Omaha daily bee., 1890-09-01
DR.ALGORAAN ON CSsoL ERA.
He Gives Some Valuable Information
Rega rdin u the Dread Disease.
opminM 800 bu Jdmes Gordon RcnneLt.

tCopW'ight iS9Obv James GORDON Bcnndt.l
LONDON, Aug Lst 30 New York Herald
Gable Special to The BEE. In view of the
stringent sanitary precautions being enforced
in various parts of Europe against Asiatic
cholera, and which were ordered only today
In London and Vienna, the following opinions
on the terrible epidemic are Of the greatest
interest given me, as they we're, by DR.. AL
gonan London specialist, whose long OK
porience with cholera gives special weight
towhat he says, and will supplement the
view of DR.. Norman Kerr, already published
in the Herald:
"Do you think, DOCTOR was my first ques-
tion, ''that England is in danger of a cholera
epdemicl"
81 think" was the reply, "that we may
perhaps have an epidemic of cholera
this autumn, not only because what
happened in the past may occurn the future,
but there is some analogy in the history and
relation of cholera to la grippe or influenza.
For cholera like Influenza is essentially an
epidemic disease, and Is largely due to atmos-
pheric or tillaric causes. The present damp
ness of the soil from the late severe rams
would, think, pre- -eminently favor an cpl
dcmic of cholera but should expect its stay
would be brief and tho cases slight. Our
water and sanitary arrangements are too
good, think and hope, for an epidemic to be
eithervery serious or alarming"
"What precautiou should be taken against
cholera and what treatment followed when
once it is cOntractedw
"The precautions are to attend TO the gem
eral health, to avoid carefullyan excess in
either eating or drinking, especially V alcoholic
excuses and to attend to any lOoscness of the
bowels. On no account should cholera pa
tient doctor himself, but as soon as possible
place himself under medical treatment su-
pervison. But until the doctor $
visit it should be known that
topical applications are comforting
and perhaps useful, such as hot flannels on
which turpentlne may be sprinklcd. If
spasms are severe icei is useful and grateful
and cold water, too, is refreshing, and often
urgently asked for, and, osumng it is free
from all impurity, thinkit cruel to deny it
to the PATIENT
"What persons are mostlikey victimsn
"The poor, the sad, the melancholy and
phlegmatic are those most likely to become
victims to cholera. No, don't think people
in fine health are more APT 70 contract
the disease than others, although it is
fact that cholera does attack and
even fatally, healthy, orrather robust men
especially if addicted to stimulants"
"And what percentage of those attacked
would you say recoverP'
''Time does not allow me to give you statis-
tics of my own experience of mortality dur
ing the epidemic of 1868, when was ap
pointed by the board of works special medi
cal officer for cholera cases for this district
| (Hammersmith), but on referring to my notes
of eight cases in young children with dreaded
cholera symptoms all recovered. But was
not as successful with adults. Nor ever
| with children in my private practice
| The children of the poor are much stronger
than those better off, but treatment is with
| children very hopeful and encouraging, es.
| pecially if seen early. The following NOR
tality table is.from Graves cianica medicln e,
page 40; Private practice cases, l,175;
deaths, 20; ratio, to 3-l6; hospital, S1,342;
ratio, 1 to 2 SO; almshouses, II, ,492; l to II
| l4-16; arch and prison, 1916, to 20-23