The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1892-09-01
THE CHOLERA.

wear. 1t is gaining such a strong foot
hold in Germany that it is next to i'm
possible to stamp it out or confne it.
This plague visited this section on two
previous occasions in 1850 and in 1854.
In the year 1S49 it broke out in Milwau-
kee. From there it leaped to Port Wash
ingteu and in 1850 that village was al
most depopulated. In that same year it
reached Two Rivers and was terribly se-
we're. Fully . per cent. OF the popula-
| ton died from the scourage. Deacon
Smith was then in Two Rivers and son
of his, Ed Smith died of the plague. The
| Deacon himself recovered. People fled
from the plague stricken village and re-
fused to refused to return until assured
that the danger was passed. To assure
the people Deacon Smith inserted the
following card in The Sheboygan Mer-
curry:
| No new cases OF cholera have occurred
at this place for the last ten days. 1t
may now be considered as healthy and
all absent from the place may return with
perfect safety.
The card was dated Sept. 4, 1859.
There were % deaths in Manitowoc
from cholera during that year. John
Plumb's father fell victim to the disease.
1t attacked the Indians Id the neighbor-
hood. Two OF them were seized with IT
and were abandoned by their fellows.
Their bodies were found near the river a
little above Hubbard's mill near where
Tufts lived. Lyman Emerson and Har-
yey Hubbard prepared some rough boxes
and buried the bodies. Neither one con-
tracted the disease from having perferm-
ed this humane deed.
Mrs. and Mrs. G. W. Burnett came to
Manltowoc in 1849. George was then an
infant. Nine persons died of cholera on
the boat on which they were passengers,
the ID. Patchen and the bodies were
con signed to the water.
In 1854 the cholera broke out second
time. Indeed it was only revival of the
plague of 1850 which never had been COM
pletely stamped out. The fatality in
Manitowoo was much greater for this
year than for 1850. Many people then
prominent died of the disease. Among
them were Judge Kicker, James Kyle and
Mrs. Nicholson, two of Wan. Eatough's
sons died in Kossuth. Mrs. Burnett was
then teaching at French Creek. One of
| the patrons of her school, Valentine
Meyer went to visit neigkbor named
Fetzer, contracted the disease, died and
his body was brought home. The disease
spread everywhere throughout the coun-
ty. Mr. Bennett who was census taker
called one evening at Pautz's in Manito-
voc Rapids at junction OF Green Bay and
Calumet roads. The entire family were
in good health at the time. On the
morning following he called there again
aud found that two children had been
stricken during the night and died.
Though this case is reported as having
occurred in 1854 it must have been in
1850 or 1855 as no census was taken in
1sH
A'man named Fox captain of d small
vessel was on his way to Chicago to sell
| a cargo Of fish. At that time the cholera
was not here. Perry Smith tried TO dis
susds hiN from going on account OF the
cholera He contracted the disease there
and died on his way home.
The cemetery at that time was in the
block in which G. W. Morse's residence
now is and there were inferred the bodies
OF those who died from the cholera. DIR.
Preston was the only physician here at
that time but he worked night and day
and escaped. The plague spent itself in
about four weeks.
The epidemic which invaded the Unit
ed States in 1850 pursued precisely the
same course the plague is now taking
having entered Russia from Asia, thence
spreading to Germany, France and Eng
land and invading the United States by
way of New Orleans. 1t followed emf.
grants to California and proved terribly
destructive to- the Indians whom curios-
ity or cupidity brought IN contact with
the whites crossing the continen. Lake
ports were invaded at that time because
travel was almost wholly by water The
outbreak Of 1854 took about the same
route. A later outbreak in 1866 did not
reach the United States.
The Asiatic cholera is the most fatal of
all diseases, but not until 1917 did Eur
Io,-a ,1,nob Ia1 no
of il. Statistics show that 80 per cent. of
those attacked die. In England and
Wales in the first attack Of cholera 81
SIT deaths were reported, and this num-
Der was supposed to be much below what
actually took place. In the second cpl
demic there were 55,1S1 deaths reported.
The diseases proves fatal in from "a to 4S
hours but when epidemic life is often ter
minated in two hours and in some cases
within an hour after the attack The
first symptom is diarrhoea, followed by
vomiting. The next stage consists of
cramps OF the legs feet and abdomen; the
skin become cold and assumes blue hue,
is sodden and wrinkled because OF the
draining away of its fluids; the voice
sinks to a hoarse whisper. After death
the body remains warm for some tine
and the temperature rises in some cases.
The disease is not contagious from con-
tact but is communicated by the dis
charge from the bowels. Decaying or
ganic matter is favorable to the trans
mission of the disease. The first step
toward preventing the spread of the dis
ease Is the removal and obstruction of
refuse matter. Care should be taken of
the diet aud when water is supposed to
be impure it should be boiled before
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