Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-07-09
TIE CHOLERA.


solution from the new Congress.
THE CHOLERA.
DR.. WALTER KENrPsTER, who for six
month has travelled abroad as the ac-
credited representative of the United
States government for the study Of
cholera and its prevention, has an in
teresting interview in the Washington
Post on the subject Of his researches.
He furnishes the valuable information
that 1.-THE prevention Of cholera is not a
theory, but an absolute scientific GER
tainty."
His mission was to find out what
European powers are doing and to in
vestigate the commerce by which
cholera germs might be imported to this
country and to find, so far as possible,
whence and how they might be brought
and what precaution would best pre-
vent their coming. MANY seaport
towns, says he, "were visited for this
purpose. travelled over large part
Of Europe, went into Egypt and Tur :
key, and visited the IOnian Islands. "
He adds:
''The superior system Of the European
powers for dealing with the matter is APP
parent. Appropriations which would be
considered here very liberal are made TO
the schools and scientists who are best
qualified TO carry out the work. They
hold international sanitary conferences,
where their brightest men are put tor
ward, and can exchange ideas. American
medical men keep we'll abreast or the
times. but they have not the opportunities
for consultation or for personal ooserva-
ton which fall to their European collea-
CUES. Nor do they have the same absolute
authority granted 10 them in times OF dan
ger.
NAs an instance Of what can be done un-
der the best conditions, there is the history
OF the epidemic last winter in the insane
asylum at Halle. More than 100 cases had
broken out when Prof Koch was put in
control. He Guaranteed the building alb
solutely and then struck at the origin OF
the the trouble Ia twelve days he turned
the asylum inside out renovated all the
draining and water system. and stamped
the cholera out with both feet | had the
pleasure of seeing him do it. Many medi-
cal men were there TO take advantage OF
the opportunity for study. IL was a hne
object lesson.
1.-THE home Of the cholera, as everybody
knows, is in India Every seventh year
when the Mahomedans indulge in their
pilgrimage TO Mecca a wave Of cholera is
started abroad which reaches over an inn
portant part Of the world. III these Ma
homedans will not recognize their duty 10
humanity, il becomes the moral duty Of
civilized nations TO combine against them
and keep them TO themselves. Cholera
is simply a filth disease. IL they will be
filthy, they should be penned IN 10 rot
among themselves.
'No doubt their religious pilgrimages
are prsiseWorthy from their moral point OF
view, but it is rather hard that the rest Of
the world, even as far OF as America,
should be made to suffer the effects Of
them. It costs q great deal of money TO
keep cholera back when IL has started, so
that the best remedy seems 70 be TO strike
at the heart and keep the pilgrims from
starting. Great Britain holds the key to
the situation.
III she would restrain the pilgrims from
coming across the SueZ Canal 10 Mecca,
there would be comparatively little danger
Of a cholera invasion OF Europe. But her
interests oppose such a solution Of the
problem. Her supremacy in India is as
sured ouly so long as she humors the reli-
gious customs of the natives. Let her
strike at the green flag and there Will be
trouble. No other such fighters are on
the earth as the MahOmmedans fighting
under the green flag. l visited the Suez
Canal, saw the pilgrims and their ways,
and became convinced that the question Of
cholera OrnO cholera hinges there
DIR. KESPsTER holds that it is posi-
BILE to keep the cholera from a city
when the surrounding towns are faint
ed, or TO keep it from any house in an
infected city. But the expense is
great. and the trouble exceeds the ex-
pense He told Of house in Hamburg
which was barred from the outside
world during the plague. All pro-
visions were taken in on a hooked pole,
the food cooked at once, and the wrap
pings burned All inmates of the house
escaped safely, although men were
dropping down and dying in the streets
outside. BY proper precautions every
physician who worked in the hospitals
escaped the disease.
An American newspaper man proved
in Stanburg to the people what was al
ready known to scientific men, that the
cholera could not be taken by contact.
"Cholera must be eaten remarked
the doctor. cit cannot be absorbed or
breathed. The germs must be taken
into the stomach. If people realize this
and govern themselves accordingly they
can escape, in case the germs should
reach this country"
When his formal report is made to the
government 1t will be a voluminous and
interesting document.
THE ROAD QUESTION.