Los Angeles herald., 1892-09-16
THERE IS NO CAUSE FOR ALARM
If Premises and Persons Are
Kept Clean.
DR.. Orme's Valuable Views on the
Cholera Situation.
The Presence of the Disease at Vera
CRUZ = some Good Advice as to
Diet and Hy ygiene-Importance
of state Action.

The announcement that cholera had
broken out at Vera Cruz, Mexico. and
that it might spread to the interior, and
thence find its way to Ell Paso, Tex,
and thence to California, has caused
considerable discussion locally. A num-
ber of physicians were interviewed yes
terday, and they were all unanimously
OF the opinion that steps should be
taken at once to give the people Of this
coast all the information regarding
cholera, how the injection spreads and
what steps should be Immediately taken
as preventive, or rather as precaution-
ary measures.
DIR. oRME INTERVIEWED.
DIR. II. S. Orme, who has for 20 years
been connected with the state board of
health, and who ranks as one of the
highest sanitary authorities on the
Pacific coast, was seen, and, in response
to interrogatories, he said.
"The state board of health will un-
doubtedly take all the necessary precau
tions. The fact that cholera is prevalent
at Vera Cruz, renders the situation seri-
ous, but there is no need of any great
alarm if the people will only clean up
and keep clean. An effective inland
quarantine is also a necessity in the
event the disease spreads from Vera
to the interior of Mexico.
"As to what should be done locally,
would say that great deal will be
accomplished if the officers of health, or
the properly constituted authorities do
their duty. Cholera, is preventable
disease its habitat is among a crowd it
levels in filth and decomposing organisms
| but failing to find suitable conditions
for its growth and maintenance it dies
out. Consequently. the very first thing
to be done is for each individual to zee
that his house, clubhouse and yard is put
into a sanitary condition. Do not wait
for any health officer; see to it yourself.
Have your drains cleaned out and
| flushed with water; your privy o. cess
pool emptied and disinfected imme di-
| ately. See that your cellar is cleared of
all decaying substances, have it thor
oughly whitewashed, and all filth, rags,
etc., burned.
boil WATER. fw
''If you use river water. which is al
ways more or less polluted, see that it is
boiled before drinking it. Avoid crowd
ing in sleeping rooms. See that each
room is properly ventilated, nothing
being 80 conducive to disease as an over
crowded and ill.ventilated apartment.
Plenty OF fresh, pure air, pure water,
and wholesome food, with household
and personal cleanliness, will do more
to prevent the access of cholera to your
dwelling than all the suppllcations of
the credulous. or the nostrums of the
charlatan. While there is danger of
cholera, or, indeed, any epidemic dis
ease, developing in your midst, it is an
act of prudence to avoid excessive fa-
tigue from any source, as the system,
when tired or exhausted, is much more
liable to infection, and less able to re-
sst it, than in other conditions. It is
also indispensable that the stomach and
bowels be kept in a healthy state by
avoiding all unripe fruit, decaying veg.
etables, fish, flesh, or any food that is
not perfectly sweet and fresh.
BE TEMPERATE.
Temperance in all things should be
enjoined, and especially in alcoholic
beverages, as it is found by experience
that the intemperate, or those addicted
to drinking Intoxicating fluids habit
ually, are the FIRST to die in an epidemic
of cholera. Nature knows no mercy in
dealing with the violators of natures
laws; If her laws are transgressed, the
punishment is swift and certain. Food
should not be kept in the same room
with the sick from any infectious dis
ease; neither should that unconsumed
by the sick be used by others, but either
burned or disposed of in some equally
safe way. 2@ =
"The Importance of prompt munich
pal and domestic preparation will cause
the germs of cholera to fall upon sterile
soil, should the disease ever gain foot
hold in the west. Cholera is not caused
by fear, nor by any article of food alone,
but by the germs which spread directly
and indirectly from the infected person.
Especial care should be taken that the
dangerous excreta of immigrants be no
longer scattered along rail routes. It
should all be received in strong disin-
fectant solution. Disinfectant solutions
should be added to all water closets on
sleeping cars and immigrant trains.
ut is usually impossible to have rigid
quarantines, for nothing short of nom
COLuuuulCdtlOu WOulu De u6GIuI, ana
this is impossible. There is no security
in loose system, and complete safety
in non-intercourse."
THE PACIFIC COAST STATIONS.
"We have maritime quarantine sta
tions at Port Townsend, San Francisco
and San Diego, on this coast, and was
one who was instrumental in securing
them under the administration of Presi-
dent Cleveland. But the greatest danger
of infection is from the interior.
"The California board has member
ship in the National Board of Health as
sociation. AS soon as an infectious
disease breaks out in Texas, our state
board will be notified by telegraph, and
then measures will undoubtedly be
taken by our state board to prevent it's
introduction here. In the smallpox ep.
;demic. in 1883, We secured from the
maritime hospital service quarantine
inspectors who were stationed in Ari-
zona, and prevented any person, sick or
suffering from disease, to enter the
state. This can be done again. Should
cholera break out at Ell Paso the Texas
aut horitipa wonld attand to II thora b,,t