Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-09-12
THE COURSE OF CHOLERA,

The Origin OF the Plague Can Always be
Traced to Bengal, its Birthplace Acid
Again as Prevention.
In view of the fact that Asiatic cholera
| is now lowering along the shoes of this
| country, and none can tell how soon it
may effect q landing here. paper recent
ly prepared by Prof William G.. Eggles-
| ton of Peoria, has peculiar interest for
all who are giving any thought to the
disease. From Prof. Eggleston's inves-
| LEGATIONS Of the matter he has come to
| the conclusion that no matter in what
part of the world cholera may be found,
its origin can always be traced back to
| one place. Bengal is it's birthplace. and
| there alone is it always to be found.
When 1t spreads itself beyond that prov
ince its presence in outside countries is
directly traceabie to Mohammedan and
Hindoo plgrimages to Mecca and other
sacred shrnes of the devotees of these
faiths.
From Bengal it makes its way by two
routes-by way of Calcutta and the
Gauges to the sacred city of Hurdwar
and thence by the direct land route to
the Caspian and Black seas, on the
Russian frontier. The second route 8
| from Bengal to Bombay and thence to
uACSSd. AttcT tVcIS OutDEthA VI u U
scourge the civilized world is more or les s
| in danger for period of five years. At
| least that is the average time it has taken
| to run ills course in previous great out
breaks; but, as sanitary science and the
knowledge of the disease have been
! making rapid progress of late years, it
| may be that the experts who are now
| fighting it may be able to cut short its
| career and render it much less harmful
| than before. So far cholera has never
| spread itself beyond the confines of it's
habitat by the direct water route from
| India through the Suez Canal.
In Prof. Eggleston's opinion it is be-
yond the range of human possibility to
put India in good sanitary condition in
any reasonable time, and to make the
pilgrims from that country observe
proper rules Of hygiene aud cleanliness
would require two soldiers to each pill
grim. The most riotous Imagination
could scarcely exaggerste the filth of
India and Egypt The Hindoo and Mo-
| hommedan pilgrims use the same water
in which they have washed themselves
| and their clothes for drinking and cook
ing purposes. Such people are scarcely
| ripe for treatment by moral suasion, and
it is even questionable if they could be
forced at the point of a bayonet to adopt
| the hygienic habits of an enlightened
vilization.-Chicsgo Post.
| DIR, Reilly, secretary of the Illinois
| state board OF health. was recently shown
an editorial in a Chicago paper based on
the recommendation of the use OF sui
| phuric acid as a preventive of Asiatic
cholera, and in which it is asked: Would
| 1t not be well, therefore, for the board of
| health to investigate its efficacy, and
| make public statemeni?' As concern
| ing the foundation tor this recommends
| ton, DR.. Reilly took down a fat octave
| volume labeled. Cholera Epidemic OF
1875 in the Uniled States" and read
| therefrom as follows:
meanwhile both passengers and
| crew should be put upon a mineral acid
| regimen, with view Of establishing an
| acid diathesis OF the system, or as nearly
| so as may be. Sulphuric acid lemonade
should be served out regularly under the
supervision of an officer clothed with
authority to zee that no one shirks it's
USE
And agsin from the same volume: ut
mSy be alleged that in the foregoing
pages too great stress has been laid upon
the acid prophy,axs Of cholera to the
| exclusion of all others; but the culraina-
tive evidence of the experience ofthe last
60 years warrants the ground here taken.
Beginning with the year 1914 cholera
literature down to the present time
sbouuds in proofs-cllnica physiologi-
cal, pathological and meteroligicsl-of
the efficacy of sulphuric acid. and there
can be but little doubt that We possess in
| the minera! acid certain means of pro-
phylaXs against cholera. 'Prophy laXis"
1t was here explained. means prevention.
------>uD-------