The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1875-08-06
FACTS ABOUT CHOLERA.
The Results of the Government Inyesti-
CATION into the Last Epidemic.

FHCtS HSUui
The Results of the Government Inyesti-
CATION into the Last Epidemic.
WASHINGTON, July 26.-Bv a ioint reso-
luton, passed in March, 1871, the Secre-
tary of War was directed TO detail a medi-
cal officer to visit all places where cholera
had recently prevailed, collect statistics of
every kind relating thereto. and report the
same to the President. Surgeon Ely Nc
Clellan was detailed for this duty. His
report isjust passing through the Govern
ment press. 1t is an exhaustive review of
the whole subject, and covers about 700
pages, and is divided into two parasitic
first representing a complete history of
the epidemic of 1873, and the second con-
tanning a history of the travel of the
cholera, both here and in Europe, gather
ed from all sources. To this is added a
list, covering about 200 pages, of al books
and periodical articles treating Oh the dis
ease. This last was prepared by Surgeon
John ). Billings. The report, after dis.
cussin@ the clinical history of the disease,
takes up its causes and sums up all OBJ
served results under seven propositions,
devOting considerable space TO ~illustra-
ton and proof of each. These are as fol-
lows:
l.. That Asiatic cholera is an infectious
disease resulting from an organic poison;
which, gaining entrance into the alimer-
tary canal, acts primarily upon and de
strOyS the intestinal epithelium.
2. That the active agents in the distribu :
ton of the cholera poison are the deiec-
tons of persons suffering from the disease
in any of its stages. That in these deiec-
tons there exists an organic matter,
which, at a certain stage of decomposition.
is capable of reproducing the disease in
the human organization to which il has
gained access.
3. That cholera-dejecta coming in con-
tact with and drying upOn any objects,
such as clothing, bedding and furniture,
will retain indefinitely their power of in
lection; that in this manner a sure trans
instability of the cholera Infection is effect
ed, and that a distinct outbreak OF the dis
ease may occur by such means at great
distances from the seat of the original in
fiction.
4. That the specific poison which pro-
duceS the disease known as cholera oriri-
mates alone in India, and that by virtue of
its transmissibility through the persons of
infected individuals, or in the meshes of
infected fabrics, the disease is carried into
all quarters of the world. That cholera
has never yet appeared in the western
hemisphere until after its route of pesti-
lential march mas been commenced in the
eastern world, and that its epidemic ap-
pearance upon the North American CONT
nent has invariably been preceded by the
arrival of vessels infected with cholera, or
laden with ~emigrants and their property
from infected districts.
8. That the respiratory ana digestive or
gans are the avenues through which indi-
vidual infection is ACCOMPLISHED: that
through the atmosphere of infected local
tiles cholera is frequently communicated
to individuals that water may be co.'s
taminated with the specific poison of chol-
era from the atmosphere, from surface
"aoiihISo, mum hCSiCCIcu St"eIS. CcSS-
pools or privies; and that the use of wa
ter so infected will induce an outbreak of
the disease.
6. That the virulence of a cholera DEM
OnstratiOn, the c~OntagiOn having been in
trOduced into Il community, is influenced
by the hygienic condition of the popula-
ton, and not by any geological formation
upon which they may reside.
Z. That one attack of cholera imparts to
the individual no immunity to the disease
in the future, but that the contrary seems
to be established.
The precautions of a rigorous quaran-
tine are shown to be of paramount lmpor-
lance. 1t is maintained that New York
City was saved four times during the sea-
son under consideration from a visitation
of the disease by the measures adopted at
quarantine. There was little detention of
vessels. All suffering from the disease
were removed, the ship thoroughly disir.
fected and allowed to proceed, and in no
instance did new cases occur afterward.
The danger from infected clothing of en-
igrants from districts where the disease
prevails is found to be greater than from
cases of sickness, as clothes are not reach
ed, and often are not unpacked until the
owner reaches the interior. Several cases
of cholera having thus been transported to
interior towns are presented.