THE ABORTIVE TREATMENT OF CHOLERA. 167 



before cholera sets in : this symptom serving as a means of diagnosis 

 between this disease and common diarrhoea. Observations on this 

 subject ought to be carefully made and recorded. 



Without going more minutely into details, it may be conceded that 

 in cholera, as in other zymotic diseases, the period which, in the lat- 

 ter, is called the stage of incubation, may present phenomena varying 

 in diiFerent persons, races, climates, and epidemics. 



Believing that much more can be done in cholera, in the way of 

 early and abortive treatment, than is generally attained, the writer 

 would suggest that, where any condition of things is recognized, du- 

 ring the approach or actual existence of the epidemic, as may be in- 

 dicated by perturbation of countenance; some headache; ringing of 

 ears ; dulness of hearing ; slight giddiness ; weakness of voice ; di-- 

 minution of pulse, or any similar derangement or indication of the 

 lessening of vital power, with or without the diarrhoea or nausea so* 

 usually present, that an attack of cholera be apprehended, unless- 

 other causes of disturbance can be distinctly recognized. This con- 

 sideration is much enforced by the circumstance that, in many places,, 

 an outbreak of cholera displaces other diseases than those allied to it- 

 self; so that any indispositio7i may be the precursor of, and be mer- 

 ged in, the prevailing epidemic. 



So far as these premonitory symptoms only are concerned, we are 

 not justified in pronouncing any individual case, one of cholera, and 

 before its outbreak, and even during its prevalence, many may be in- 

 clined to doubt the actual connection in every case between the causes 

 of confirmed cholera and the cases of minor indisposition that are so 

 prevalent at the time, but it seems to the writer that as some premoni- 

 tion of an attack is so very generally present, it would be exceedingly 

 unwise to relax in vigilance, but on the contrary it becomes a duty to 

 endeavour by every means in our power to preserve the community, 

 or such portion of it as may be in our charge, unharmed from the 

 visitation. Some have contended that the diarrhoea that so frequently 

 precedes actual cholera, is neither part nor parcel of disease ; for that 

 where it subsides, cholera may set in ; that where it continues or re- 

 curs, cholera does not necessarily follow ; and, consequently, it is un- 

 philosophical to regard the one as the forerunner of the other. 



It is desirable to set at rest as many of the points of dispute in 

 reference to this question as we can, so soon as observation and ex- 

 perience give us the necessary data. If every practitioner would keep 



