San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-08-31
A FEW CHOLERA POINTS,
Discussed by a Physician

discussed Dy PHYSICIAN.
To the Daily LIGHT:
In time OF alarm like this in the
dread of an outbreak of cholera, 1
think 1t would be well for physicians
to discuss through the daily papers
such features rs would lead to their
good or means of preventing the
plague by good ana wholesome laws
Tor protection. l Ihiuk nature has
given 10 san Antonio wonderful
protection against infectious diseas-
es by virtue uf the climate
which is acknowledged To be unex-
celled. While almost perpetua
spring, yet We have the continuous
gulf breeZes, ladened with chlorine,
fine disinfectaDt, besides pure oxI-
gen given off, which will be- found to
answer to the most delicate test, on
any clear day, another great element
and destroyer OF Infectious germs,
besides plenty OF lime in the soil, con-
,ributes it's addition OF protection of
chlorine to the atmosphere. All
united gives US the natural advan-
tages of antiseptic and desinfectsnt
agencies. Then let us add
W NAis ny SchiS#
such as cleanliness, and additional
disinfectsnts over the city. In the
first place we must consider that the
last visitation OF this scourge was IN
1866; so Narn from q personal in.
tervIew Y1th one OF It's Survivors, who
says IT bade it's appearance In Sep
tem5/f, q woman dying on Soledad
stn(et very suddenly. He says, even
iLthAt case, the physicians did not
Abspect cholera until 1t announced
Itself boldly in those exposed, and
from that began TO spread TO an
alarming degree, until he had
seen as many as 800 bodies
lying in the cemetery, awaiting
burial. He ssys it spread like a cyclone
over the city with such distress as
will ever be fresh in the minds OF the
survivors. In time of peace prepare
for war. San Antonio was then in its
infancy compared TO her present pop
ulation, and even then, less able 10
battle with the enemy than today.
San Antonio at present Can vie in
beauty, in growth, education and ed
vocational advantages and general en-
lightenmeCt in the arts and sciences,
with any sister city of her age, with
q climate and home for the invalid
which is unequaled and which places
her in III unparallel line of attraction
above all; and while this is truth, and
we have All intelligent class OF people
TO reason with, whose every reason
and interest is at stake, then in the
language of the Apostle Paul, come
let us reason together. Well our first
conclusion is to wash the city up. 1t
is true goodly portion lies in basin
but there are many sewerage holes
punched in il; flush them out and
fush their outings. one particularly.
the San Pedro creek, which when
you come to think of all that
it bears off you would be lead TO won.
der that IL flowed at all. Just think,
beginning at the San Pedro springs,
receiv ng every pipe that can reach 1t
TO the emptyings of the two hos pitfalls,
Jail, EN- bracings all along Main plaza,
south Flores street, down to the river,
/ say and you say II is q wonder how
it runs off with its load. If the city
could have such q sluce of water as
flows out of some of these big wells
turned into IL it would soon clean
that little stream out. Then we have
by vigilant sanitary officers could be
placed around greatly to the city's safe
~ and perhaps protection against the
much tn be dreaded scourge, which
we might say, now looks us in the
face, feel that physicians are public
benefactors, and In such scoufge to
be feared, should contribute their ad-
vice and aid to the protection of the
city. Don't wait until it is on US, but
let US build the wall of defence, ere
the enemy is upon US, and with good,
wholesome laws of protection, il pos
sible. We have no known remedy
against cholera, only cleanliness and
disinfectauts. saw reported in q
medical journal that during cholera
at some place, the people who sprin-
killed. sulphur in their shoes and who
took little every day, were exempt
from 1t. Such is q fine germicide and
could do no harm. How every pre-.
cautionsry measures should be en-
ployed in time for the saving of our
city. This is a time when everybody
should reason together for good.
L. V. WEATHERs.