The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-07-25
IN
KENOSHA.

The public mind is becoming con
siderably agitated on the probable COM
ing of the cholera to the United States.
A few facts in respect to the visitation
of that terrible scourge in Kenosha
thirty-four years ago may not be unin-
teresting at this time, when it's prev
alence in portions of Europe is attract
ing attention here. Some of the most
distinguished German physicians have
recently expressed opinions on the sub
ject of cholera in substance as follows:
Cholera is not absolutely comfortable
by any known laws; sanitary meas
ures should be strictly adopted, but
there are no positive representatives.
no certain cure for cholera has yet
been discovered. Cholera is therefore
unlike all other diseases to which
humanity is subject, because it cannot
be certainly controlled by medical
skill.
The first visitation of cholera in
KenOsha was in the summer of 1849
there were four deaths in one house.
The disease continued in the city only
three or four days, in which time there
were eleven deaths. Two of the
families out of which persons died
were clearly, and no visible cause for
cholera about their dwellings. One
city doctor of temperate habits died in
brief space after the attack.
In the following year, July $3.50, the
cholera made its appearance in public
house, near the lake, at the foot of
Market street; two men (strangers)
died that day. Market street was then
built up almost compactly from the
lake to Main street. Every house on
Market street, as far westward as Ex-
change street, lost from one to three
by cholera, with but one exception.
The cases in other portions of the
city were scattering. Probably five
sixths OF the deaths that summer were
of the poorer classes, many of them
new corners, deficient in the comforts
of life. There had then been no drain
age in that part of the town. The dis
ease prevailed that year with remark
able malignity; of the whole number
attacked only two, so far as reported,
recovered. One of these was supposed
to have been saved by administering
tincture of iron; on that recovery
hope at once sprung up that remedy
had been discovered, but all subsequent
persons to whom that supposed remedy
was applied it proved of no avail
The number of deaths from cholera
within the space of three weeks, as re-
ported to the city council, was thirty
two.
Again, in 1854, about the 1st of
August, the cholera made its appear
ance in the city. The first case was a
lady, a neat and tidy house-keeper and
respectable family. This time the
low and marshy grounds were exempt,
and the higher lands on the streets
back from the lake, where tidy and
genteel people resided, were visited.
Thot v,aar ol,n1oro ala ,,ot cool- ~ . =
where filth abounds. During that time
the stay of cholera was not long; nine
deaths occurred. Instances parallel to
these might be cited in other western
cities. 1t was about this time cholera
ragged with frightful havoc in st. Louis,
but confined almost to the levees and
lower parts of the city. The next year
cholera left the levees unmolested and
did its fearful work on the higher
grounds of the city. The same were
the experiences in the city of Peoria.
Facts of this kind are nothing new; it
may be easy to theorize on them, but
to demonstrate their cause is another
thing.
Notwithstanding the lawlessness of
cholera, going where it will, the best
medical advisers agree that proper
sanitary regulations are indispensable
to save human life.
EDITOR TELEGRAPH.