The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-08-07
THE PLAGUE.
The Cholera and Sanitary Precautions Against II
LIS First Annearance and PROGRESS in Enrape


It's First Appearance and Progress in Europe.
A representative of The NATIONAL TRIBUNE
called upon Surgeon General Hamilton at his
home on Capitol Hill one evening in the latter
| part of last week, and had few minutes con-
versation with him in regard to the cholera.
In reply to question as to the probability of
| the disease reaching the United States this late
| in the season, DIR. Hamilton said that the time
of the year had very little TO do with Its arrival.
"There is no genuine cholera unless it is
| imported?" queried The TRIBUNE man.
There is no spontaneous generation of any
specific disease" replied the Surgeon General;
the germ is simply reproduced, and it takes
g certain time for reproduction to be accom-
| plished For instance, when people leave
Toulon and go up to Aries, the disease does not
appear Immediately, but waits until the germs
have developed and reproduced themselves.
| The germs of the disease are carried by form
| ites-substances capable of furnishing place
of rest for the organism while being trans
| ported such as wooden fabrics, rags, ETC."
| "When did the cholera first make its appear
ance in this country 2" asked THE TRIBUNE.
"The Board of Health of Philadelphia first
called the attention of the municipal authors
ties to the probability of cholera becoming cpl
demic in this country in September, 1848. In
Boston the same thing occurred Consulting
physicians were appointed to determine what
| steps should be taken to prevent the spread OF
the disease. About the same sort of thing was
done then that is being done now. good
deal of sanitary work was done, and streets,
back yards, ETC., cleaned up. Printed notices
were stuck about the streets of Boston,
requesting the inhabitants to cleanse their
| houses and surroundings and on certain
DAYS to throw out all kind of refuse into
the streets, from where it was Immediately
carted away. On the approach of the cholera
additional precautionary measures were taken
in the seaboard cities. Posters were stuck up
prescribing mode of diet and means to be used
in case of the disease appearing. Large quanti-
ties of disinfecting substances were purchased
and distributed. All vessels arriving IN the
harbors were thoroly examined, and all decayed
or deleterious portions of their cargos were
removed before permits were granted for them
to come up TO the city. The first death from
cholera in Boston occurred in June, 1849. and
the last on the 30th Of September of that year !;
the total number of deaths between these dates
being GIL. The value of the precautions taken
in Boston was shown by the small death rate
as compared with the widespread devastation
in other parts of the United States. In my
Judgment there is less danger to be feared from
lack of sanitary precautions in the cities than
in the smaller villages, where the sewerage
generally is SO imperfect, and where contami-
mated wells generally exist
Has it ever arrived in this country as late
as August and made any rayages?" asked The
TRIBUNE.
''It devastated the Minnesota settlements in
the Winter" replied the Surgeon General.
Frost is not fatal to the germs They cannot
be destroyed unless they are poisoned by dis
infectants or baked by heat"
81 have heard" continued THE TRIBUNE
man, " that those who confined themselves to
cistern water escaped, while those who drank
well water were attacked2"
The point is" answered DR.. Hamilton
"that whenever the excavations of cholera pa
tients are thrown where they can possibly con-
E taminate the water supply the disease will
speedily be propagated, and while it is generally
estimated that well drains 15G feet in all di-
rections, there is really hardly any limit to the
distance If the well is supplied with under.
ground currents of water. 1t is an excellent
! precaution to boil and filter the water.
What are you doing to prevent the inva-
sion of this country by cholera?n asked the
representative of THE TRIBUNE.
The Government is performing quarantine
t duty, but the precautions on shore must BIZ
taken by the municipal authorities. There
, are four United States quarantine stations Il
| which infected vessels will be sent and they
5 will be held there until such time as the loca
4 authorities are willing to let them enter. The
I sick viii be treated at the public expense, and
5 the vessels viii undergo thoro cleansing and
| fumigation.
"There are several vessels now from yellow
fever ports undergoing distinction.
3 "The first and most important thing to b,
DONE" continued the Doctor, is to proven
the cholera coming here, by means of quar-
antine carried out in the strictest possible man
ner. Secondly, to keep the cities and towns o
: the country so clean that the germs will fni
l no place of Judgment and reproduction, am
e then, if the disease does obtain foothold il
l spite of these precautions, it is comfortable"
THE PLAQUES PROGRESS.
The following transcript ofreports of the progress
Of the cholera from its first appearance up to date
! have been kindly furnished us by the Surgeon
i General of the Marine Hospital Service:
June 2S-Alarrning report OF cholera at Toulon
20 deaths yesterday; 900 persons left city.
!, june 24-First death appears to have oecurre
g June !, and was kept secret. Seventeen deaths u
: 10 Sunday night, and since, at Marine Hos
| pital. Corpses buried in deep trenches. Reporte
! that transport Horthe from China introduced dis
ease Italian and Spanish ports instituted ouaran
tine Advices received in San Francisco state
g that steamer San Pablo arrived from Shangha
: bringing information that cholera broke out il
neighborhood of Pekin. Two cases reported q
g Marseilies, June 25-To Secretary of State. fror
Mason. U. 5. Consul: Cholera At Toulon kept
i, secret On 18th, one death; on 18th, one; 2otf
!. two; 2ist three; I'D -; ed, five; 9th H. Oni
one death at Marine Hospital Austrian an
Egyptian Governments quarantining agains
French vessels. Two civilians died at Toulon yes
terday and FIVE to-day; % persons taken to Marin
!, Hospital and two to Municipal Hospital.
: june 26-Eight deaths at Toulon yesterday. Cas-
, OF sporadic cholera reported al Paris to-day.
:, June zl-Seyen deaths at TouOn since last night
u nine Wednesday, 10 Thursday; 62 cases now i
e Marine Hospital.
If June 2s-MarseiIles three deaths. eholeric dia,
, rhea; two cholera; four deaths at Toulon.
!, June 29--At Toulon, from 9th to 18th at noon
= deaths At Marseies during past "a hours, tw
8 deaths
a June 3o-Between last night and noon to-day
six deaths at Touon. At Marseilles five last night
62 patients at Toulon Hospital. Austria and Hur
gary ouarantining against France. Gibralter ais
quarantlning. Precautions taken at Odessa. Tw
cases at Salu2Zl, n. Italy; one death at Lyons
J. July six deaths at Toulon three at MarseilIes
q Malta quaraniing vessels
N July -Four deaths at MaFseilles during
hours; six deaths at Toulon Between a. M and
:, p. M, and five between 10 p m. and 10 a. m II
l. day; two at Marsees last night; lis patients i
hospital at Toulon. Aigiers Sicily Mangalia 10
l. Black Sea-, kustendj and Sulina quarantined
"a July 3-Three deaths since last night and scye
. attacked at Marseies (up to D. M D. five dealt
10 since last night; 6.O00 fled from city. Arerag
'e deaths al Toulon 10 daily.
% July 4-Prefect OF Police announces officially n
I | cases in Paris; seven deaths ct Toulon to-da-
- among them DR. Boree, naval surgeon. Portuga
= Madrid and Gulf Coast quarantined.
July 5-Thrce-fourths of population of Toulo
fled; tradesmen ruined; five suicides; seven deatI
l. last night at Toulon; at Marseilies. Sardini
. quarantined "a
- July 6-Folr deaths at Toulon } cases In ho4
~ pital; i5 deaths at Marseiles. Cholera at AK.
rs July 7-Sixteen deaths at Marseilles last nigh
20 cases taken to hospital; nine deaths at Touic
last night, and seven to-day.
July S-Case reported in Nice; total deaths
" Touion from beginning of disease to date 15a :.
a. last night IA at MarSeilles between last eyenir
% and to-day.
r, July 9-One hundred and thrty-five deaths
I" last IL days at Touon; AT MarseilIes nine dealt
Y Last night, nine between noon and 8 this evening