CHOLERA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 286, 19 November 1862, Page 5

CHOLERA

'(To the Editor of the OiAero Daily Times.) Sir,—May I be permitted through the. medium of your journal to e.ffcr a few remarks rela;ivoto the case ot tbe late Mr Erlain, which has caused so much alarm to the puhlie. Doctors Hocken and Waters say it was decidedly one of Asiatic Cholera. Whilst not for one moment doubting their professional skill but otherwise, yet do 1 differ with their opinions expressed respecting the sporadic or isolated iiattne of true pestilential cholera In support of my own views, I may mention one or two pointed instances ot the purely contagious character of this disease ■ in fact, 1 never knew a sporadic case, and never heard of any professional man whose ideas coincided with those of Doctors Hocken and Waters in this pat ticuiar.

Many years ago, when this dire scourge visited York depopulating the city, I had an opportunity aiiorded me of attemnig hundreds of cases, and he coming thoroughly acquainted with the symptoms of Asiatic Cholera in all its forms. v Dr Sampson, senior physician in that city, traced with myself numerous extraordinary instances wheie contagion Kwad to surrounding villages, and we took p;,ins to" discover the origin of every case in those villages. As a tyre of all 1 will mention one—A man w;.s attacked with iesuiential Cholera, and in forty-eight hours, sank under it power. A box containing cloihing was, after his death removed from his room, and forwartled to his frreneis in a village twenly miles distant, where no case had yet appeared. The same day on which the contents were turned out eight persons were attacked, se:ven of whom died bef.ue he next morning. In Dr iSimpson's pamphlet on this disease this case is mentioned in proof of its purely contagious, not sporadic mature. '

it this (Mr Erlam's) had been a true case, the contagion, in my opinion, must lu,ve been brought to ;he tuwn in a way not at pre-ent km.wn, from some place which bad been visited by the eli-ease. It is to be hoped no needless alarm will be caused to the public.

The fact is widely established that the body is rendered more susceptible of receiving disease from a nervous state of the system ; and at this unhealthy season, when we are likely to be visited a*ain with gastric and other fevers, also diarrhoea in its worst form, we need no additional report of coming evil. The impure state of the water in town, aud the neglected drainage everywhere visible, are things deeply to be deplored • the more so from the apathetic li^ht in which these evils are looked upon by those who ought toe.ee to them at ouce. Within the last three weeks, 1 have had four cases of diarrheea m rts mo^taggravated form.pn ciselv similar to others which I attended duriug a ten years' practice m Australia, when the disease carried off hundreds. It is the general opinion of medical men that the use oi impure water is one inaiu cause in producma it.

lire suggestion of a filter, within every one's reach should at ouce he acted upon to lesen its evil effects' Apologising for this trespass on your valuable space, I am, S r, lours obedienrly, G , ~ . , OJ , XT Wm Lookyer Martyr. Stewart-street, 18th Nov., 1*562.