National Republican., 1884-06-28
THE AsIATIC sCoURGEs.
Cholera In France, Egypt, India, and China
The Safeguards OF America.


DR.. John b. Hamilton surgeon general Of
the marine hospital service, was called upon
last evening at his handsome home fronting
out on the capitol park and asked his opinion as
to the possible danger of tho introduction Of
Asiatlc cholera into the United States, and of the
means taken to keep II away.
He said that the United States kept up three
quarantine stations. of these, one is at Ship
island, near the mouth of the Mississippi
which is for all points on the coast of the Gulf
of Mexico. The steamer Day Dream, which
formerly belonged to the national board of
removing sick to hospital.
Surgeon Robert d. Murray, who has become
noted in connection with tho yellow fever epi.
denies, is In charge. The second station Is at
Sapclo sound, on the coast Of Georgia, and Is
the quarantine for all ports between Key West
and North Carolina. Acting Assistant Surgeon
George II. Stone Is In charge having the sloop
GYPSY. as tender and boarding vessel, and has
an assistant at the hospital on the island.
The third station is the Cape Charles quaran-
tine grounds, situated on Fisherman's island,
tine for Norfolk, Newport News, Richmond,
| Fort Monroe, Fredericksburg, Alexandria, and
| Washington, and all other ports on the Chesa-
psbISss Or It's cbdpSe ds except Bam
the steamer John NJ Woodwork, and there
are two steam launches. The officer in charge
is Passed Assistant Surgeon Fairfax Irwin,
and DIR. Hubbard remains at the island where
| Il temporary hospital building seventy feet in
length has recently been completed.
The large seaports--Philedelp New York,
and, Boston-are attended to by. the local
health officers and 1t is believed the precau-
tions are sufficient and thorough.
Quarantine at Ship island, for the Gulf ports
Sapelo sound and Cape Charles itbegins May
each year, and continues until December.
Being asked If he had heard of the preva-
lence of cholera abroad before the publication
| of the press dispatches yesterday morning,
| DR.. Hamilton said he had not before heard
of Its reaching the continent of Europe, but he
| knew that precautions had been taken as long
| ago as last year on account of its prevalence In
Egypt, and had been advised that quarantine
against Egypt had been declared at Malta over
two months ago.
The continuance of the disease at Calcutta
| throughout the winter was known, and inter-
| esting reports had been made by Surgeon Major
| Mcleod, of the British army, on the subject,
1t Is still in doubt whether the cholera, which
| made such ravages at Damietta, Egypt, last
year, was brought there from Calcutta by
the Indian troops. The English officials al
| legged that the disease was caused by the large
number of dead and decaying animals In that
| neighborhoOd but recent researches prove
that while disease resulted from that cause II
| did not produce the cholera.
| Official reports received here through the
state department from Calcutta show that the
| the past four months and also that II Is preva.
| lent on the eastern coast of China. This latter
fact was known months before Its publication
in Yesterdays dispatches.
The commission sent out last year by France
under the leadership Of Pasteiir, and by Ger
many, under Dr., Koch, determined the active
principle of the germ, or bacillus" of cholera
but vitality disagreed as to its location. The
French commission reported the bacillus to bC
present In the blood, while the Germans dc
clared that 1t was located In the intestines.
Much controversy was excited by these con.
ficting theories for O. time, but Koch carried
:, his commission to India, where the same result
was found, and, further, he discovered the
presence of the same bacillus as those found
before in the stricken cities in Egypt, in thS
water tanks at Calcutta This solution Of thu
subject Is now generally accepted by the scien
tiiic, world and II has a distinct bearing
propagated as well as points directly to thC
means of stamping out and preventing IL
spread. Koch, however, was unable to obtair
any results from his experiments in inocu
lating the lower animals, but now Surgeon
Major Mcleod reports that another medica
officer In India (Dr.. Richards) had obtained
definite results by poisoning tho common hol
with the evacuadons from cholera patients.
The treatment of Cholera patients at quaran
tine, based on the discoveries of DR.. Koch, viii
be to isolate the case as soon as the disease ap
| pears, and have all bedding and the evacua
tions of the patient destroyed by fire. Thi
course Is necessary to prevent the spread of thu
| disease.
II the cholera spreads in France Inspector
will be stationed at each of the principal for
eign seaports to examine all steerage passen
gers and crews, and instructions will be giveI
collectors OF customs to prevent the landing
of any baggage belonging to passengers or mel
who have died during the passage at sea from
any disease, as, although the death may be re
ported from something else, there Is posi-
bility OF the death having been from cholera