Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-09-20
TEaE CHOaEssA IN CALCUTTA.
Hts Causes and its Relations to the
sanitary Condition OF the City-A
Germ that Crews in the Soil.

Surgeon General Hamilton has recently re-
cefved copy of the report of Dr. ]. O'Brien. the
health officer of Calcutta. upon the health of
that city for April, May and June of this year
He devotes attention particularly to the subject
OF Cholera, and treats the subject, Dr. HamIto on
thinks, in "a very mastery manner The deaths
from cholera during the three months were
l,259, higher number than in any correspond
ING quarter for the preceding ten years The
town was III a better sanitary condition than in
any previous year, still cholera invaded it and
swept through If with severity unparalleled
since 1867. The peculiarities of climate which
preceded and We're cOincident with the endemic
were an abnormal drought and excessive heat
Inc consequence OF this state of things was in
creased impurity of the water tanks and wells
owing TO subsistence and evaporation and gem
eral drying mp OF filthy cesspools and dams. the
contents OF which getting dessicated and mil
verized and borne from the surface by every
breeze
POLLUTED THE LOWER STRATA OF THE ATMOs-
PHERE.
There was also an unwonted subsistence of
the level of the subsoil water and exposure Of
fresh strata of the subsoil to atmospheric in
fuences through the medium of the ground air.
The great heat of the atmosphere and of the
surface OF the earth created in this air ascend
ing currents OF unusual degree. The state of
impurlty of ground air is estimated by the
amount OF CarbOnc acid which it contains and
1t has been ascertained by experiment that the
quantity of this gas increases with the depth
from which it comes. 1t has also been found to
vary with the season. its maximum being at
tanned in the hottest and its minimum in the
coolest periods OF the year. With the extra
ordinary heat and drought IN April and the con-
sequent sinking OF the subsoil water lower than
usual there was a combination of conditions
faroring the ascent and diffusion through the
tile air of morbiiic elements from the earth
THE GERM THEORY.
Recent Investigations, the report saws. tend
to prove that cholera is due to an organism of
some kind-the germ that grows in the soil
and by preference in damp alluvial soils that
are largely impregnated with decaying animal
and vegetable matter, and though the state
ment cannot be accepted that this organism has
yet been discovered, or that it Is Identical with
the comma-like bacillus, found by Dr. Koch in
the intestines of people who died of cholera
and in some of the tank water of Gale utta, adj
herence may be given to the general proposition
OF the germ origin of the disease. The history
OF cholera in Calcutta for a long series of wears
would seem to show that this organism has two
periods of activty-bears, SO to say two crops
annually. and the period OF maturation Of these
crops corresponds exactly with changes by SUBJ
sldence OF the level OF the sub-soil water
one in hot weather. when it is descending to
Its lowest, and fresh deep strata are exposed
tn e other in the beginning of the cold weather
when the water begins to sink from the high
level that it has attained during the rains. But
tho ugh an extraordinary fall in the level of the
sub-soil water may have been the main factor
in causing the epidemic, which ravaged CAL
cutta, DR.. O'Brien says 1t is plain that
LOCAL CONDITIONS OF FILTH. OvERCR0wDING AND
DEFECTIVE SANITATION
determines the severity Of its incidence In par
tcular localities The statistics In the different
wards prove this in the clearest way In those
which were in good sanitary state in which
the soil was free from pollution, the surface well
drained, the supply Of pure drinking water
suihcient, the population sparse, and the people
attentive to hygienic observances the mortality
from cholera was extremely moderate. In the
crowded and flther portions OF the town the
epidemic was very severe The reporr then
gives many suggestions for improving the sani-
tary condition OF the city.