The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1884-08-16
$500 A YEAR.
THE CHOLERA.


| DIR. Hamlin, for many years a mission
airy at Constantinonle. whose expe1ienc,
IN treating cholera extended through
three visitations of that disease in Tur
key:
DEAR SIR: The cholera, which has Just lef;
| us, after committing fearful raysges. Is max
| ing its way into Europe, aud will probably eros.
! the Atlantic before another steamer has passed
having been proyidentislly compelled TO have
| good degree Of practical experience with il and
| 70 see 1t IN al its forms and stages during eacI
/ Gf its invaslOns OF COnztautiDople, / wish C
make to MY friends III Name some suggestions
which may relieve anxiety or be Of practical
| uee.
On the approach of cholera every family
should be prepared to treat It, without waiting
/ for a physician. 1t does It's work so expe-
dltlously that while you are waiting for the
/ doctor 1t Is done.
If you prepare for 1t it will not come.
| think there Is no direase which msy be avoided
with 30 much certainty as the cholera. But
| providential circumstances, as the thoughtless
| lpdlsctetIOn Of some member OF a household.
| may invite the attack, and the challenge VIII
| never be refused; ii will probably be made in
| the night, your physician has been called in
another direction, and you must treat the case
| yourself or it Will be fatal.
l have personally investigated at least 100
cases, and not less than three quarters could
| be traced to improper diet, or to in ioxicatiug
! drinks, or to both united OF the remainder
| suppressed persplratIon would compass a large
| number. strong, healthy, temperate Ia Dor
| lng-nian had severe attack Of cholera. and af-
| ter the danger had passed was curious to as
| certain the cause He had been cautious and
| prudent in his diet. He used nothing intoIl-
! eating. His residence was in a good lOcaIty
| but after some hours Of hard labor and verv
| profuse perspiration he had lain down to take
| his customary nap right against an open vIn-
| dow, through which very refreshing breeze
| was blowing. Another cauSe l. drinking large
| ly Of cold water when hot and thirsty. Great
| fatigue, great anxiety, fright, fear, all figure
| among exciting causes. If one can avoid all
these he is as safe from the cholera as from be-
| ing swept away by a comet.
! symptoms of an attack. While cholera Il
| prevalent IN place almost everyone experiences
| more or less disturbance Of digestion 1t is
| doubtless IN part lima ginary. Every yOne notices
the slightest variation of feeling, and this gives
| an Importance to mere trifes. There are often
| slight nausea, or transient pains, or rumb bling
| sounds when no attack eDsues. No one is en-
| trely free from these. But when diarrhea COM
| mences, though painless and slight, it Is in
| reality the skirmishing party of the advancing
column. 1t will have at first no single char
acteristic of Aslatlc cholera, but do not be de
ceived. 1t is the cholera nevertheless. Wait a
little, give II a little time to get hold. say to
NOuISS L lbtl Perfectly WELL II VIII soon
| pass off" and in a short time you will repent of
your folly III vain. | have seen many one
commit suicide in this wav.
Sometimes, though rarely. the attack COM
| mences with vomiting; but whatever way it
commences 1t is sure to hold on. In very few
hours the patient may sink into the collapse.
The hands and feet become colo and purplish
the countenance, at first nervous and anxious,
becomes gloomy and apathetic although a
mental restIessness and raging thirst torment
the sufferer while the powers of life are ebb-
ing. The intellect remains clear. but all the
so-lal and moral feelings seem wonderfully to
collapse with the physical powers The patient
| knows he is to die, but cares not a snap about
| It. In some cases, though rarely. the dIarrhea
| continues for day or two, and the foolish per-
| SOL keeps about then suddenly sinks, sends FOR
physician, and, before he arrives, ''dies as the
| fool dieth-"
The mixture CNo. i which 1 used in 1s4s
| with great success, and again in 1865, has dur
| ing the epidemic been used by thousands, and
| although the attacks have been more sudden
and violent, ii has fully established its reputa-
| ton for efficiency and perfect safety. 1t con-
| slsts of equal parts, by measure, of laudanum
and spirits of camphor, two tincture of lheu-
| barb. Thirty drops for an adult on a lump Of
sugar will often check the diarrhea, but TO pre-
vent its return care should always be taken to
| continue the medicine every four hours in dl-
| minlshing doses. twenty-five. fifteen. ten and
needed.
In case the first dose does not stay the diar-
| rhea continue to give increasing doses, 80. 40,
| 45. so. at every movement of the bowels.
| Large doses will produce no injury while the
darrhes lasts. When that Is checked then is
| the time for caution. have never seen a case
| OF dIarrhes taken III season which was not thus
controlled. but some cases of advapced diar
rhea. and especially relapse, paid no heed to
| it whatever. As soon a. this becomes appar-
ent. | have always resorted to this course:
Prepare a teacup of starch, boiled as for use in
starchpg linen, and stir into it a fun teaspoon
of laudanum for an injection Give one third
at each movement of the bowels. In one des-
ptrate case, abandoned as hopeless by physl-
clan, / could not stop the diarrhea until the
seventh injection which contained nearly a
teaspOonful of landanum. The patient recov-
cred. and is in perfect health. At the same
time | used prepared chalk IN ten grain doses
with a few drops of laudanum and camphor to
each; but whatever course Is pursued, it must
be followed up or the patient Is lost.
Mustard pasteIs should be applied to the
pit of the stomach and Kept on until the surface
is well Redeemed.
The patient, however well he mayf feel, should
rigidlv observe perfect rest. To quietly lie on
his back is one-half the battle. In that position
the enemy fires over you, but the moment you
rise you are hit.
When the attack comes in the form of a dIar-
rhea the above directions will enable every one
to meet IT successfully. But when the attack
is more violent and there is vomiting. or vOm-
itIng and purging. perhaps also cramps and
collie pans. the following mixture (N0. p Is far
more effective. and should always be resOrted
to. The missionaries MeSsTs. Long. Trow-
bridge and Washington have used 1t in very
many cases with wonderful success. 1t consists
of equal parts lsudanum. tincture of capscum,
tIncture of ginger, and tlncture of caTdsmUn
seeds; dose, thirty to forty drops, or half of
a teaspConful III a little water, and to be in
creased according to the urgency of The case.
In case the first dose should be rejected the
second, which should stand ready, should be
given immediately after the spasm of vomiting
has ceased. During the late cholera siege no
one Of us failed of controlling the vomiting and
also the purglng by at most the third dose.
We have, however. invariably made Use of large
mustard -poultices of strong, pure mustard, APP
Piled to the stomach, bowels. calves of the legs,
feet. etc. as the case seemed to require.
Collapse Is simply more advanced stage of
the disease 1t indicates a falling Of all the
powers of life. 1t is difficult to say when case
has become hopeless. At a certain point the
body Of the patient begins to emit peculiar
odor, which | call the death odOr, for when
that has become decided and unmistakable /
have never known the patient to recover. /
have repeatedly worked upon such cases for
hours with no apparent result. But the blue
COLOR the cold extremetes, the deeply sunken
eve, the vanishing pulse, are no signs that the
case is hopeless. Scores of sUch cases IN the
recent epidemic have recovered. In addition TO
the second mixture, brandy Ga tablespoonful
every half hour, bottles Of the hot water sur
rounding the patient. especially the extremi-
ties, siuapisms and friction Will often III an hour
or two work wonders.
In these and all advanced cases thirst Gre
ates intense suffering. The sufferer Graves
water and as soon as he gratites the craving
the worst symptoms return. and he falls VIC
tim to the traneient qualification. The only
safe way is to have a faithful friend or attend
ant who will not heed his entreaties. The suf-
fering may be. however, safely allevlated and
rendered ndulabe. Frequent garglIng the
throat and washing out the mouth will bring
some relief. A spoonful of gum arabic water
or of camomlle tea NAV be frequently given to
wet the throat. Dyndeuham's white decoction
NAV also be gwen. both as a beverage and
nourishment, in small quantities. frequently.
In a day or two the suffering from THIRST will
cease. In large majority of cases it has not
been intense for more than twenty four hours.
Rice-water. arrowroot, Lyndenham's white
decoction, crust-water, camomile tea, are the
best articles for dav or two after the attack