The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-08-06
Filth and Cholera.
OxroRn Ms IuIv % 1884

J, OxFoRD, Miss, July %, 1884.
To the Editor OF the Times Democrat
1t may not be amiss for an outsider ant
( a layman in these matters fwho neYerthe
less, has had some experience and read
somewhat, to say 4 word or two concern
; ing the two incipienf Ascares" about vel
low lever and cholera, which have beer
lately attempted, the first in your own city
. and the second on the Mississippi River.
D have Just come out Of t'the Swamp. .
as We call il, the delta of ssthe crystal and
murmuring Yazoon %, and have heard
there a great deal about International
swamp fever" / suppose 'paludal fe-
yer" Amarsh fever" s'pernicious fever
salubrious. 1t Is a hemorrhagic or "bleed-
ing" fever and, occasionally people have it.
they say, 10 the delta l am told by the
most experienced physicians that it is
nearly impossible to distinguish it from
yellow fever, even by autopsieal examine
ton. But it is not infectious, and is caused
solely by local climatic and telluric con-
ditions
| / suspect you had bad case Of it in
New Orleans lateJy-about as infectious as
fever and sgue-stili you do well to be
careful, but not well to get up a scare.
But as to cholera, let me say it is ma |
lures benefeent provision for getting rid |
OF dirty people The arrangement of |
wise and divine order, that human beings /
shall not rot in their own filth
Cholera is the broom that sweeps out
dirty cities. 1t begins in dirt in the Dhurga /
festivals in India, is carried by filthy, de-
bauched, loud-smeiling pilgrims to Mecca,
and again from Mecca il goes on the hor-
ribly sinking rags and sheepskins of Hin
2 l.. \ 81 I
till it strikes Marseilles, the dirtiest town
in Europe. 1t always comes into Europe
via Marseilles. Marseilles smells to heav-
en-. 1t is smellable four miles from the
harbor. on calm day! Alexandria, in
Africa, sends it to MarseilIes, in Europe
There is not toss-up between the stinks
of the two cities-and Toulon is nearly as
bad
Without meaning to detract from the
we'll earned reputation of Dr. Koch, OF
Berlin, let me say that see no reason to
that he has discovered anything new or
wonderful. His special assumptions re-
main to be proved, and it is reasonable to .
give more weight to the opinions and views
Of the English physicians, who have known
India for hundred years and treated all
its diseases, cholera included, than to thosel
Of an experimenting Berliner who has !
taken look" at things. Germany has
no colonies in India, and no experienced
concerning it or It's diseases.
England has run" India for century,
and thousands of English physicians and
scientific men have seen and treated hun
1reds of thousands of cases of cholera
Before accepting DR.. Koch's theories, it
would be well to hear from the English
who drink with impunity water
charged with his "cholera baciUi" and
smile at his discoveries.
Only this much we do know, that If any
disease is "dirt disease" it is cholera.
The defense is hoes, broom, soap and wa
er. Cholera is imbecile before cleanli-
less. 1t cannot prevail in the presence OF
personal, household and communal sweet
less, neatness and good smells
Also it is not infectious from the person.
i is as safe to nurse case of cholera as
ase of cold. The infection comes from
he generation of germs in filth after leav-
ng the SICK. This also is as certain as
moral evidence makes anything.
There is no great and terrible scourge so
asy of resistance, so easily stamped
'ut" as cholera. We have abundant ex-
,erience of that in past invasions of the
Iisease in England and in this country.
A panic about it is utterly senseless any
where. We really know great deal about Y
t. We are not ignorant before dumb
Iorror as we were fifty years ago. n
Let city clean itself thoroughly. see L
hat it has a good water filter yours in
Jew Orleans or boil it,. Keep its cess
ools cleaned out and lined or copperased,
Is cutters washed freshly daily, its back r
ards swept and raked out, its fences y
and its conscience clear, and IL
may go about its business. Eat and Of
rink as usual, sleep and rise as usual 60 60
nd smile, as Christian city ought, at
lis ierce-looking heather horror, begotten
l the foul orgies of Khali-Durga.
HUGH MILLER THOMPSON.