The morning call., 1893-02-21
HOW THE RUSSIANS DEAL WITH
CHOLERA.

The Russians, 10 whose careleSSneSS Gu-
rope was probably indebted for last
years visitation of cholera. are now doing
their best to atone for their mistake by
devoting attention TO the cure of the dis
ease. In NO part of the world are the
symptoms and characteristics of the mall
ady being so thoroughly studied as they are
at the present time in the Russian hospitals.
Some of the conclusions which have been
reached are curious.
One of the places which is visited at every
outbreak of cholera in Russia is Baku. on
the Caspian. At the hospitals at that
point highly educated staff of physicians
have been engaged in investigating. They
report that, in order to contract Asiatic
cholera, one must. so 10 speak. either eat it
or drink it; that is TO say. the comma
bacillus must be taken into the stomach in
food or in drink. This theory denies the
contention of those who holi that the
bacillus may be inhaled and taken into the
body by the air passages. If the cholera
poison can only be imbbed In food and
drink. it can be guarded against by boiling
all ailments taken into the system, for no
bacillus eau survive exposure to heat atsthe
boiling point. The theory may be worth
the attention of American doctors. 1t is
the discovery of an American. Dr. Black
stein, who is in charge of the Baku cholera
hospitals.
In the treatment of the disease the Rus
slams have struck out new paths They
appear to have discarded the old treatment
by the administration of opiates, tannin.
starch. etc., coupled with counter irritation
by poultices of turpentine or other eX-
- rnlvv hon
taneous injections of salt water. coupled
with hot baths. Where the disease has not
progressed beyond the first stage it is said
that 1t yields readily to these injections.
which are inserted in the abdominal wall
on either side of the umbilicus. The salt
water is absorbed into the system in six or
eight hours. and relief Is said to follow.
This treatment is empirical, and requires
justification. 1t is not easy to trace the con-
neetion between the comma bacillus and
saline water; but. as it seems TO have af-
forded relief. and to have improved the
circulation, 1t is worth trial.
Another treatment is by irrigation. This
rests upon the belief that the choleraic
symptoms are the result of some form OF
poison, bacterial or other, which acts on the
tissues of TIT colon. This being admitted,
the symptoms OF the disease would be re-
moved by washing out the bowels, so as to
clean those tissues. This is done by pour
ing a stream of strong CASTLE soap suds
through tube past the colon and keeping
up the flow so long as the fluid reappearS
with any stains or faint. The operation
may be repeated more than once. 1t will
be observed that it deals with the symptoms
and not the cause of the disease. The
poison which is washed away is merely the
consequence of some pTe-existlng agency,
and so long as that agency continues at
work washing away its effects can only
afford temporary relief. Still, good results
are said TO have been attained in Russia by
the process of irrigation, and il is proposed
TO try il thoroughly if another outbreak of
the disease occurs. The inventor of the
cure is another American physician, DR..
Lee of Chicago.
1t is noticed that while DR.. Koch'S theory
of comma bacillus is generally accepted
no attention appears to be paid TO his
scheme of incubation. That preventive
had trial in Spain eight years ago and did
not commend Itself TO professional ap-
proval. 1t has not been discarded, but 1t is
viewed with less confidence than 1t was
when it was first introduced. Perhaps IL
did not have a fair trial. Perhaps there
was an error in the manner of its employ
ment 1t will be remembered that many
years elapsed before vaccination was per-
fected, and during all that time the hide
bound votaries OF ancient theories de-
nounced it as fraud.
The main reliance Of the Russians is on
cleanliness. BY order of the Government
the rules adopted last year by Governor
Baranoff OF Ni1ni-Novgorod have been cir
culated for the guidance of other cities He
was very thorough. All streets, sewers,
public and private buildings were cleaned
and disinfeeted with carbolic acid, bichIo-
ride of mercury. dry heat or steam. Water
and milk were carefully inspected. Fruits.
vegetables, fish and caviar if not perfectly
fresh. were destroyed. Every house in
which a case of cholera occurred was spe-
cially disinfected. Every railroad train wa;
compelled to have a cholera car attached
Through these precautions the mortality In
General Baranoff's Government was light
The disease met It's first check there on its
progress westw ard.