Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1884-08-07
THE ASIATIC CHOLERA.

STARTS ana HOW IraVelS ODSoFSd
lions of Koch and Other Pathologists In
Epidemics Occurring in the East.
There are comparatively few people
now living in this country who have
ever witnessed case of Asiatic CHOLERA,
and there is probobly no disease OF
which maEkind in general stands in
greater fear and which is the object OF
more superstition. The fact of the
dreaded malady spreading its contagion
by personal contact and following in its
march the main roads of commerce in
duced Eugene Sue to select Ahasuerus
as the personal propagation of cholera,
especially as it formerly advanced with
the slowness with which Eastern cara
vans carried the tea across the ASiatic
prairies.
In Asia, in the neighborhood of Cal
cutta, in Arabia, near Mecca, and in
Egypt, not far from Cairo. are the
breeding places of cholera. There fam
inc is a frequent occurrence. The PEG.
pie grow up surrounded by such filth as
an American citizen has not the faintest
idea of, and an infectious disease finds
the most favorable conditions for it's de-
velopment in those unhealthy districts.
The pilgrims who in thousands yearly
proceed from Egypt to Mecca, and who
live off the poorest food and amid the
greatest squalor, carry with them the
seed of cholera and thus form the con-
Meeting link in the transmission of the
disease from Asia to Africa. If we con-
slider the commercial Importance OF
Alexandria we can not wonder that the
cholera, once epidemic in Egypt, should
travel swiftly to Europe. Thus far
medical history has not recorded a
single instance of an original outbreak
of cholera anywhere but at the places
mentioned. Filth seems to be the sine
qua non of its development and clean
illness the most powerful barrier to its
march.
The fact has been established that the
human being alone acts as the carrier
of the cholera poison. There is no
well authenticated case on record where
rags or clothing, as has been proven of
yellow fever, had transmitted the infec-
tious material of the Asiatic disease. In
olden times when no railroads, no
steamships, fastened the travel, the
march of cholera kept pace with the
rapidity. respectively slowness, of hui
man intercourse The disease either
followed the road of tie great tea cara
vans, which brought the high priced
leaves from Asia to Russia, or il tray
eled the usual ways of commerce across
the Mediterranean sea. Wherever a
large belt of water separated two coun-
tries the epidemic disease marched from
one to the other ia the same length OF
time that 1t took ship to sail across
the water. Such instances we saw in
the spreading of the contagion from the
continent of Europe across the channel
to England, and from Great Britain to
America. In the latter case the infec-
tious material is not waited across the
Atlantic ocean and carried the long
distance by the air. From the moment
of the outbreak of cholera in England,
about seven days must at least elapse
ere the first case of the disease can
happen in our country, for the fastest
steamers need about that time to cross
the ocean.
We knew, therefore, long since that
neither in Europe nor in America could
Asiatic cholera develop itself without
its germ having first been introduced
into these countries. We also were
aware of the fact that human intercourse
alone propagates the contagion. and
experience had taught us that filth ia.
vored and cleanliness prevented the
spread of the disease. In modern
times, where public hygiene has be-
come such an important factor in the
governing of nations, where public
sanitary matters are generally under
stood and highly appreciated in civil.
lied countries, the facts just enumer.
ated have been made subscrvient to the
general welfare of the people. The
original breeding-places of the malady
were first determined; then the utmost
precautions were taken on the first
signs of the outbreak of the disease to
contine it to its limits--to isolate the
district attacked. Besides, every State,
every city. every county established its
own Board of Health. This board had
to see that the greatest cleanliness ex.
listed in its locality, and that traveller.
from the suspected regions were frs,
quarantined ere they were permitted to
enter the protected district.
That it is possible to limit the spread
of Asiatic cholera, to lessen the number
of its victims and to diminish its sever
ity by the measures just described, the
experience of the last ten years ha.
proven. The last epidemic just reached
our shore, but finding no suitable sol
for its development, it died out of it.
own account, after having attacked 6
few victims in the filthiest quarters O
the metropolis. The epidemics which
last year ragged in Egypt and Calcutt:
were totally confined to their origina
starting points. Perhaps the best proc
of the utility of strict sanitary measures
was given by the epidemic in Egypt
In the immediate neighborhood of tn,
infected place some thousands of En-
glish soldiers were camping; many for
eigners from all parts of the civilized
world were then living not fifty mile
from the dangerous district; great,
augmented intercourse took place be
tween Egypt and Europe, and still tn
disease never spread outside of the san
ttary Gordon or befell but few person
n the protected quarters.
We need, therefore, have in on
country but little fear of visit by tn
Asiatic cholera if we but use the com
mon precautions which modern sanitar-
science has taught us. All vessels ar
irving at our shores should be CAREFUL,
inspected, all ships coming from infect
ed ports should be forced TO undergo
strict quarantine, sill emigrants shoul'
be rigialy examined and the streets 40