The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-08-29

the loss of voice; the GOODNESS Of the body;
its blue or purple color; the pinched,
emaciated expression OF the face; the
sunken eyes, etc.
There is no doubt that the disease had
and yet its first modern recognition by the
European medical faculty was in 1871
when the cholera attacked an English
army of 1900 men in India while on the
march in March, 1871, and 5000 men were
Frustrated by the disease. The cholera
next made its appearance in 1917, when it
attacked an English army Of $1,000 that
was assembling under the Marquis Of
Hastings to crush the Mahrattas, and
destroyed 1900 men. From India the
cholera moved in 1917 by the Persian gulf
line Of travel to Bassora, where 1t de-
stroyed 1900 persons in eighteen days.
Between 1917 and 1923 the cholera gradu-
ally spread from Bengal to China, Persia.
Asia Minor and Siberia. It entered Eu-
ropean Russia in 1880, reached Sunder-
land, England. in. 1881. and London in
1882. In 1882 it ravaged all Europe and
scourged Arabia, Egypt, Northern Africa.
North and South America. In this dread
full year Of 1882 the cholera destroyed in
England 52,547 persons. In the United
States 1t followed all the great lines Of
travel, and at New Orleans it destroyed
5000 persons out of a population of IS, 600.
The cholera invaded Europe and America
again in 1s4s-49, and in England there were
this year IS, Isl deaths from cholera and
5000 from diarrhea. Europe suffered as
badly as in 1882 but the disease was not so
destructive in the United States.
|. In Russia, strange to say, the greatest
mortality from cholera was in the depth OF
winter. Cold and frost, which are fatal to
the germs of yellow fever, are not fatal to
the parasitic germ or poisonous miasm of
cholera, to which the origin of cholera is
variously attributed. The chief cause of
the spread Of cholera is the drinking of
water contaminated by cholera evacu-
atoms. When these excavations
are not disinfected they become
cholera injecting matter which may be
carried in air, water, clothing. bedding
and furniture. and getting into the lungs
and alimentary canal perfectly healthy
person becomes Frustrated with the dis
ease. The spread of cholera from Mar
settles, when the disease last visited
France. to the interior. was traced to the
recklessness Of a washwoman, who rinsed
the clothing and bed linen of cholera vic
tins in a small stream and thus contami-
mated the drinking water for many days.
The disease begins with mild and pain
less diarrhosa which lasts from two to
three days, then follow "rice water"
excavations and vomiting by which the
disintegrated epithelium or lining of the
intestines and stomach is discharged.
Then follow most agonizing cramps of the
muscles of the legs, feet and abdomen; the
voice sinks to a whisper; then collapse
and death. The blood is completely
drained of its serum or watery part and
is dark ip color and Of tarry consistency.
The best security against the cholera is
to guard against any chance of drinking
water contaminated with cholera evacua-
tons; and this is best done by drinking
bottled mineral waters, ales and wines.
Few persons in France or England who
took this precaution were attacked. OF
course cholera injecting matter may get
into the air and thus spread the disease;
it could be contracted from clothing, bed
ding and furniture in which injecting
matter had been deposited, but the great
source of danger is the drinking of cholera
water-that is, water poisoned by cholera
excavations. 1t is the knowledge of this
fact that has enabled physicians by quar-
antine, disinfecting measures and sanitary
precautions concerning cholera patients
to prevent the fatal spread of cholera in
this country. The disease in 1882 was
frightfully destructive; in 1s4S-49 it was
not nearly as fatal as in 1882, and in 1866
81 the great city of New York had but very
few fatal cases.