The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1884-07-10
THE AWFUL sCouRGE.
Franeo-Asiatic Cholera Growing More
Alarmipg-Use of Preventives

Alarming Use of Preventives.
Paris Gable: Dispatches from Toulon and
Marseilles tell a deplorable story of panic and
distress about cholera, which is far from be-
ing on the decline in either city. The mortali-
ty in both is increasing. In consequence of
the panic and the exodus, business is at a
stand-still, and the usually busy water front
seems deserted, and vessels arriving are warned
off, and where cargoes are to be unloaded
hands are secured with difficulty. At the office
of project of police it was learned that sixty
five new cases had been taken to the hospital
and that nine deaths had occurred At Mar
settles fifteen deaths from cholera took
place recently, and CONSERVATION is on every
face Business is confined to the most neces-
sary purchases. The prices of the necessaries
of life are rising, while the money supply
among the the poor is almost cut off. The
authorities have reported these facts to the
government here, and state that unless there
is some mitigation of the panic they will be
face to face with the necessity of feeding at
least -, 600 persons The cabinet have the
matter under advisement and it is believ ed
here that system of governm mt relief will be
promptly begun. So far the reports of the
cholera having reached Paris, prove sensational
and unfounded.
have been brought to Tonlon directly in a gov
eminent ship from Tonquin. 1t is bad enough
for merchant vessel to bring this disease, but
it should be regarded as almost inexcusable for
a government vessel, provided with capable
ships surgeons and every appliance for disn-
lection, to be carrier of it. There was an I'M
founded rlmor that the captain of this ship
had committed suicide from remorse 1t would
have been more appropriate If the ships sur
geons had done this The existence of the dis
case in Toulon was concealed for nearly two
weeks. This is customary, and most unjusti-
liable, as 1t allows the pestilence 10 gain head
way in various places before proper and
efficient measures can be taken to stamp it
out
They are burning great fires in the streets
in order to purify the air and amtlse the pub
lie The disease does not float about in the air
but comes from microscopic germs which
breed immensely in the bowels of those who
swollow them with their food and drinking wa
ter. They are cast out in great mum bers with
the discharges from the bowels and kidneys
and the soiled bed and body clothes of cholera
patients abound with very live and active ones.
These germs always thrive best in alkaline
fluids, where putrefaction and decomposition
are going on and where there is warmth. The
rce-water discharges of cholera are always
alkaline and more usually prone to decomposi-
ton All the acids good disinfectants, es-
pecially the sulphuric, and aromatic sulphurc
acid, Or elixir vitrioi, is one of the best cura-
tive remedies.
Unfortunately, it was supposed that the sui
phuric acid in suiphate of iron. or copperas
would prove sufficient to Kill these germs
but it has signally and repeatedly failed The
acid il nentralized by the iron. 1t was select
ed because it was safe to handle by ignorant
people, rar moro so than sulpheric acid or oil
of vitrioL Carbolic acid, SO called was SUM-
posed to be an acid but it is not, and is also
unreliable. Turpentine s splendid disinfec-
tant, but the danger of fire in its use by care
less peoples too great for its general recon-
mendation. Corrosive sublimate, or bedbug
poison, is thoroughly reliable as q germ killer,
and will probably be used largely by physi-
clans.
1t has not generally been realized that
cholera germs are present in the urine as
well as in the discharges from the bowels,
and that has usually not been disinfected
Cholera patients commonly have more or less
diawh9a for several days before they break
down and show unmistakable signs of the
disease. In the meantime they are going to
and fro in various places, injecting every
water closet and urinal they make q con-
venience Of and every wayside fence or lot
they may be compelled to soil The first
question which should be put to cholera pa
TENTS, soon as they have been prescribed for
and made comfortable, Is to find out every
place they have visited and used
from the first moment they be-
came sick Every one of these places
should be promptly. disinfected by
en- cholera will crop up in the most varied
md unexpected places. i will seem to have |