Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-07-30

INC disease WAS caused by impure
water, infected clothing having been
washed IN the river Scrivia, which feeds
the "Nlcolay" Aqueduct It was
brought to Naples from Marseiles, and
the detective drainage of the city, and
utter lack of cleanliness among the
lower classes of the people, together
with the fact that their systems were
so eafeebled.. by poor and insufficient
food as to offer no resistance to the
epidemic, gave facilities for it's rapid
progress. The events of last year en-
lightened the officials of Naples, and
several hundred thousand dollars
were spent in giving the city good
supply of water, while several millions
Will be expeded in building the slums.
The Mediterranean province Of Spain
are now suffering because the most
ordinary sanitary measures have not
been inforced by the Spanish govern
ment, and efforts were made to conceal
the fact that the, plague had broken
out, until it had increased to such an
extent as to defy any sanitary organi-
zation.
American cities are, upon the
whole, in fair condition to resist an
epidemic; but we are not without ex-
amples of danger at some point, In
Washington, d. c., the newspapers
made a great cutlery about the water
supply. The Commissioners o. the
District made light of the matter,
whsreupon the papers published dias
grams showing that the citizens were
drinking drainage from hogpens,
stables, and uncomfortable nuisances,
and gave analysis of hydrant water
by competent chemists. The United
States authorities finally took the mat
ter in hand, and an examination by
the Engineer Corps showed that the
alarmists had not alarmed a minute
too soon. 1t may be well for other
cities to INVESTIGATES the condition of
their water supply. The epidemic at
Plymouth, Pa, is warning to the
whole country.
Stress is laid by many persons upon
the fact that great confagration at
Constantinople some years ago put an
end to 3 cholera epidemic, even in
quarters which were untouched by the
fire; and in some European cities, dur.
ing the prevalence of the epidemic
last year, large fires were ignated at
evening along the principal thorough
fares, and their immunity from dis
ease was ascribed to this precaution.
May this not be DE to the fact that
the germs of disease are often scatter<
ed about Ill an attenuated, or, pehaps,
even virulent form, and are destroy
ed by the heat2 They can sometimes
be taken into the body without harm,
but an enfeebled condition reinforces
their virulence and makes them dead
ly. It is said that the days of great>
est fatality of the disease are marked
by an absence of ozone in the atmos-
phere; and, where artificial ozone is
provided Gas in the wards of hospitals)
the death rate is perceptibly diminish
ed.
The germ theory, now attracting
SO much attention, assumes that viru-
lent diseases are caused by a germ or
microbe introduced into the blood and
multiplying there; growing out of
this is the doctrine that immunity
from such disease may be obtained by
vaccinating with a milder form-a
more "benign virus'-of the same
microbe, weakened in virulence.
Davaine and Rayer, in 1850, had
observed little microscopic rods in the
blood Of animals that had died of
splenic fever: but they attached nc
Importance to the discovery, and for
thirteen years let it drop. In 1868 the
former was again led to study the
subject, IN consequence Of the re-
searches of Past9ur, and pronounced
organisms the cause of the fever; but
he could not uphold his assertion by
demonstration. In the same year
Prof. Koch's memoir on the subject
was published; later occurred the
splendid discoveries of Pasteur, which
placed him In the foremost rank of
scientific men, and has made him the
leading man Of his time and the bene
factor of his race
The great French and German stu
dents profess to have discovered the
parasite that constitutes the disease
We call cholera, and they propose TO
stay the scourge by vaccination. This
doctrine will be tested in this country
under most favorable circumstances
IN the laboratory at Bellevue Hospital
generously provided by Mr.. Andrew
Carnegie of Philadelphia, the we'll
known philanthropist. An artificial
culture of disease germs from genuine
cholera matter imported for that pur
pose will be effected under the direc>
ton of Mr.. Biggs, in order to take ad
vantage of the Spanish method of
vaccination; SO that all that science
can do will be ready to prevent the
spread of the epidemic should it gam
entrance at our shores.