Months.... 35. CASES OF CHOLERA DURING THE LAST SIX MONTHS OF 1867, NOT INCLUDED IN THE FOREGOING TABLES. WHITE TROOPS. Cases. OCTOBER. NOVEMBER. DECEMBER. TOTAL. Recruits at Onion Creek.. of colored troops. 82 49 39 ཚ ོ :| མ 113 1 4 2 1 OCTOBER. NOVEMBER. DECEMBER. Deaths. Cases. Deaths. TOTAL. Cases. Deaths. H3 11 3 13 *Besides the above, there are reported during the month of June 3 cases and 1 death of white, 4 cases and 2 deaths APPENDIX 1.-CHOLERA. B. EXTRACTS FROM OFFICIAL REPORTS. (CIRCULAR No. 3.) WAR DEPARTMENT, SURGEON GENERAL'S Office, Washington, D. C., April 20, 1867. In view of the possible prevalence of cholera during the approaching summer, the following instructions are promulgated : Every endeavor will be made by medical officers to prevent the introduction of cholera from infected commands, or its conveyance from point to point, by a “quarantine of observation" upon all detachments of recruits or troops arriving or departing from depots, posts, or recruiting stations at or near which this disease prevails; prompt reports of its appearance in commands either en route or in garrison; and isolation of all cases so far as practicable. In addition to the strictest hygienic police, enforcement of personal cleanliness and thorough disinfection, attention should be paid to the quality of the water used for drinking and cooking purposes. When pure rain water cannot be procured in sufficient quantities, and the spring or river water contains organic impurities, it should be purified by distillation, or the noxious matter precipitated by permanganate of potash. From half a grain to one grain of the crystalized permanganate (or its equivalent in solution) added to one gallon of water should produce a decided pinkish hue, which disappears within twenty-four hours, (if the salt has not been used in excess,) the water should then be drawn off, and is ready for use. Turbid water, such as that of the Rio Grande, lower Mississippi and its tributaries, should be filtered, or allowed to settle before using. The deposit of impurities can be hastened by the addition of powdered alum in small quantities, well diffused by stirring. It is always, but more especially in times of threatened danger of pestilence, the duty and privilege of medical officers to submit the practical suggestions of experience and professional knowledge for the protection of the health of troops to their commanding officers; and the history of the epidemic of cholera in 1866 shows that only by combined and untiring vigilance, energetic action, and rigid enforcement of hygienic measures, within the reach of every commander, can we hope to avoid, keep in check, or eradicate this disease. Besides the usual reports of sick and wounded, every medical officer in charge of cholera cases will forward to the Surgeon General's Office, at the close of each month, a list of cholera patients in the following form: Successful methods of treatment and results of autopsies will also be communicated. The senior medical officer at every post at which cholera appears, will make a special report to the Surgeon General, setting forth any facts he may be able to ascertain as to the introduction of the disease, and especially those bearing upon its importation from infected points by recruits or others, or its apparently spontaneous origin at the post. J. K. BARNES, Surgeon General, U. S. A. NEW ORLEANS, LA. Extract from Monthly Report of Sick and Wounded, New Orleans Post Hospital, Greenville, La, November, 1867. E. A. Koerper, Assistant Surgeon, U. S. A. A tendency to choleraic diarrhoea is showing itself. Henry Sadler, Private, Company "A," 39th U. S. Infantry, (colored,) was admitted to hospital at 11.30 o'clock a. m., in a state of collapse, and died at quarter before nine of the same day, in spite of all efforts to save him. Extract from Monthly Report of Sick and Wounded, New Orleans Post Hospital, Greenville, La., December, 1867. E. A. Koerper, Assistant Surgeon, U. S. A. Simon Green, Private, Company "A," 39th U. S. Infantry, (colored,) died eleven hours after admission. When admitted he was in a collapsed condition, from which he could only partially be made to react. Two cases of choleraic diarrhoea were successfully treated. Extract from Monthly Report of Sick and Wounded, Greenville, La., December, 1867. Wm. Deal, Acting Assistant Surgeon, U. S. A. The three cases of epidemic cholera noted on the tabular list of diseases, contracted the disease whilst on guard duty in New Orleans. They were sent to the post hospital as soon as reported. Two recovered, and the third died within ten hours after the attack; he was in a dying condition when the ambulance arrived with him from the city. Great care has been taken in keeping the wards clean, and disinfecting the water-closets. Daily, for over three months, a solution of sulphate of iron has been put in the privies. Many cases of incipient diarrhoea have been treated and checked without the soldiers being relieved from duty; the eight in the tabular list did not reach an average of two days in quarters. No case of cholera during the summer or fall originated in camp here. JACKSON BARRACKS, NEW ORLEANS, LA., February 4, 1868. GENERAL: I have the honor to enclose herewith tabular lists of all the cases of cholera and choleraic diarrhea which have occurred at this post during the month of January last; also, of those occurring in September, November, and December, 1867. No cases occurred in October, 1867. The cases of cholera number only three, and of choleraic diarrhoea four, and the cases of each disease thus recorded did not differ from each other except in the degree of severity of their symptoms, and, with the exception of the case in December, were all distinctly traceable to imprudence in eating or intemperance in drinking. In view of the extensive prevalence of the disease in the city of New Orleans during the past four months, the small number of cases occurring in this command during the same period is noticeable, and may be considered due to the general excellent sanitary condition of the post as to cleanliness, ventilation, &c., of the quarters and hospital, the thorough daily disinfection of the sinks of the post, and the immediate disinfection of the dejections of all the sick in the hospital, which measures doubtless prevented any spread of the disease, the predisposing causes of which are apparent in the adjacent city, and inherent in the habits of the soldiers of the command, a considerable portion of whom are recruits. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Brevet Major General J. K. BARNES, Surgeon General. B. A. CLEMENTS, Surgeon, and Brevet Lieutenant Colonel, U. S. A. Extract from Monthly Report of Sick and Wounded of Co. "A," 33d U. S. Infantry, New Orleans, Louisiana, January, 1868. Heber Smith, Acting Assistant Surgeon, U. S. A. EPIDEMIC CHOLERA: This report is for Co. “A,” 33d Infantry, (67 men,) and the post band, (17 men.) Under the head of epidemic cholera, all cases of choleraic tendency are reported, although only two of them became fully developed. The others should, in my opinion, be called "choleraic diarrhoea, or cholerine." Company "A" arrived on the 10th inst. from the mountainous section of Georgia, and cholera made its appearance almost immediately among the men. VIDALIA, LA. BATON ROUGE, LA., November 5, 1867. GENERAL: I have the honor to forward special report of cholera, and brief history of the same as it appeared in camp at Vidalia, La., at the commencement of the month of October, 1867. During the months of June, July, August, and September, cholera appeared amongst the freedmen on many plantations, only several miles from our camp. This made us very vigilant. By my advice and direction, every sanitary measure was enforced in order to prevent the disease. The camp was twice daily policed. The sinks were every day disinfected either with chloride of lime or solution of sulphate of iron. Chloride of lime was liberally spread all over the camp, and the men were daily instructed to be careful of what they ate and drank. The first case that appeared was that of Private John Long, which terminated fatally; though it is not without some diffidence that I so pronounce it, because I know that he had cardiac dropsy, for which he was under treatment; furthermore, I am informed that he had no rice-water discharges, but severe cramps in his legs and constant vomiting. Having been sick myself at the time for several days, I engaged the services of a good practicing physician to attend the troops. John Long, as mentioned, the first case that occurred, was under the treatment of said physician. He took sick on the 30th September, and died October 1st, 1867. The circumstance that from this day nearly every man in the command was attacked with diarrhoea makes it, however, probable that it was a real case of epidemic cholera. Most of the diarrhoea cases were, however, easily managed, by a pill composed of equal parts of opium, sugar of lead, and camphor. * The first undoubted case was Private John Enders, who was admitted October 6th, 1867. At his admission he presented all the symptoms of true cholera asiatica: violent vomiting and purging of rice-water, cramps, cold extremities, and suppression of urine. This patient rapidly recovered, but suffered a relapse by indiscretion in eating on the 14th of October. I am informed by some of the men that the preceding evening he ate apples and gingerbread in great quantities, and walked many times to the sink barefooted. On the morning of the 15th I was called to see him, and found him in a collapsed state, vomiting and purging rice-water, with cramps, cold surface, cold extremities, cold tongue, and a very weak pulse. He recovered very slowly, but at the date of this report he is strong and restored to duty. Private John Leyden was the next case, admitted October 7th, 1867. I am informed that the night he took sick he ate at least a half dozen of apples and some gingerbread. He went, as I am told, about fifteen or twenty times to the sink, and was found early in the morning lying near the water-closet. Nobody knows how long he was lying there. When I was called to see him, I found him in a complete collapse, with excessive spasms of the abdominal and other muscles, his pulse was quick and small, the skin was ice-cold, his features shrunken, the extremities cold and of a blueish color. His vital powers failed rapidly; he died at 6 p. m., October 8th, 1867. The same day Charles Kopp was admitted. He had all the symptoms of cholera, but in the incipient state. He recovered. Jones, Conners, and Schrivemhold were admitted on the 8th of October, while they had the first symptoms of cholera. They all recovered. Joel L. Tuttle was the next case admitted. He had, as I am informed, diarrhoea for several days, but did not call for medicines, through dread and fear that he would be obliged to go to hospital, where the former cases of cholera had been taken. October 10th I was called to see him, about 7 o'clock in the morning, and found him in collapse, with cold surface, cold tongue, cold extremities, and a quick weak pulse; violent vomiting and rice-water discharges; his features were shrunken; his fingers had the appearance of what is called the "washerwoman's hands;" there was a great similarity between this case and that of Leyden. Died October 10th, 1867. The company having been removed to a healthy camp and highest available ground, about four miles from Vidalia, La., diarrhoea prevailed among the men for some time, but the epidemic disappeared entirely. As to the probable cause of the epidemic, I have the honor to respectfully state that cholera was sporadic at and around Vidalia through all the summer, especially among the freedmen. Another cause may have also been that our cistern gave out, and we were obliged to use the dirty Mississippi water. This water has been boiled and purified, but, no doubt, the men have more often parta ken of the water as it came from the Mississippi than otherwise. At this time a grocer at Vidalia, who had his store near the camp, received several barrels of apples, which the men of our command purchased profusely. Having been informed of this, I requested the grocer to sell no more of the apples to the troops, which he agreed to do, but the men got the apples by sending citizens and negroes to buy for them. I am, General, very respectfully, your obedient servant, E. ALEXANDER, Brevet Major General JOSEPH K. BARNES, Surgeon General. Acting Assistant Surgeon, U. S. A. VICKSBURG, MISS. Extract from Monthly Report of Sick and Wounded, Vicksburg, Miss., June, 1867. A. A. Yeomans, Assistant Surgeon, U. S. A. Maurice Kennelly, Private, Company A, 24th U. S. Infantry, was attacked with what appeared to be a severe form of cholera morbus on the morning of the 29th of June, 1867; he was immediately admitted to the hospital. In the course of two hours well-marked symptoms of Asiatic cholera presented themselves, his extremities became cold, the action of his heart weak, he had severe cramps, and rice-water purging and vomiting. Under the influence of warm external applications, frictions |