CHOLERA, a Greek term used in the Hippocratic writings, but of indetermi nate etymology, being derived perhaps from thole, bile, or from cholera, a water-spout, or gutter. It is now uni versally employed in medicine as indi cating one of two or three forms of dis ease, characterized by vomiting and purging, followed by great prostration of strength, amounting in severe cases to fatal collapse. The variety called cholera sicca (dry cholera), by ancient writers, in which collapse and death take place without discharges, is com paratively rarely observed. The milder forms of Cholera occur almost every summer and autumn, even in temperate latitudes, while the more devastating and fatal forms of the disease are gen erally supposed to originate only in tropical countries—especially in India— and thence to be propagated epidemi cally over vast populations, and in a somewhat irregular geographical course< The very fatal forms of the disease are commonly called Asiatic, Oriental, or Epidemic Cholera; sometimes Cholera Morbus, or Pestilential Cholera. The great Hindu festivals take place every 20 years, and always commence on April 12. The danger of the conveyance of Cholera to the countries of Europe is largest at these periods. Cholera never originates at Mecca, but is always con veyed there from Hindustan; but for tunately the Mecca festivals rarely co incide in date with those of India. What is called Cholera morbus is a bilious dis ease, long known in most countries, and is characterized by copious vomiting and purging, with violent griping, cramps of the muscles of the abdomen and lower extremities, and great depression of strength. It is most prevalent at the end of summer or the beginning of autumn.Cholera infantum (infants' i cholera) is the name sometimes given to a severe and dangerous diarrhcea to which infants are liable in hot climates or in the hot season.
It is now beyond question that cholera, or Asiatic cholera as it is usually called, is caused by the growth of a germ, Vibrio cholera;, discovered by Koch in 1883. During epidemics this organism
is found in the intestinal canal of healthy persons, as well as cholera patients, so it is clear that the germ alone is not sufficient to cause the dis ease. Its malignancy appears to depend upon a run-down or weakened condition of the body. If this exists death may follow within twenty-four hours. In a well person the presence of the vibrio may cause no sickness. These cholera carriers, well themselves, but alive with germs, may play an important part in the spread of the disease. It is now gen erally believed that insects, and partic ularly flies, are agents in spreading cholera. They infect exposed foods with the vibrio; water and milk also carry infection during epidemics, as well as raw vegetables. Prevention is largely a matter of situation, and the protection from pollution of food, milk and water.
Treatment.—A number of sera have been tried as prophylactics and cures. That of Kolle has given some success, but Haffkine's is the best known and probably the most efficient up to date. The latter is prepared by passing cholera germs through a series of rab bits, and growing the final product on an artificial culture medium. The ar tificial growth is used for direct injection into the human body. Persons so vacci nated are somewhat less likely to con tract cholera than the unvaccinated, and the protection is said to last about four teen months. Strong's vaccine is pre pared by spraying artificial cultures over broths, then incubating the latter at body temperatures, and finally filter ing the product through a Reichel candle (an unglazed porcelain filter worked by a vacuum pump), which extracts all the germs and gives a sterile product for inoculation. The vaccine treatment of cholera, however, is still in the experi mental stage.