Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-09-07
FIGHTING CHOLERA,
A Prominent Physician Dis.
cusses the Methods to
Be Adopted to
PREVENT THE DISEASE.
D.. Common Sense and Cleanliness the
Most Important Factors.
TIE PROPER WAY TO CLEAN HOUSE
low Nature Comes to the Assistance of the
Plague Victims.
PREVENT THE DISEASE.
TIE PROPER WAY TO CLEAN HOUSE
low Nature Comes to the Assistance of the
Plague VictimG
EFFECT OF LOWERING TIE WiCKETS

A very prominent physician of Pittsburg
who, for professional reasons. declines to
allow the use of his name, in an interview
with DISPATCH reporter yesterday, dis
cussed the prevention and cure of cholera
The physician said:
'"The rapid progress of science and art
during the last quarter century, and more
especially the former during the last decade,
has finly determined the fact that cholera
is a bacterial disease. In this line chem
ical aud microscopical observations are
making wonderful strides in the science of
medicine, both in diagnoses and therapeu-
tics Theory and practice have SO COM
pletely changed in many diseases through
scientific investigations that the teachings
of even a year ago are in most part erron-
eous. You rarely find physician now
treating symptoms without a cause. For
instance, typhoid fever is disease of bac-
terial origin, located in tue bowels, and In
stead of locking up the secretions there
with astringents, paralyzing the heart with
sedatives, and restricting to a starving diet,
the patient is put to rest Every egress of
the body is made free through sntiseptic
hONtSAhS lOl anu cACObI oAo AiSS
sponging, wholesome liberal feeding, with
strict adherence to all hygiene and sanitary
measures, our case gets well. The same
procedure, from a scientific standpoint, must
be the rational treatment in the dread
disease now under consideration.
Remedies That Do Not Cure.
'The stimulating, sedative and astrin-
gent effects Of the old and recently pub
lIshed remedies, viz: Opium, camphor,
ammonia, capsicum, rhubarb, ether, ETC.,
etc, in cholera is like closing up house on
fire. The local or external manifestations
are not so terrible for awhile, but the finale
is disaster. Rice water discharges are as
much the characteristic symptoms in cholera
as the eruption is the sign of smallpox
When we find this we have cholera modi-
fed, as we find other diseases, according to
the physical condition of our patient We
treat here vigorously the cause
through antiseptic medication, employing
turpehtine, carbolic acid, salicylic acid,
etc, internally and by inhalation; stimu-
lating hypodermically with nitro glycerine,
digitalis, quinine, ETC., and if not borne by
the stomach we'll, nourish in the same man
ner BY aid of fountain syringe use CO.
pious injections of hot water, from quart
to twice or three times that quantity once
in three or four hours medicated with sui
phur, carbolic acid any other antiseptic,
thereby flooding the lower bowels and
emptying the most fertile point of accumu-
lation. Thus destroying and freeing the
system of the. cause, we are only left to
treat the effects of the shock and our pa-
tient is we'll
''Place all discharges in strong solution
of corrosive sublimate GO grains to pint)
for at least one hour before casting away,
and. as in typhoid fever, strict sanitation
must be the rule.
"All diseases have their origin in a
specific poison; that poison has life and
action, is feeding and breeding tens of thou
sand of its kind hourly, in and upon the
mucus surfaces of our economy. To treat
the effects of the shock of this terrible in
vasion only, in the light of modern science,
would be criminal ignorance and should be
severely punishable by law.
Nature Always trieste Hslp.
Mature always comes to our relief in
sickness, and, with her vomiting and purg-
ing the system of this horrible bacteria in
cholera, if not wantonly handicapped BY
human interference, saves the life of those
with power of endurance enough to with
stand the shock. But we have remedies in
antseptic medicine to aid in this natural
and wonderful source of relief, and the
physician who fails to respond in accord
ance with recent observations and sugges-
tions is unfaithful to his noble calling and
false alike TO his God and man.
''lf- cleanliness is akin to godliness, it
means happiness. So uncleanliness is play
ing false to nature, and means suffering and
disease. If true to nature. we should have
no disease. Sickness and suffering would
never occur, and we would have less disaf-
lection, less crime; in short, we would be
harmonious, happy people
LAS preventive measures are now being
pretty freely discussed by those in authorf-
~ through the press, / would suggest that
we he most thorough and systematic in this
important matter, and move as one great
army in earnest cooperation with the Board
of health. Let every family constitute it.
self vigilance committee, with the house.
wife at its head, as her conceptions are in
nate and practical; and let us have prompt,
universal housecleaning. No one would be
at all inconvenienced. as the season of the
year for that work is at hand.
Those whose circumstances will not enable
them to proceed as indicated might be as
sisted by the Board of Health, and those
who through Indifference or ignorance re-
fuse to act, should be dealt with as criminals
and forced to duty, as one link from the
chain of true sanitature makes imperative
and incomplete the work of all.
low to Clean a Cellar.
Let us close tightly the cellars and
vaults, burn sulphur there for "a hours.
then sweep and dust and whitewash with
fresh lime, cleanse every hole and corner.
crack and crevice from cellar to attic and
force therein either solution of corrosive
snblimate, sulpkate of copper, carbolic
acid or thymol with a syringe, or use
lulverized sulphur or carbolic powder
with an air-dust tube. Cleanse
floors and carpets and disinfect them. Look
after back yards and out buildings as sur-
Eested by the Board of Health. Avoid
brushing dust from clothing indoors that
have been worn on the streets And most
important of all, observe bodily cleanliness.
Wear nothing at night that has been worn
during the day; sponge to the waist and
change underwear every morning. Battle
ut least twice week, and in tirle of pesti-
]ence, every second day. Be regular in habits
OF eating, drinking exercise and sleeping.
"Water or milk must be boiled before
using. Water, after boiling slightly i'm
pregnated with sulphur or carbolic acid,
used as drink at all times during the prev
alence of cholera or snv bacterial disease, is
great precautionary measure, as this is the
most pregnant source of communication.