The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-07-19
CHOLERA MUST BE EATEN. 7
The Only Way You Can Get the Dis
ease with Certainty.

The Only Way You Can Get the Dis
ease with Certainty.
DR.. Walter kempster. who for six
months past has been travelling abroad as
the accredited agent Of the nited States
Government for the study of cholera and
its prevention, said lately:
The prevention Of cholera is not a
theory but an absolute scientific certainty,
70 lind out what the European lowers
were doing was. one OF my purposes.
Another most important object was 10 in
vestigate the commerce by which cholera
germs might be imported to this country,
to hnd, so far as possible, whence and
how they might be brought, and what
precautions would best prevent their
coming. Many seaport towns were Wis
tied for this purpose. ! Travelled over a
large part of Europe. went into Egypt
and Turkey. and visited the Ionian
Islands.
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 on the work. AS an in
stance what can be done under the best
conditions, there is the history of the
epidemic last winter in the insane asylum
at Halle More than one thousand cases
had broken ont when Professor Koch
was put in control. The place was reek-
ing with it. lie quarantined the build
ings absolutely and then struck at the
origin of the trouble. In 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 medical men were there to take adj
vantage OF the opportunity for study. 1t
was fine object lesson.
The home of the cholera, as every
body knows, is in India. Every seventh
year when the Mohammedans indulge in
their pilgrimage to Mecca a wave Of
cholera is started abroad which reaches
over an important part of the world No
doubt their religious pilgrimages are
praiSewOrthy from their point of view.
but it is rather hard that the rest of the
world, even as far Off as America, should
be made to suffer the effects of them.
''Great Britain holds the key to the
situation. Ii she would restrain the pill
grims from coming across the Suez Canal
to Mecca. there would be comparatively
little danger of cholera invasion OF
/ Europe. But her interests oppose such a
solution Of the problem. Her supremacy
in India is assured only so long as she
hunlors the religious customs of the
natives"
DR.. kempster holds that it is possible to
keep the cholera from a city when the
surrounding towns are tainted or to keeu
1t from any house in an infected city. But
the trouble is great, and the trouble ex-
ceeds the expense. lie cited in illustra-
ton Of this a house in Hamburg which
was barred from the outside world during
the plague. All provisions were taken in
on a hooked pole, the food cooked at once
and the wrappIngs burned. All the in
mates of the house escaped injection, al
though men were dropping down ana dy-
ing in the streets outside. BY proper pre-
cautions every physician who worked in
the hospitals escaped from the disease.
Cholera must be eaten" remarked the
doctor, putting 1t epigram matically 1T
cannot be absorbed or breathed The
germs must be taken into the stomach. l
people realize this and govern themselves
accordingly they can escape, in case the
germ should reach this country"