Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-04-29
CHOLERA.


To the Editor OF the hsgle
It is but question of time tail tie terror
whose black wing and cruel talon has SO
often frightened Europe and decimated some
of its happest people, will visit our own
shores DR. Koch, who. at the risk of his
own life, fonnd the cholera germ at the nome
of that pestilence in the jungles of Hindoo-
stan, declared the pestilence SO lately raging
in the south of France, the true Aslatic
cholera. and furthermore declares that in all
hum an probability if viii obtain a foothold
upon the Atlantic coast during the spring
months, and do IT, deadly work on this con-
tinent puring the summer season Of 1883.
DR.. Koch and other noted medical and sci
entific men. have found in the bodies of the
deceased the "microbe" or characteristic
germ of the pestilential cholera. The dis
ease is propagated by the multiplication of
these microbes in the lower intesttnes of the
person il attacks. There intusorla secrete
poison which is forced into the blood, pro-
dlcing all the dread characteristics Of this
fatal epidemic. There should he no delica-
CIV about this subject, because IT involves
life and death. II should part of the
education Of every woman to know how 10
render contagious diseases immorenous.
Cholera is not in the air, it is communicated
exclusively by the eNcreta of the victims
The person attacked must have been poison
I'd by direct contact with the evictions of a
sick person.
To ward off the cholera and 10 Danish it
from the earth. it will be necessary to have
a complete system ofsewerage- The excrets
OF humans be mixed with dry earth, and that
Immediately before there is a chance for the
micropes TO reproduce themselves Iii now
settled beyond all peradventure that the
complaints from which all mankind suffer
such as fever, diptheria, consumption, and
cholera are due to anamalculae or infu-
soria which are propagated in the refuse OF
the human system. This is a mstter so little
understood by the heads of families and
especially bv those who nurse the sick and
have the care of children Life-the life Of
one fairest. and wisest. and best. and dearest,
is what the general knowledge Of such facts
would save. Strensth-the strength that
builds. and beaatifes, and sdorns, and up
such knowledge seeks 10 econo-
mize and preserve Every municipality
should inaugura.e perfect system OF
sewerage. SO that the futile materials taken
a. g r,s,I ehAtai9 ha
returned to il again in the form of sewerage.
To conquer nature we must obey her, says
the sage. The refuse of our bodies, which
encenders all manner of foul diseases, is the
nuiriment the very life of the plants upon
which We live. The river bottom. the black
soil of the swamp, engenders Towers destruo-
tive TO human life. hut drained and properly
manipulated these same rank soils produce
abundantly Of the grains upon which We
live The life and reproduction of cholera
microbe depends upon moist surrounding
/, dies in dry or cold air. There is every
favorable condition for lis introduction snd
rapid propagation in America, and psrticu-
larly Wichita the present year. Why wait
till the fate Of Memphis overtskcs us; An
ounce Of prevention i worth pound of
cure" Organize sanitary association that
will begin al once a house-to-house inspec-
ton, prepare code Of sanitary laws and
see that they are enforced, Begin now that
which must be done sooner or later If
Wichita would remain what she Is }, per-
feet system Of sewerage. When this is done
universally one-half the active diseases will
disappear from the world snd We shall eff
fectually antagonize these deadly epidemics,
which are the terror and the bane of urban
life. FEnME De CoIRSE-