New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-03
PREVENTION OF THE CHOLERA.
METHODS FOR COPING WITH THE PLAGVE-ThE
IMPORTANCE OF SHIP SANITATION

METHODS FOR COPING WITH THE PLAGCE-THE
IMPORTANCE OF SHIP SANITATION
TO the Editor OF The Tribune
cir. wish 10 commend heartily your editorial on
81 Cholera and ImmTation.' l wns amazed "Heh l
r.os IN. proposal OF the National Conference oil STATE
poa-,s NJ Health 10 exclude cholera by preventing
~ ,,,,,,rra,,on This scheme would inaugnrate the
old fashioned shotgun quarantine. TO prevent VIM"
these very Boards OF Health were organized iu,u
the proposition may. fear, be taken py 'nc p'''
nc nm alarming admission OF the incompetent! VI
these Boards Of Health In the application OF ouerh
o.ns Of preyentlng the spread ~ infectious u>e"sc'
The fact is that cholera IS one OF the most "a.'
o.abe O, infectious Diseases has been repeatcd'y
demonstrated 1t may be confined In one "eru Vi
bo,pal 10 one house In city, and 10 one room III
house. though people pass freely IN ana OUT Vi ue''
several localities. This cannot be sad OF "e"sie''
scarlet fever or smallpox. domestic pesulshees WING"
va olwrys have with us The cholera bacillus does
~, oo, 4, IN. air like the germs OF these diseases.
t,,, = strictly confined the discharges from the
stomach and bowels OF the sick Prevention OF cnoiefa
does not depend upon the ISOLATION oi 'a'e So" NV"
IN. we'll except A. IL precauuon against the cohmu'll
cation OF these discharges to the stomachs VI ue we'll
Tn. attendant phy slcan and nurse do not take choera
haas ,h.v cleanse their hands after they touch the
o, and tho clothes about them. II Is the laundry
mnid who washes the soilcd clothes. ana the scSo'
,,mon Who cleans the floor upon which the cholera
patent vomitcd, who take the disease We MILO"
all cholera
fectly anageabie poison. We may preserve IL marin
LssIy any lcngth OF time In our homes, We Keep
pr,ssc acid or strychnine. II Is only when We take
II into our stomnchs that, Hike other posohS' II
dangerous We may also Kill II instantly OIL It's oehs
discharged from cholera patient II II recciVeu 'h'"
boiling water or into vessels containing strong soul
ton Of carboc acid. corrosive sublimatc or permah
qonut. of potasst Hence, repeat cholera IS one ot
the most manageable Of the infectious diseases anu
should create no popular alarm. Certainly, the hNs-
erical demand OF State Boards OF Health to have al
mmgration cease the only means OF preventing an
| Invasion Of cholera Is ludcrods
There Is one preventive OF far greater value
| than quarantine, which has received niue auchtloh
| from health authorities. | refer to ship sanitation
| | believe II quite possible to organize the medical
service Oh our transatlantic steamships that the cho
era germ cannot survive the voyage. For SIN 10 ten
days grants entirely under cohrol oi u'c
officers of the vessel. II during that period there
| wits "A thorough medical Inspection OF The personal
habits and cleanliness Of every passenger, his bunk
hi bedding his body clothing. his baggage, his daily
latliur and general cleanliness, his food. his daily
health, etc. cholera could not reach our shores one
vital element in this medical supervision Is the deiec'
| ton of the first symptoms of darrhoea This aiar'
| rhoea in cholera subject Is cholera In It's curabe
| stage.
A striking popularity Of this diarrhoea Is thu II
gives grent relief 10 the patient, and he cannot DO
mndc TO believe that he has cholera and requires I'M
| mediate treatment Even physicians attacked by tms
siarrhoe have felt much relief positively tn re-
! fuse treatment 4 notable Instance was that oil a
health officer OF town In England lie warned mo
people by circulars and public speeches TO beware OF
dinrrhoca for that was cholera itself In "A durable
stage and must have immediate treatment. And yet
he died Of cholera, after having darrhoea four days
which he did not attempt to cure, believing that his
system was relieving Itself The statement OF the i'm
migrant be relied upon, and there Is no method
among them but by stationng watch at the closet,
and recording each visit of every individual Mere
personal inspection OF passengers shipboard or Ut
quarantine, cannot be relied on to detect the exist
| such a system OF ship sanitation as Is here men
toned would require competent staff OF physicians
and trained Attendants and ample means OF cleansing
and dislnfectlon. Medical students would be avail
able now for such a service Would not the steam.
| service ON each vessel. to continue twb or three