Experiments with flies showing that they are most successful infection-car riers. A fly, which had been infected by being put upon a, mass of cholera ba cilli, was placed on a piece of beef, which, after a time, was found to contain an enornions mirnber of living bacteria. Ilfelman (Lancet, July 15, '93).
Series of experiments showing that not only the comma bacillus, but also other bacteria existiite. in the intestines of chol eraic cadavers, are preserved in the in testines of flies at least three days; bac terium thought to be the vibrio INIetselt nikowi, when removed from the intes tines of flies three days after infection, killed a guinea-pig and a pigeon after the same lapse of time (twenty-four hours) as a vibrio received directly from the intestines of a choleraie cadaver. Savtschenko ("Wratsch, No. 43. '93).
The danger of infection by the postal serviee is exceedingly great. A letter infected with cholera bacilli put, .as in the ordinary way, into a post-bag was fonful. after twenty-three hours and a half, to be still covered with living bacilli. On post-cards they were found living twenty hours after infection. On coins the bacilli died with remarkable rapid ity. whereas, on woolen and linen stuffs they enjoyed a particularly long life. Uffelman (Lancet, July 15, '93).
It is possible for the cholera. spirillmn to be taken up in the air in dust, and thus transported. Uffelman (Berliner klin. Woch., June 26, '93).
Account of an outbreak of cholera in Burdwan jail, furnishing strong presump tive evidence in favor of the theory that flies may spread disease. Nine cases of cholera, 4 of which were fatal, occurred in 6 different sleeping wards. Just out side of the jail-walls, at the corner where the ordinary prisoners were fed, were a deserted compound and row of dirty huts, where a year ago had been a number of fatal cases of cholera. Swarms of flies were blown by this wind from the huts into the jail-yard. where, on reaching the trees and corner of the high jail-wall, they obtained shelter from the storm and settled on the food exposed on plates before the gang which fed at this corner. All the affected prisoners were fed at this place on the evening of the storm.
Surgeon Captain W. J. Buchanan (In dian Merl. Gaz.. Mar., '97).
But, whatever its origin may be, the disease does not attack all those who are exposed to it; in fact, during aia epi demic we see that it develops mainly in those who are predisposed to it, on account of previous diseases, dietetic er rors, mental or physical strains, and other causes disturbing digestion or generally The healthy human body does not furnish a congenial ground for the spe cific bacillus. Out of 39 persons, mostly of the pauper class, who died of cholera, and were examined at the Hospital of St. Peter and St. Paul in 1892, the fol lowing results were found as to the presence of other diseases:— " Cases. Per cent. Nephritis chronica in terstitialis . 35 90 Dilatatio ventriettli.. 28 70 Sclerosis eranii. 1S 43 Cirrhosis hepatis..... 16 40 Gastritis glandularis. 15 37 Pleuritis adhesiva.... 8 20 Atheroma aortte et arteriarum cerebri. 17 Endocarditis vegeta tiva 4 10 Pachymeningitis 3 7.5 In 21 women. in whom autopsies were made, abortion was found to have oc curred 7 times. newowski (Archives des Sci. p. 517, '92).
Alcohol increases six times the degree of predisposition, in a given individual, to choleraic infection, not only by modi fying cellular function and causing vas cular troubles, but also by decreasing the bactericidal power of the blood. Thomas (Archiv f. exper. Path. u. Pharm., Aug...24, '93).
In cases of alcoholics mild cholera, like trautmatism. is capable of producing de lirium tremens, and may also account for a sudden aggravation of light cases. L. Gaillard (Arehives Gen. de Med., Oct., '93).
Natural immunity against cholera which, according to Koch, exists in half of the htunan race. The exact way in which this acts is not yet clear, but it is probable that the toxin generated in the intestinal canal by the vibrios of cholera becomes chang,-ed by the nuclein, during. absorption. into an immtmizing substance, or antitoxin. It is a pecul iarity of the living cell to be able to preserve a free acid in an alkaline medium. When the life of the cell is destroyed the barrier is removed to the entrance of the cholera baeilli. perer (Dentsehe med. Woeh.. 31ay 17, '94).