94 
EDITORIAL. 
already described — namely, where the poison exists in unusual inten- 
sity — or the constitutional predisposition is unusually great, the first 
stage may appear to be suppressed, as occasionally happens in violent 
attacks of other diseases j but in cholera, this event is so rare, as to be 
practically of no account; and in all countries, and under all varieties 
of conditions in which this disease has been epidemic, the experience 
as to this point uniformly agrees with what is observed at the present 
moment at Hamburg." 
" This looseness of the bowels may be accompanied with some de- 
gree of pain, which, however, is generally slight ; but in many cases 
pain is wholly absent; and for some hours, or even days, this bowel 
complaint may be so slight as to appear trifling; so that, without a 
previous knowledge of the importance of the warning, it might easily 
escape notice altogether." 
"It must be repeated, however, that when Asiatic cholera is epi- 
demic, the slightest degree of looseness of the bowels ought to be 
regarded and treated as the commencement of the disease ; which, at 
this stage, is capable of being arrested by simple means, but if 
neglected only for a few hours, may suddenly assume a fatal form." 
They recommend that u each member of the visiting committee in 
the districts or wards be provided with proper remedies, prepared in 
appropriate doses for administration on the spot, in every instance in 
which the premonitory symptom is found to exist." 
They state that authorities agree that the looseness of the bowels 
premonitory to cholera, should be treated in a similar manner with 
ordinary diarrhcsa — opiates, absorbents and aromatics are resorted to, 
as a table spoonful of chalk mixture with eight or ten drops of lauda- 
num; ten grains of the compound powder of chalk with opium, which 
is equivalent to it, or twenty grains of confection of opium, which con- 
tains about half a grain of that drug, for a dose every two or three 
hours, and if severe, tincture of catechu may be added in half drachm 
doses. The camphor mixture, consisting of camphor water, lavender 
compound, and sugar, with a few drops cf laudanum in each dose, 
will be equally efficacious. 
"It is recommended to repeat these remedies night and morning 
for some days after the looseness of the bowels has been stopped, but 
in all cases, whenever practicable, that even in this earliest stage of 
the disorder recourse should be had to medical advice." 
These views are fully corroborated and seconded by the advices 
from Constantinople, of a physician who has had large experience 
in the treatment of cholera, and witnessed the disease in all its degrees 
of progress. He states that'there is hardly an instance, that came under 
his observation, of an attack of cholera, not preceded by a diarrhcea of 
