Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-05-06
FACTS ABOUT THE CHOLERA
A Chat With DR.. Walser-No Doubt
That the Disease VIII Appear.


DIR. Theo. Walser, who was In charge
OF the Emigrant hospital ON Wards
island, and the Quarantine hospital
during the last cholera epidemic In
this country, his term OF Office in these
institutions continuing from 1851 to
1858, and who was deputy health
officer OF the port Of New York from
1858 TO 1865, IL regarded as one OF the
best authorities In this county on the
subject of cholera having treated over
5000 cases OF the disease. The
doctor Is now health officer OF
New Brighton, s. /. He was visited
Mt his home yesterday by reporter
for the Mail and Express, and nsked
his opinion regarding the coming OF
cholera TO this country and the best
mode of fighting the spread of the dis
ease. He said
~ have no doubt about it's coming
here this summer. IL Ia already ap.
pearing again In France, and / look
for IL here by June at the latest. Its
visitation In America has, In It's west
ward progress, invariably followed Its
prevalence In Europe the preceding
year, and to anticipate IL here Ia, there
fore, only looking for a repetition of
its own history. An efficient aud we'll
organized quarantine system may pre-
vent its Introduction, but should the
disease, through the neglect and
malfeasance OF the officials, be
brought to our shores, general panic
would probably be the first result. In
this emergency our state board Is our
only safeguard; informed by the
respective town officers OF the ex-
istence OF every and all cases, 1t should
prohibit the publication OF any report
not authorized by II, and should take
such measures to allay puslic fear as
| truth and facts would warrant, at the
same time employing It's controlling
power 10 stem the extension and
| will be useless unless every city aud
village assumes watchful care over
its own sanitary lnterestsp
How does the disease spread?n
asked the reporter.
ain cholera we have In the sick the
carriers and dlsseminators OF the dis
ease. Though personally IL IL not
contagious, IL Is nevertheless infec
tious. A sanitary Gordon to keep out
| the disease Is useless, as IL IL im-
possible 10 cut off all intercourse OF
New York with the outside world.
Therefore, we must make provision
| for it's occurrence wherever II may be
found, and not only for the patient
already blue and shrlveled, but for
the sufferer In the first stages OF the
disease"
"But how can this be done?"
1.-THE elected germ Of the disease,
the microbes OF DIR. Koch, must be
destroyed, and as copperas (sulphate
OF iron and sulphuric acid IL the
cheapest and most eff ctual dislnfeo'
| tant. It's universal aud constant use IL
| the best means TO accomplish that re-
cult. II the people once understand
that the disease ID not personally con-
tagious and that the patient himself IL
| perfectly harmless, provided there 10
! thorough disInfacti0n, then there Will
| be no difficulty la teaching them the
use OF saturated solution Of the salt
or the acid, aud to employ bi-chIofide
| for the disinfection OF soiled linen.
These things are very important, and
when done the first step toward pro
lection and security isiaken. Indeed.
/ not only the first step, but, might
also sAy, perfect immunity from En
| epidemic ID secured
'"Dr. Koch certainly merits our es-
TEEN for his demonstration of the
Characteristic presence OF the 'microbi'
In every cholera case, but these mt
crobl' are only the Larvae from which
IL developed the get unknown me
dunn which produces the disease
germ with that myriadic profusion
peculiar TO the lowest organizations.
The question OF how this II introduced
into the system 10 rs yet only answered
by experisnce, bus that neither the
lungs nor the pores OF the skin have
any agency In the matter, and that
the stomach IL the only medium, are