CHAPTER XIV 



ASIATIC CHOLERA. RELAPSING FEVER 



ASIATIC Cholera is an acute infectious disease 

 characterized by great intestinal irritation accom- 

 panied by profuse watery discharges called " rice- 

 water " discharges, and by vomiting. The general 

 symptoms include profound prostration, cold, 

 clammy skin, cardiac depression, cramps of the 

 muscles, and suppression of urine. Cholera is due 

 to the Spirillum cholerce, which was discovered and 

 described first by Koch during his investigations of 

 cholera in Egypt in 1883. 



Prior to this time little or nothing was known of 

 the cause of cholera, although the disease existed 

 for centuries in India, and since 1831 had been 

 epidemic at times in all parts of Europe. In the 

 United States cholera has been epidemic at eight 

 different times between 1832 and 1873. 



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