Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1893-07-08
Pleasant Cholera Remedies.

1t is reported that the Imperial
Health Office at Berlin has announced
that it holds the acid of oranges and
lemons to be death to the cholera
bacillus A correspondent of the
Chicago Tribune asks if the informa-
eion is correct, and says if so, the
people of Southern California have at
hand as good an antidote for the
dread disease as they could wish for.
The Tribune replies that it has no
information as to the truth of the
reports but can say that the state
ment appears to be in line with the
results of recent scientific discovery.
One Of the best-settled facts in re-
gard to the comma bacillus is that
he Tor it) cannot develop activity
among acid, but uhrives and multi
plies abundantly among the alkaiies.
The cholera bacillus is killed by the
acid juices Of healthy human stom-
ach. 1t is only when through i'm
perfect digestion, due either to weak
ness OF the gastric juice or to over
loading the stomach, he passes un-
hurt into the alkaline contents of the
small intestines that he begins to
get in his deadly work.
Therefore the problem of success
fully fighting the cholera germ would
seem to resolve itself into the COM
parativelY simple question of how to
attack him in his stronghold with
some acid that will not act as a
deadly poison. This is the rationale
of the proposed ozone treatment for
cholera. 1t is to expose the germ TO
the action of oxygen (the acid fOrmer)
in it's most potent form, so that the
material of which the bacllli are COM
posed may be eaten up by the Oxidiz-
ing process-rusted out. OF course,
if the acid in oranges and lemons can
be so applied there is a reason to
think it will be equally effective, and
with the additional advantage of be-
ing pleasant remedy as well as a
safe one Whether or not their acid
would pass from the stomach without
losing its active property is for the
experts to say, but if it did still there
is the possibility of valuable action
in that organ in case the digestive
process would be without 1T TOO feeble
to destroy the bacilii before they
reach the bowels.
So there need be no difficulty in &C
cepting as correct the report that the
orange and the lemon have been
recognized by the Imperial Health
Office at Berlin as valuable for the
prevention of cholera. and recon-
mended for use ''before taking" the
germs into the system, as well as
afterwards, But substantially the
same virtue should be possessed by
the juice of the fruits in the case of
all other diseases that are caused By
the ravages of microbes, when there
is a reasonable hope that the acid
principle can be made to reach the
part affected. For it is found that
all the bacilli are composed of albu-
minous material. They are essen
italy alkaline in affinity, and sub
ject to disintegration when exposed
to the action of acids powerful
enough to affect them. So it may be
that the orange groves of Southern
California and Florida will be found
to have an additional element of
value--namely; medicinal one, and
of guarding our people from
the ravages of other diseases besides
that caused by the fell destroyer
which periodically makes it's appear
ance in the Old World.