The times., 1900-03-11

! evidently could not quell. A writer in a
. lengthy article published IN the papers at
/ the time. made certain very strong and
E Intelligent objections TO the regulation.
claiming. iu the first place that neither
/ the corporate authorities Of the city nor
the Board OF Health possessed the legal
authority TO prohibit the sale Of water
melons in The city.
1T would be right for you TO exclude this
article Of trade said The writer. If Il
were certain. or even If good reasons OK
listed TO induce ihe belief created by facts
that watermelous produce cholera. None
such do OF can. or have been shown 70, eX-
ist except in the speculatinE 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 the Board OF Health that public
meeting Of the citizens was called at the
City Hall. for the evening OF August p,
.at 80 O'Clock. 10 take into consideration
the restrictions attempted 10 be imposed
upon the productions Of the earth and of
honest industry by the desp0tic proceed
ings OF the Board Of Health Of the 18th
instant" The notice extended into quite
a lenthy tirade against the so-caIled "des-
potic proceedings" The editors Of the
National IuteIigeucer. the paper in
which the notice appeared. We're very care
ful TO have il distinctly understood that
they took no part in the controversy, be
cause 'it was not in their line a public
meeting Of other citizens was also held
ar the City Hall 10 approve the regulations
OF the Board OF Health.
Il was stated in the papers that during
The epidemic then raging only about half
the actual number o. eases had been re-
ported. The greatest number Of cases. il
was said. had occurred iu the square south
west OF the General Pcstoffice. On Sep
tember J. 1892. Drs Nathaniel P. Causin
and Alexander NcWiiliams made a solemn
appeal TO the people TO neglect no symp-
tom which indicated an attack Of the dis
ease. stating that they had learned from
experience that the preliminary symptoms.
when taken In time yielded 20 treatment
10y calomel and opium. followed boy a gentle
dose OF castor oil. or rhubarb. OF maguesia.
but il the preliminary symptoms were
neglected and e. sudden and severe attack
OF the disease should supervene. more than
nineteen-tweur cths Of those thus stricken
must surely die
On October T. 1892. the cholera was be
lieved TO have disappeared. and on Janu-
airy l. 1893. The official report Of the choi-
era epidemic was made 70 the Board of
Health 10y DIS Henry HUNT Thomas Sew
all. and Nathaniel ,. Causin. The entire
number Of deaths in the city from cholera,
as given by this report was Males 269;
females ls0. total f5s.
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
Eical Instruments. etc. a complete object
lesson In the notifications in operating in
struments and surgical methods Of all
kinds may Dc 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. lis of great benefit 10 local prac-
tltioners. 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 Z
Of the indispensable adjnuct Of these pro /
fessions the pharmacy. There were but I
fifty seven druggists in this city at the [
time Of the civil war while at present I
their number amounts TO between six /
and seven hundred. while their practice I
IS much facilitated. Thus. as a prominent /
druggist says. an the former period the |
compounding Of a prescription might take /
an hour, owing 10 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 1
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 4
his store indicated.
The systematizing and preparation Of 4
drugs is now reduced TO a very fine point |
and the pharmacy becomes ready and /
expedient adjunct 10 the field OF the ply /
sician.