New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-16
HOW TO AVOID CHOLERA.
some VALUABLE SUGGESTIONS By DR..
SHAKESPEARE.

POPULAR DELUsIoNs CoRREcTED-THE OnohLN"
GERMS ONLY DANGEROUS IN THE STOMACH
TREATMENT Oh THE vI01lMs-KoLhS
FOR THOSE WHO ARE WE'LL
9Th. Medical News" OF Philadelphia will puoI'sh
Tomorrow a most valuable and Interesting p.r'' "
= O. sbake.peare NJ d.. Of that city. on thc p''
ventve measures for the individual o"n's mn. -,
.o.na, nm .hre.te,ed prevalence Of cholera iroDaoN
no nhvc,an in the country better entitled 10y aoi'
and experience TO speak on this question: "'''" "
the present moment is one Oh sucn "'"''" ,,,,
porance 10 every one. Most intelligent Peop0 yam"
nv tnow something about the nature OF cholera anu
tho method Of its propagation; but yet III Spo vi ~
conaous literature on the subject during the mS' ""
ontbs the misconceptions in regard 70 1t, even on
The mart of educated people are very common II -
rarity 10 remove these misconceptions that Dr ohaho
spoarc has prepared his paper Il summary oi WIN"
win here be given 49,,
re first emphasizes the fact that Asiatc choiera'
highly infectious and frgbtfy mortal as 1t usually Is
when n obtains foothold amid ignorance, poverty
and souaor is, fertunatey-even In such favorte
Iocalty-of all the dangerous epidemic diseases u'e
most easily and certainly avoided by the hai'iou"l
IL only the proper precautions be constantly ana
scrupulously observed. Cholera victims may be hVed
with handled nursed, and treated with absolute I'M
,,nitv IL those precautions be never forgotten or
naclected The cholera poison does not infect the
aiy even Of the sckroom; it cannot be lnSpFen WIFI
the breath: II does not enter through the shlh Ut
through cuts sores abrasloDs Of the BODY III en-
lers through the ach only and assails by way Oh
The intestinal canal.
In the human being 1t is in the Intestinal canal Only
that this infectious material mu'uplies enorihou'N'
sometimes with extreme rapidly generating chemical
poson that attacks and destroys the lining OF the
epitheium OF the intcsnes, causing extensive hahes
OF the latter to be thrown OIL while the raw surface
thus exposed e1hes great quantities of the hhios OF
the Notwithstanding together the so'called rice
water discharges frequently rapid and copous-ana
which meanwhile is thence absorbed into the system
10 play formidable role In direct and vicious attack
upon the kidneys, heart and nervous system Ibis
infectious principle has been proved TO be the socaed
cholera bacllus-an extremely minute vegetable para
site that muluples in enormous numbers ana Win
lncalculable rapSity in the intestinal canal of the
victim. Every drop of the evacuation OF the bowels
and of the stomach of a person who is suffering win
Asatic cholera contains thousands Of these infectious
parasites. These discharges and everything soilcd or
contaminated by them therefore highly Infectious
and very dangerous Cholera is never generated by
right llhealh constitutional weakness filth, siarva
ton or ANYTHING else, unless this infectious principle
be first introduced into the stomach. without the
actual presence and multiplication Of the cholera
bacillus in the intestinal canal, attack Of Asiatic
cholera cannot occur.
The proper preventive measures therefore, are
Isolation and disnfecuon And DR.. Shakespeare
thinks these be best attained Dy
the State on the ground that the Aealth of the whole
community should not be made 10 depend on the
.incom pei ence or neglect, whimsical notions. OF
personal interests, lack Of authority Of the private
physician This means temporary invasion OF IN
divdual rights but the welfare Of the community de-
mands 1t. All OF darrhoea should be careiuly
watched, especially when they occur among people
of unclean habits An attack OF what seems TO be
cholera morbus among recently landed Immigrants
should also be watched with great by coEpetent
physicians especially the clinical symptoms alone
pf this disease furnish trustworthy evidence as to
It's nature.
Dr. Shakespeare declares that until recently phy-
,cians did know how to recognize genuine Asiauc
,llolera In time to guard the people against It's
leaaly power The whole history OF the disease was
marked by doubts and differences OF opinion on the
part Of the physicians having TO deal with 1t. But
the observations and experience OF Ihe ms' niue
years have changed all this. The bacteriologist is
now able to determine the disease with sclennhc accu
racy and the health authorities of every place should
ask some competent bacteriOOgSt TO diagnose every
suspicious case. 1t is only in this manner that
nonnlation can be insured against the establishment
CT an epidemic following the appearance OF scattered
Eases OF choeraic diarrlOea and masked choiera'
which, because of their lghtness may escape nouce'
mr. because Of their similarity 10 other diseases may be
mistaken for the latter No regard for personal sen
utilities should stand In the way OF such scientihc
examination There is reason to believe that the
prevalence OF the disease In Hamburg is due to one
mans criminal neglect 10 perform TINS duV' IL
Is needless quote what DR.. Shakespeare says ABOUT
the danger from defective plumbing. filth and nui-
sances generally for the public is fully aroused 10
this danger OF course, filth does not create cholera
lint II is the natural dwelling place OF the germs.
These germs will live for a long time In clothhS,
articles sOf food and the soil; ana IL Is agreed lat
they will live for several hours In water, especially
~ II contains organic or vegetable matter. For this
reasou Il is most dangerous 10 use mix That has
been Watered, unless 1t has been boiled
Experience has abundantly proved two laws winch |
have an important bearing upon The spread OF cholera
a. The tendency TO infection vae, eAcecdnsiy among
individuals and Is with the majority small w. nis
tnrbed conditions Of the digestive apparatus greatly
Increase the susceptibility OF individual and render
him far liable 10 an attack after exposure 10 the
Infection A.. .,o,roo, .ro. camilla y,
killing the germs, and, as matter OF inc,, healthy
only when they pass into the small Intestine that they
multiply with enormous rapidly and result IN cholera
fbe stomach should be avoided, including intemper
snce In eating and drinking and al rregulSrucs I'D
prevented from INDUCING in eXhaustng sport or work
and shielded from all intempeIate weather Ih H.
worn around the abdomen at night. Cold baths should
be avoided, ami the body should be frequently spohEcd
bing with rough towel. Water other fluids should
be drunk spsngly between meals because the ga,rl, ,
NAV be imbibed. All food should be thoroughly cooked
and fluids should be boiled.
should be made TO prevent the disease from becom-
ing epidemic. But the health authorities generally are
now SO fully impressed with this fact That IL is not
necessary here TO enlarge upon it, The really I'M |
pOrtant things 10 remember these: Cholera Is hOl
communicated by the breath, by the carnations OF
the body. 1t cannot enter the system through inc
lungs or through the skin. \ handful Of cholera |
Laclni could be held In the naked hand with perfect
impunity, even II there was a cnt on the hnd' 50
long as none of them swal WED. The germs are
only dangerous they enter the stomach ana from
thence pass into the small Intestine And even In
this case II the stomach is IN perfectly healthy con
6ifion the gastric Juices may Kill them. No one, |
Snweyer win care to take the chance Of their being
thus killed and the only safe way Is 10 prevent their
entering the stomach. II all the clothing and dis |
charges OF cholera patients are thoroughly dsin- !
fected or burned there is absolutely reason 10 be
Harmed even If the disease should obtain foOthold
in the country.