The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-02-18
CHOLERA AND CREMATION.

Sir Spencer Wells, the great English
physician and surgeon, thinks the only
possible means of exterminating intec-
tious diseases like cholera is the cremation
of the dead bodies infected. It has been
shown. Cor example, that recent viruient
epidemic of scarlatina in Yorkshire VIII
lage came from germs buried with the
bodies of victims of that disease thirty
years before. IL is, therefore, says DIR.
Wells, vain to hope for the abolition OF
cholera if its bacilli are still to be preserved
by burying in the earth the bodies of the
victims. A little less than 20 per cent.
Of the bodies buried in the earth con-
tain the germs of zymotic diseases--the
seeds Of scarlet fever. yellow fever, small
pox, typhoid, cholera-and there in the
earth they become almost imperishable.
and ready, after years of iatency. to reviv-
ify and recommence their infective activ-
Ity-being carried by drops of water in the
soil to a conmunity's water supply or
brought by earth worms to the surface
and thence washed into the same chan
nels or blown about IN the air. And all
in coffin or not. Anything short of COM
plete destruction of the infected body by
fire or by some powerful chemical agent,
says DR.. Wells, must be powerless or
incomplete As a safeguard. WHAT
sense then. after adopting every means
to cut off the cholera or smallpox
patient from contact with others while
living. in putting the body when dead just
where It is "most likely to preserve and
multiply the disease germs which they
contain?" In short, concludes the
physician, our governments, our munich
palities, the clergy of all denominations,
our own households. should learn that no
case of cholera, yellow fever, typhoid
fever, scarlatina, diphtheria, smallpox,
measles, or whooping-cough can be looked
upon as natural, providential, or unavoid-
able; Du: that the existence of such
group of preventabe diseases is proof of
ignorance or negligence. ana therefore q
disgrace to the country, to the town, to the
family"
Cholera finds its way into the systems
of its victims usually through the drink
ing water, where the germ, when it once
gets in. multiplies and spreads with meal
culable rapidity. 1t was proved conclu-
sively that the cholera epidemic in the
east of London, in 1866. was caused by the
distribution Of the germs by the East Lon
don water works, whose supply had be-
come infected from the discharges of some
cholera patients in a cottage drained into
the river from which the supply was drawn.
These patients had come from q cholera
infected port of Europe Neglect or ignor-
ance here cost 5000 lives. Pure drinking
water insures practically complete I'M
munity from the disease. But once
the water supply has become polluted. it
is doubtful if any process of filtration will
completely purify. Living in clean and
heaithful surroundings would then
greatly modify the violence and spread Of
the disease. But the only way to stop it
and keep clear of it Is to get it out of the
drinking water. In times Of epidemic Of
such spreading diseases as typhoid fever
aud cholera, says DR.. Wells. it would be
well for people in an infected community
to boil their drinking water fully five min
utes as an extra precaution, even after it
has been carefully filtered: and milk. too,
where it may have been adulterated with
water.