The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-11

| evidently could not quell. A writer, in a
I lengthy article published In the papers at
the time, made certain very strong and
! intelligent objections to the regulation.
/ claiming. in the first place. that neither
/ the corporate authorities of the city nor
! the Board OF Health possessed the legal
/ authority 10 prohibit the sale of water
melons in the city.
1T would be right for you 10 exclude this
article of trade said the writer. If IL
were certain. or even if good reasons ex-
listed to induce the belief, created by facts,
that watermelons produce cholera. None
such do or can. or have been shown TO. ex-
list, except in the speculating honesty and
contradictory theories of physicians. Be
fore physicians can with safety say what is
or what is not proper TO be eaten during
the prevalence of cholera, they must first
know the disease and its cause. This they
are perfectly ignorant Of and every opinion
expressed by them is speculation and con-
lecture"
So great was the opposition to the de-
cree OF tie Board Of Health that public
meeting of the citizens was called at the
City Hall, for the evening Of August 81,
lat 7:30 O'Clock, TO take into consideration
the restrictions attempted 10 be imposed
upon the productions of the earth and of
honest industry by the despotic proceed
ings of the Board of Health of the 18th
instant" The notice extended into quite
a lenthy TRADE against the so-called "des-
potic proceedings" The editors of the
National Intelligencer," the paper in
which the notice appeared, We're very care
full TO have it distinctly understood that
they took no part in the controversy, be
cause 1t was not in their line" public
meeting of other citizens was also held
at the City Hall to approve the regulations
of the Board of Health.
II was stated in the papers that during
the epidemic then raging only about half
the actual number OF cases had been re-
ported. The greatest number Of cases. it
was said had occurred in the square south
west of the General Pcstoffice. On Sep
TENDER /, 1892 Drs. Nathaniel p. Causin
and Alexander McWiiliams made a solemn
appeal TO the people 20 neglect no symp-
tom which indicated al attack of the dis
ease, stating that they had learned from
experience that the preliminary symptoms,
when taken in time, yielded to treatment
by calomel and opium. followed by a gentle
dose of castor oil, or rhubarb, or magnesia,
but if the preliminary symptoms were
neglected and sudden and severe attack
OF the disease should supervene, more than
nineteen-twen eths of those thus stricken
must surely die.
On October l. 1882. the cholera was be-
lieved to have disappeared. and on Janu-
airy l. 1888 the official report of the choi-
era epidemic was made 20 the Board of
Health by Drs. Henry Hunt Thomas Sew
all, and Nathaniel p. Causin. The entire
number of deaths in the city from cholera,
as given by this report was: Males 269;
females. 1870: total, 459.
Advance of Medical Science.
Medical science has been steadily ad-
vancing from the periods mentioned. and
vast improvements have taken place in
the classification OF drugs, designs OF sur
gical instruments. etc. complete object
lesson in the notifications in operating in
struments AID surgical methods of all
kinds may be seen in the Army Medical
Museum. This exhibit. which includes
the latest appliances. as well as those
dating from the period Of the Revolution
AIRY War, is of great benefit to local prac-
titioners, vino have an opportunity of
studying here the most improved methods
OF their profession. Side by side with the
advance in surgery and medicine is that
of the indispensable adjunct of these pro-
fessions. the pharmacy. There were but
ffty-seven druggists in this city at the
time of the civil war, while at present
their number amounts 10 between six
and seven hundred, while their practice
is much facilitated. Thus, as prominent
druggist says, at the former period the
compromising of prescription might take
an hour, owing to the crudity OF the drugs,
which today can be readily accomplished
in ten minutes. There is need of less
chemical knowledge on the part of the
druggist OF the present time. who was in
early days very often an accomplished
chemist and physician as well as a drug
gist or apothecary, as the signs over
his store indicated.
The systematizing and preparation of
drugs is now reduced to very fine point,
and the pharmacy becomes a ready and
expedient adjunct to the field of the ply
stefan.