Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-08-22
OR. KOCH on CHOLERA.
The Eminent German Authority
Makes Some Suggestions.
Results of His Post-Mortcm Exami.
nations-Strict Rules Concern-
ing FOOD and Drink-Dan-
ger In Dampness.


lChicago tribune cable DlSpatch.i
The Gaulois publishes an exact report of an
interview had with DR.. Koch and his assist
ant, DIR. Libertz, of Frankfort
"Are you Off to Marseles, doctor:
"Yes no moro for me to do here have
quite made up my mind All the post
mortems have made confirm the results Of
my first investigation, which put the Asiatio
character of the scourge beyond question. |
have found some phenomena, as in the cases
which investigated in India
"Were the microbes identicali'
"Preciscly | found numbers in the body
Of that soldier, Bernard, whose post-mortem
made Sunday evening. Indeed, | found
more than | saw in Egypt. Messls. Strauss
and Roux, who were standing by also recog-
nized the pre- ence of Indian microbes i'll
Egypt, but had always seen it mixed with
Others whereas in post-mOrtems that l have
made here the Indian microbes outnumbered
the Others immensely"
"Where do you find the microbes in time u
epidemics y
"The microbe is rarely met with i'll the
stomach The disorders of the digestive or
gans and the gastric disorders are not favor
able to it, so it takes refuge in the small in
testncs, where it can easily multiply
"What mischief does the microbc do i'll the
intestines" the doctor was asked.
First, its presence causes darrhpa and
vomiting, leading to thickening and chilling
of the blood; then it secretes an Intoxicating
poison, which causes the dry, instantaneous
cholera in the original cholera-foudroyan
sec-that is cholera without diarrhpa"
with such precise information as this, doc
tor, surely one should soon be able to destroy
the miCrobe!'
"No doubt; but | have nothing to do with
cures am a mere observer: let others profit
by my observations and suggestions. | have
already told you contamination is not caused
by air, but by absorption of microbes, infect
ing food especially water and solid food in
PRODUCED into the digestive tubes
IL presume that explains why you
advised the members Of the SAM.
tary committee to shut up the wells and coun-
sci the people to drink boiled water, or water
from non-infected places, or light mineral
waters"
ayes 1t also explains the necessity of TAX
ing only wel-cooked food, peeled fruits, vege-
tables, and preserves. Remember, microbes
die II exposed to high and especially to a dry
temperature"
Twill you kindly explain your theory tc
enable me to repeat itF
"With pleasure | hold that microbes arc
transmssble only by excrements or objects
soiled by excrements Consequently the first
procaution to take is to subject the linen of
cholera patients to heat, hot air, and picnic
acid more or less concentrated. Microbes
can not live in concentrated solutions Of
picnic acid or in dry atmosphere. Re-
n,e,nber, they develop and multiply in the
damp They have been found in ponds in
cholera countries
Would a great storm of wind, the mistral,
for instance, destroy microbes in apartments,
linen, etc. ~
ayes, certainly; no soiled object is the least
dangerous once it is dry, for the microbe has
become powerless to reproduce itself; indeed,
II Is dead"
"One more question, said the correspond
rat 1T is this: Did the theory of the de-
struction of the microbe by dryness lead to
sdvise the closing up and drying ct contami-
hated apartments"
IYes, and to pronounce the dsinfecting Of
luggage, letters and travellers Intellectual. !
cannot understand how any faith was ever
pat In it,"
"How about watering the streets and the
bsulevards"
"The practice is dangerous. 1t favors the
esnditions for the reproduction and propaga-
tim of microbes.
"Ihen IL would Oe prelerabie 70 IeaVe tne
streets dry and dustyf
"Certainly."
"What is your opinion regarding the origin
u the present epidemic'"
n think l may say that, considering the
procautions taken by the naval authorities,
cholera was imported on some merchant ship,
probably English. They do not scruple on
English vessels to hide deaths which occur Oh
voyages, or to falsify logs"
"Of course" said ], you disapprovc OF
crowds altogether"
~All public fetes and fairs, and consequent
~ the fete of July IA should have been for
hidden"
The Gaulols correspondent says:
"Several French doctors to whom talked
Of the above conversation made the follow
ing remarks The incubation of varioui
animals with Asiatc microbes did not give
them cholera; hence, some doctors doubt
whether DR.. koch's microbes are the rea
sause Of cholera If inoculated animals fel
i'll it would be easy to discover the means o.
killing cholera and the microbe, like other I'D
sects; tapewUrns, for instance"