale, the cattle plague,
IT Rinderpest,' which ravaged the cat |
tie herds of England, few years ago, and |
which was investigated by Board of |
Commissioners, was propagated by exceed |
lngly minute living germs, which we're con-
veyed from herd to herd by some one of
the modes of transit above mentioned. |
Tho fluid of the vaccine vesicle is now
known to contain very minute gIanules,
upon which the specific properties depend
ana our own Bartlett has lately shown us
how paludal fevers may be propagated by
minute spores. Finally, professional opin-
ion everywhere is gravitating towards the
germ theory" because that theory, bet
ter than any other, explains the frequent
ly rapid spread OF the so-callei zymotic
diseases, as well as the peeuliarities which
We sometimes meet with in their manner of
from place to place.
The great length to which this paper
has already reached, is sufficient apology