y 
NOTES ON RECENT CHOLERA EPIDEMIC IN GERMANY. 320 
were—in Berlin at least, where the authorities had most reason to 
be guarded, as the stream of fugitives (we may call them so partly) 
poured principally into its environs—subjected to no inconvenience 
whatever. The only precaution taken, was the enquiry of some 
medical men at the station about the health of the people, coming 
by the train. In two or three instances, persons with suspicious 
symptoms were conveyed to a proper hospital for observation and 
their private belongings were disinfected, but the other passengers 
were allowed to go where they liked with the exception of those 
who were in the same compartment with the affected. Of cases 
appearing in Berlin itself, only one was known to have come by 
a Hamburg train on the day previous. But no harm was done 
whatsoever by permitting the passenger traffic to go on as usual. 
Also the luggage was allowed to pass without interference, the im- 
practicability and uselessness of luggage-disinfection being proved 
by many experiments. The Cholera bacillus unlike the Tubercle 
bacillus—is a very sensitive organism and dies off quickly if the 
moisture necessary for its existence is wanting. The knowledge 
of this induced the Sanitary Commissions of large cities to avoid 
molestation without most urgent cause. As may be imagined, in 
small towns, especially in very small towns, many absurd and even 
amusing incidents occurred in the endeavour to guard against 
infection. It was often sufficient that the name of a man was 
Hamburger, though he may have hailed from Vienna, to be looked 
at with mistrust and to induce hotel-keepers to boycott him. 
A still more unconscious humour was embodied in the action 
of the Brazilian Government, in prohibiting during the summer 
the import of natural mineral waters and aerated waters from 
Germany. Considering that it would be rather a difficult task 
for the Comma-bacilli to find their way to the underground source 
of natural springs, besides which, if they should find their way to 
those secluded spots, they would be quickly killed by the mineral 
substances of the water and still quicker if the water should be 
aerated, considering this fact well-known to scientists, the action 
of the Brazilian Government deserves to be chronicled. 
