The Portland daily press., 1892-08-27
CHOLERA RAvAeEs IN MAINE.
Many Persons Died in wateryille and Ban
gor in 1855.

Asiatic cholera arises from the inhala-
ton of air charged with organic impure
ties springing from decomposing vegeta-
BILE or animal matter, or nauseous gases.
The true Asiatic cholera originated in
Hindostan. The disease is of a miasmat-
ic origin and local conditions may favor
or check it's local development; but
whether the disease ought to be called
contagious or not is one of the warmest
disputed points in medicine. Its GER
tain that habitual personal contact with
the sick is oftentimes not followed by
the disease. 1t is held by many that the
disease is propagated by drinking water.
The disease is characterized by purging
and vomiting, followed by great prostra-
ton and in many cases by a fatal col
lapse.
1t firstappeared in the United States
in 1882, when after the pestilence in Eng
land, Ireland and Scotland, twas carried
by 10 or 10 Irish emigrant ships to Que
bee and from there up the ST. Lawrence
river and across the lakes to Detroit
where it met the United States troops on
their way to the Black Hawk war. In a
short time the whole force was afflicted
and was unable to proceed. One regi-
ment loss 200 men in one week. 1t was
distributed to all the national forts, es-
pecially to Fort Dearborn at Chicago.
Then it was carried down the Mississippi
to New Orleans. There 5000 died of the
total population of the city which was
$4,000
But one case has occurred in Portland
and that was many years
ago when Capt. Willard was ,harbor mas
ter,
A PRESS reporter had a very interest
ing interview with DR.. T. A. Foster, who
has been physician for many years and
citizen of Portland for SO years.
In 1856 an epidemic of cholera ragged in
Waterville and Bangor sufficient to cause
great alarm and uneasiness. In Water
vile it ragged among the French and at
one time there were over so cases. DR..
Foster, then student at Colby, was
studying medicine with DR.. Boutelle at
the time and he personally attended
many of the sufferers and afterwards
contracted the disease himself. He says
that Is died in Waterville during the
short time the epidemic lasted.
About the same time the people of
Bangor were startled by the discovery of
Asiatic cholera in their midst. 1t as
sumed most violent form. DR.. Foster
then, as has been stated, only student,
was summoned to Bangor and attended
the sick and dying. Over 80 died during
the epidemic.
DR.. Foster experienced an attack in
1855 when on visit to Rockland. He
was driving from South Thomaston to
Roclxland and when about half way to
his destination was taken with violent
fit Of vomiting. In few minutes he fell
exhausted in the bottom of his carriage,
suffering the most excruciating pains
imaginable. He was taken to Rockland
and placed under the influence of pow
erful drug which produced stupor for
four days. That undoubted saved his
life.
In those days there were no hypoder-
mic syringes with which to ply PERSONS
system with an opiate and as the stom-
ach repels everything it was difficult to
cause drug to take effect.
The old-fashioned remedies for chol-
era were salts, salt water and one old In
dian doctress, an aged squaw that attend
ed the afflicted ones in Waterville, used
doses of gun powder. She afterwards
died from the cholera.