The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-05-31

ers and others. as TO the best
way of preventing the disease
from entering our ports and of advanta-
geously fighting it. should the vigilance OF
the quarantine and inspection officers not
be sufficient to keep it out
DR.. Albert f. Sterne of this city Is per-
haps as we'll informed on the subject as
any man in the United States. He has
recently returned to this city after six
years spent in perfecting his kno Wedge OF
medicine in Europe. He happened to be
in Berlin during the cholera epidemic last
summer and mad an excellent opportu-
nifty of studying the disease and its treat
ment. A SENTINEL reporter called upon the
doctor yesterday and asked him to con-
tribute something that would give the
people of Indiana a better knowledge of
the nature OF the disease and of the pest
methodSof dealing with it.
Dr. sterne Talks.
Although he did not care to write an
article for publication DIR. Sterns said: 81
will talk to you about my experience and
if you can make anything out OF it you
are welcome to make use of it and L will
be glad TO have been OF some service.
Inc marvellous SUCCESS Win WHICH tue
city of Berlin combated the entrance and
spread of the disease imported from Ham
burg, a city only four and a half miles
distant and in constant communication
with the capital, was due only TO the
energy OF the municipal government OF
the latter. 10 which the inability dis
played by the authorities of Hamburg
stood in glazing contrast. Not even the
almost perfect sanitary arrangement of
Berlin and its usuai excellent government
could have availed against so strong foe
had not the exercise of rigid laws been
enforced against ell classes OF tho people.
''In their Efforts the civil authorities were
most ably seconded by the medical pro-
fession. The latter. however, Is absolutely
powerless to contend against such dis
ease IN an epidemic form. Physicians
NAV help and save individual cases, but
they cannot, unaided. protect the COM
munity at large. The community itself is
its best protection and is successful In so
far as II complies absolutely with such
regulations as are passed by the city boards
and the sooner and more thoroughly each
individual becomes impressed with the
fact that he, by complying with the rigid
discipline OF cholera times, thereby best
protects himself from the danger OF in
lection. cannot be too forcibly enjoinsd
upon all.
The health authorities of our seaport
towns accomplished wonderful results last
summer and have by no means relaxed
their efforts. This Is our best guarantee
for the exclusion Of the common enemy
during the coming hot months. Hamburg
allowed her opportunity 10 pass bv
and paid a frIQhtful penalty for her
negligence. Berlin and other cities,
warned by Hamburg's fate. grasped yigor-
Gus measures and succeeded beyond ex
pectstion. Within a short distance from
Berlin thousands were attacked by
cholera, thousands died, and still, In
Berlin, we had but thirty-fve cases. of
which only fifteen ended fatally. Berlin
may be Justly proud of what she accom-.
plished and her course of action cannot
be too strongly advocated.
Laws Were PIacarded.
COPIES of certain rigid regulations and
suggestions were placarded upon all bulle-
tin boards and conspicuously placed in
everv house, both public and private. The
people were exhorted 10 20 every pre-
caution and were instructed as TO what 10
90 or TO leave undOne. The city was, ard
still remains, a model of cleanliness,
worthy example 10 follow. During the
epidemic every street and lane was disin-
fected with sublimRted chloride OF
lime. The sewers and river banks
were especially watched. Every
HORSEPOWER was compelled to
dislnfect the courts, vaults, etc, of his
property. Strict quarantine was estab-
lished at all railway stations for passen-
gers from infected or suspected districts.
One OF the finest hospitals in the city was
assigned for cholera, and other hospitals
suspicious case OF sickness was isolated,
carefully guarded and kept under medical
observation. The people were urged not
TO cOngregate in mass meetings of any
description, though it never became nee
essary to forbid such Rssemblages.
Through the efforts of the municipal
government and the readiness of the peo-
pie to comply with these efforts, Berlin,
though almost surrounded with cholera
escaped the fate of her sister city. Large
sums of money were granted to fight the
cholera. Had Hamburg consented to a
sufficient appropriation when she was
threatened with an epidemic. much
of the misery and financial loss would
have been avoided. Only $4,000 was
asked for and refused. The financial loss
to Hamburg is estimated to have ulti-
mately amounted TO S75,000,000.
should there arise the necessity of
fighting the cholera, no backwardness in
granting sufficient means should be ex-
perienced. Above all things, adequate
means of isolating suspicious cases should
be given, and complete isolation of estab-
lished cases should be enforced.
As everyone knows, cholera belongs
to that class of diseases termed in a gem
int a
meaning that il is produced by some sDe-
cifc germ or microorganism, or bv such
poisons called toxins) as these germs pro-
duce. either through secretion. excretion
or decomposition. Toxic diseases are di-
vided into CD infectious-in a narrower
sense-or miasmic, where the infection
takes place not only through direct
contact, but also indirectly, as
BY the atmosphere; (2) contagious
where direct contact with infectious ma
terisl Is necessary; (3) a combination of
both missm icand contagious. Cholera is
of the second class, contagious. The best
psychologists concur in the belief that
cholera 10 not infectious In the narrow
sense. aSare for instance scarlet fever and
diphtheria- Cholera Is produced by germs,
the common bacilli which, finding their
way into the alimentary tract. lodge in
the walls of the intestines, but as far is
now known not passing into the blood or
other tissues. Developing best at about
the body temperature. the germs increase
i. -