The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-07-23
Precautions Against the pisease.


Interview with Surgeon general Hamilton
The precautions may be summed upas muni-
cipal cleanliness isolation, hospitals and nterna
tional quarantines The streets of cities should
be thoroughly swept and cleaned. sewers should
be flushed, and the inhabitants should either use
filters or boil their water in order to guard
against impurities. For the time being the
whole police force should become practical sani-
tary inspectors. The third important requisite
is the establishment of an isolated hospital
Such hospital, as doubtless people have for
gotten, was established at Boston during the
epidemic of 1849, and all cases discovered by the
police and sanitary inspectors were conveyed
there for treatment As result, the progress
OF the disease was materially checked, For
the purpose Of hospital, a temporary
wooden building, with a furnace for the
destruction of infected bedding, and the eyacua-
tons Of the patients would answer. The first
symptom is cramps followed by vomiting and
dlarrhoea-an aggravated cholera morbus, in
fact As the disease progresses, the watery por-
tion of the blood is carried off with the eyaeua-
tions, and thus the patient finally dies from
exhaustion and collapse. This is characteristic
of the third stage of the disease, in which will
be seen the shrunken, pinched face and the
i
great thirst, owing to the loss of water from the
system There is great variability in the dur
alton of the disease-some patients having been
known to die in couple of hours, while others
survive forty eight hours or more. The first
thing that a man should do if seized with
cramps, which is the first symptom of the dis
ease, is to call his physician. There
are but two methods of treatment, which
differ widely in their character The first,
on the theory that the disease is poison in
fr0dIIrn1 int0 fhQ and xubi CHI 1Na
Immediately got rid of, and the symptoms
observed are merely natures evidence of the
fact This method is the so-called Tyer treat
ment, which originated in Mauritius somewhere
about 1850 1t consists simply in the use of
powerful emetics and purgatives promptly ad-
ministered before collapse can take place. The
second method, and that commonly in use, con
sists in administering opiates and stimulants for
the purpose of arresting cramps and diminishing
the secretions, and stimulants in order to sup
port the system. The popular mixtures sold by
druggists as cholera remedies are compounded
on this basis. In addition to these remedies
under both methods, resort is generally had to
application of heat to the extremities of the
body. The most efficient means of fighting the
cholera should it become epidemic in this
country, is the destruction of the evacua-
tions from the patient, especially those which
would find their way into the common sewer and
thereby be discharged into some river, contamin
ating the water from which the citizens on the
stream further down derive their supply, and
thus communicate the disease
Suppose the cholera had already reached some
American port do you think it could be prevent
ed from spreading by the adoption Of land quar-
antines-the quarantining of one State against
another2n
That depends upon the character of commu-
nication The germs of cholera are rapidly car
ried by water from place to place, as well as by
clothing, cargoes, rags, etc In my opinion the
most important thing to do, should the disease
make its appearance in this country, is to insure
tions from cholera patients.
This interview with General Hamilton is of
great Importance, as the Marine Hospitals service,
of which he is chief, is intrusted with the duty
of enforcing the quarantine regulations.