The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-12-18
CHOLERA IN WHEELING IN 1873.

We have on our table II pamphlet by
DIR : l.. JEPSox, health officer Of the
city, giving full account Of the history
of cholera, IA it existed here in the sum-
mer Of 1873. We give condensed
summary of the contents, as II matter OF
interest 10 the citizens. The author COM
mences by giving brief outline OF the
Typographical situation Of the city, IN
which attention is directed to the fact
that il is located at an average elevation
orG1O feet above the sea level, and that the
site of two-thirds of the city Is 40 feet
above low water mark on the Ohio river;
that the whole city is surrounded by high
hills, which so closely overlook the river
that it is cramped for room, and SO ex-
tends. in width, Of only from one to eight
SQUARES, the average not exceeding four.
In abiding to its sanitary condition, he
states that rs a result of this cramped up
condition, many houses are built on the
hill sides, which causes the sinks nece''
sory to be used, to rapidly fill up
with water, which is not carried of
bva proper system of drainage. AS
consequence, the city contains an I'M
,suol number of offensive vaults, many
recurring thorough cleansing each year,
and then even in dry weather filling up
very RAPIDLY. Attention is also called to
the bad pavements and sewerage which
exists, which causes the waste water from
hyIrants, kitchens, and stables to lind Its
,yov into the alleys and street CUTTERS,
vbiro the more solid otlal is thrown out, in
expectation that it will b" speedily
removed by the innumcrahlc hogs which
r,om ut large through the Streets
These are all, ever fruitful source. OF dis
eosc and should be carefully looked into,
We propose again to call attention t" this
part of the report, in another article.
The Doctor then goes on to give in
detail, history of each separate case OF
cholera: how, where and the prshahl"
causes why, it appeared generally
throughout the city. He states that IN
the First ward, there were three cases
Second, four; Third, one; Fourth, one;
Fifth, nine; Sixth, eight; Eighth, none
II will be noticed that the Seventh
ward entirely escaped, This can be a'-
counted for from the fact that, being on
the Island. it is the most isolated, the
cIeanlcst, and most sparscly inhabited
Of all.
There is no doubt, of course, that I'M
cleanliness always has much I" do with
fostering the disease, yet according t"
DIR JEPsoN'S observations, the altitude ot
location cycr,s considerable influence in
copntcracting the effects of uncleanllncss.
Hence We NAV conclude that wherever
there is lack Of proper drainage
and other precautions for carrying away
offal added to low elevation of situa
ton, there will always be found the most
favorable conditions for its spread.
OF course intemperance, and other
carelessness regarding health and habits,
in all cases, more or less affect the con-
d;t;on of the system toward successful
resistance when attacked.
The author thinks that it would be
we,l 70 note the fact that in vast ma
majority of cases, there are Away
premonitory symptoms, and If these are
attended to in time, they will readily
Weld totreatment, and lessen, materially,
the percentage of mortality, which, at
the time of which We write, reached near
" seventy per cent.
The author then treats OF the tavofaoie
re.u,. If free use Of disinfectants, and
concludes by discussing the mode OF In-
PRODUCTION of the disease into the city
On this last subject he says
that he is satisfied that, 'aiter
diligent investigation Of the subject, the
disease was brought to this city by steam