Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-10


TINE, HYGIENE AND CLEANLINESS OF DWELL
mos AND PERSONS THAT NiaHr@ Br POL
LOWED IN OTHER COMMUNITIES THAN ARMY
POSTS.
The following circular. prepared by Surgeon
General Sutherland. United States army. and
issued by the War Department. may provide
interesting reading:
This circular is published for the information
and guidance Of medical officers who NAV he
unfamiliar with the general management and
prevention OF cholera, and for Others who have
received 40 specific instructions from medical
directors of the army.
As this disease by its presence at tine New
York quarantine now threatens The whole coun-
try. great object will be gained IL we succeed
in preventing it from appearing at our military
posts by thorough and effective sanitation and
cleanliness.
Science and experience has demonstrated that
| cholera Is caused by specific germ which must
| reach the bowels in living state: that this
| germ maintains Its vitality and harmful prop
critics under many conditions the most i'm
portant being in the discharges from the bowels
of the sick, in their soiied clothing and bedding.
IN the privies and cesspools which receive the
discharges and in the soil and subsoil waters
which become secondarily contaminated.
Guided by these principles We may determine
what Is 10 be done, first. in anticipation of an
! invasion, and second. when the invasion mas
taken place.
FIRST. As cholera germs can live and multi
| ply for time outside the body il the presence
OF decay ing organic matter particularly that of
animal origin. all conditions favorable to their
existence should be excluded The measures
necessary TO accomplish This are TO remove all
decaying matters from a post, whether found
In dwellings. cellars, barracks. stables. dung
hills, old wells or cesspools. coalbins or other
hiding places. and to require absolute cleanli-
ness OF all persons. These are general, bu.
particular instructions should be given for the
inspection. condemnation and destruction Of
all tainted meat. fish. unsound vegetables.
fruit or any other article OF food that would
| tend 20 cause diarrhea-
TEoRoUoH AND Efficient QUARANTINE
If cholera be in the vicinity of post a thor
ough and efficient quarantine should be kept
up against the infected locality. No person
/ should be admitted within the lines withou,
undergoing quarantine examination: no bag
| gage nor supplies without being disinfected or
PASSED by the medical officer. Police regula-
lions should be scrupulously carried out The
| troops should be preserved from all anti
hygienic influences. There should be no I'M
necessary exposure 10 sun. rain or night air
and no drills or fatigue duties other than 10
furnish occupation and needful exercise. When
thc .iiiiiesaIs CoAultlous permit tLe post should
be viewed as engaged in active campaign
! against an insidious and implncable enemy and
the attention OF every officer should be devoted
TO experimenting the conduct Of his men with
| special reference to this view
Articles OF leather. such as trunks boots and
shoes. suspected OF cholera infection shouId be
either DESTROYED or washed with disinfecting
F, solution. Attention has been called to the in
hnence OF old shoes ms a means of propngatin
the disease; when a person treads soil more
or less damp IN az infected LOCALITY there is
every chance OF his conveying the germs Of the
disease.
| A quicscent state of mind should be erioiped
upon all; nothing is more calculated TO spread
the disease than unusual excitement or the de-
pressing influences of fear and fatigue.
The use of acid drinks. II cholera is threaten
ing, should be prescribed. This is for the pur-
! pose of acidifying the stomach and its con-
tents. which are always kline. except when
| digestion Is in progress. Acids are antago-
uistc. alkalies favorable, TO the DEVELOPMENT of
bacteria. If the stomach is kept reasonably
acid b. pure dilute acids all bacteria will be de-
| stroyed before reaching the intestines which
are ALWAYS alkaline ia health. Diluted or
aromatic sulphuric acid. acetic acid or good
vinegar, lemon ar lime juice are suitable agents
to employ. Hydrochloric acid is also useful.
This acid is always more freely secreted when
the gastric membrane is stimulated by the
presence of salt: hence salt meat Is an excellent
article of diet during the prevalence OF cholera
Moreover. all arrangements should be made
for the isola ton and treatment of first and
succeeding cases should they unfortunately oc-
cur.
CASES SHOULD BE ISOLATED.
9. When a case o. cholera appears it should
be promptly Isolated and all unnecessary con-
tact with outside people be prevented The
patient patients should have a nurse TO wait
upon them exclusively. When cases occur in
ana tk,F han ho-, a. a
lated in the special cholera hospital but If
treated in quarters ali absorbent. articles of fur
niture. such as carpets, cushioned articles and
hangings, should be Immediately removed from
the apartment.
All cases of prcmonitorv disrrhaa sbould be
detected by careful inspection and treated i'm
media;ely; and frll instructions should be given
regarding food, drink and the disinfection OF
excreta-
With the exception Of fruits that are protected
by an outer rind no article Of food should be
eaten that has not been subjected to boiling
heat in its preparation for the table, and ali
vessels used for the cooking. serving or storage
OF food should be soaked in boiling water prior
to being used.
All water for potable use should be boiled be-
fore use ii not received directly from . con-
denser, and il ID well to acidiiy it rs before
stated.
As the infection resides in the stools all dis
charges should be received into a vessel con-
tanning dlslutectunt: solled bed linen and
clothing should be stepped in q solution of
corrosive sublimate or chloride Of lime before
being removed from the ward OF sick chamber.
The hoor and furniture when tainted in sny
way shouldsbe Immediately washed with one Of
the solutions mentioned, the person Of the Pc
tent spongcd when necessary with q diiutiou
Of chlorinAtsd soda and the ward or sick room.
rs IN al infectious diseases, should be freely
ventilated.
As the disease 10 propagated chiefly BY the
Introduction Of its infection in connection with
food 90 drink, care should b exercised BY at
tendants and others in purifying the hands
after contact with infected articles, particularly
before eating. and obviously no food or drink
should BE- used In the ward or room ssve by the
cholera patients.
70, Ev1IcrExr DIsrNYEcrANra.
Boiling in water may be relied upon to purity
articles Of body clothing and bed linen that
have been infected by the discharges from the
bowels. All infected articles must Of eourss BE-
kept separate from The esnsral wssh. eolu-
lions Of corrective sublimats, one drachm 10 The
gallon Of vatsr. chlorinated lime, oas ounoo 70
tie gallon, solution Of chlorinstod soda diluted
WITH nine voluns Of water and csrbuaic scid
IN 3 Per esnt so1u1ioa 80 o0eisus dinin-