The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-08-28
Tx. Cholera.

The Cholera.
White cholera has been undoubtedly Cpl.
denIic in India for centuries. II was first
recognized and described by European
physicians in Asia II. the time of the terri
BILE outbreak in Bengal in ISL. So far
as modern medicine is concerned. the dis.
ease was unknown until that date. Many
are the plaques AMI pests that hive raw
aged Europe In past centuries: the black
death, tho bnbo plague. tvphus. putrid
fever. typhoid fever. crgotis,n. diphthcria.
the grip. putrid pneumonia. smallpox,
aud the like have played havoc in whole
provinces and dcrimntcd tho population
Of cities. Some Of these srorlges have
quite disappeared. and not one of them now
prevails In epidemic form to any great OK
tont. The cholera. however. was not among
the medieval destrOyers of mankind in
Europe. for It's first appearance there was
between the years 1881 aud 1882. when It
entered By way OF Russia, in tho same
manner as now. There were several re-
strictcd epidcmics up to 1889. and then an
interval of about eight years. In 1871 It
arose once more from its cradle In the delta
OF the Giahgcs. and again made It's way into
Europe by way of Russia. taking six or
seven years for its journey westward.
A third visitation took place in 1853. be-
ginning In India, as usual. in 1850. and
spreading westward until 1t reached even
to tho American continent. A fourth
outbreak occurred In tho years 1865
and 1868 In Europe. but upon tho whole the
violence OF tho pcstilence has diminished
with each invasion from the time of its first
appearance. There was somo cholera in
Franco and Italy In 1883 and 1884. and In
Spain tho year following: and 1t has been
~smouldering In various Asiutic cities for sew
eral years past. never kindling into any
particularly dangerous flamo until this
year. During much Of last winter the port
Of Jaffa was closed to visitors by tho fact OF
tho presence OF the disease at that place.
We now seem to be on the verge OF an
epidemic Of almost mediDval proportions.
for the mortality has been awful in Persia
and Russia. and the "a pidity of Its increase
and spread In several cities md ports OF
western Europe. Is sufficient TO justify
alarm. It would be us we'll to mention at
once here the fact that the word "cholerine."
which has been frequently used during the
past few months in reference to q disorder
~ Ill iluu iIS SuDuIDS, ullu tI fllTlDUEH,
Stettin. and elsewhere, Is not the desiyna-
ton OF an in%nocuous disorder. as one might
be led to believe by the statements Of the
civil authorities In regions where itprcvails.
Cholerine Ia Asiatic cholera and nothing
else. ChOlerine is a name given to II type
OF the plague which is OF medium severity:
but 1t Is Asiatic cholera all tho same.
Cholera Is n germ disease. and belongs in
the category OF disorders caused by the en-
trunce Of heterogeneous into the body.
like scarlet fever. smallpox. diphthcria.
typllus. tuberculosis. and many others. Tho
cause of cholera Is a minute germ or bac-
teriuln. which entCrs tho body by way Of the
alllncntary canal. and is, propagatcd in the
iutestincs. Koch. who discovered the
bacillus OF tuberculosis. and who has indi-
Gated by his marvellous methods OF ca
pertinent and research tho direction in
which tn look for IL euro OF consumption,
was sent by tho German Government
IN 1889 to India to investigate the cholera
epidemic there. In the intcstines of all
who died from this disease lie found n
m~lcro-orgrnism OF peculiar shape, curved
anu bent like u comma. and to this was
given the naIrcO % comma bacillus. Theconl-
mn bacillus las never been observed except
IN the victims Of cholera. Additional proof
Of Its being tho cause OF this pest was If
fOrded by further experiments. undertaken
not only by Koch. but also by RIErSCH and
NIcArI, who produced cholera in guinea
Pigs by Introducing tho comma bacillus
Into their intestincs.
The bacillus enters the system by way o!
tho stomach and lives and propngatcs In
En4 lntpStInnS Ihppn II Inuulft1ti rnS n
ptonlaiDe. or poisonous substance. which
being absorbed into the system, gives riso
TO the symptoms which we recognize rs
those OF cholera. 1t is moro than probable
That the disorder spreads by being scattered
with the Intestinal discharges. contami-
mating water courses. rivers, streams, and
wells. defiling the linen and bed cloth
Ing. and contriving in an Infinite NUM-
Dor OF ways TO enter tho human
system again by means Of food and
drink. Tho germs are not disseminated
through the atmosphere. They are not
blown by tho winds from one place to
another. They follow the limos of travel
and commerce. They are p~ropagatod by
individuals. The discharges of infected
persons are the centres from which con-
tszion radlates. Hence the supreme neces-
sity Of isolating such n indus of disease, and
/, of destroying everything that may in any
way serve as an agent in the sowing and
diffusion OF the seeds OF death.
VIII the disease reach New York I? IN
doubtedly. Its ubiquity in Europe is such
that We cannot escape the visitation.
It remains for the Health Department to
show what ability they have In keeping the
eeourss at the threshold and not allowing
@ 20 enter into the crowded quarters of the
dty. II u. however. not probable that wo