CHOLERA: 
THE GEOLOGICAL THEORY. 
BY JOHN LEA, ESQ. 
Reprinted from the Western Lancet, Cincinnati, April, 1851. 
Citizens of Cincinnati, and of the west generally, have a 
special -interest in all discussions and investigations touching 
the origin, nature, and progress of cholera ; and it appears 
to me to be the duty of every one, who has it in his power to 
correct mis-conceptions and mis-statements, or to adduce new 
facts, through that medium which he thinks may prove most 
beneficiaHo afflicted humanity. 
The report of the committee on epidemics, of the “ Ame- 
rican Medical Association” (which met at this city in May 
last), on this very interesting subject, does not appear to have 
thrown any new light thereon, or adduced any new or remarka- 
ble facts in relation thereunto, (“ upon which no one sheds 
new light.” ReporTp. 106.) 
On page 129, of the Transactions, the committee says: 
ii we believe that cholera is portable, but not contagious, that 
it is dependent for its accidental power rather upon density of 
population and personal uncleanliness, than upon any other 
causes. An atmosphere highly charged with emanations 
from living bodies, seems to be the chief stimulant of the 
choleric influence. ” 
This opinion of the committee is the more remarkable, as 
on page 125 (same report) they say:—“In a healthy district, 
twenty-six miles from Philadelphia, resided a respectable 
farmer, I. Sloanaker; about three-eighths of a mile from him 
lived his son, M. Sloanaker, who had charge of and cultivated 
the farm;” it goes on to state, that the two families consisted 
of fifteen persons, of all ages, from seven to sixty-five years, 
of whom eleven took the disease and five died. Here was 
neither “ density of population, or uncleanliness, ” being a 4 
“ healthy district, and respectable farmers; ” the discrepancy 
therefore, in these, statements is certainly very surprising. 
The committee would have had no difficulty when here, in 
tracing the epidemic in its most malignant character, to the 
healthiest locations in and near the city, amongst respect- 
able families, on high and dry situations, on the beautiful hills 
near the city, and on the hill sides, overlooking it; in several 
instances, not an individual left—all gone—swept out of exis- 
tence in a few hours ! Now mark the contrast! on “sausage 
row ” (near the river) I am informed that not one died, and 
very few died along shore, except strangers ; (boatmen*) the 
same was the case at St. Louis—in their sausage rows, no 
deaths occurred. These facts are likewise greatly at variance 
with the report of the sanitary committee of Philadelphia, 
in 1848, wherein they say, that, “ low damp situations, rich 
alluvial soils, wharves, banks of rivers, and streams, imper- 
fect ventillation, &c. all tend in a special manner to promote 
the prevalence of Cholera. ” This is altogether at variance 
with our experience here, and throughout the country. San- 
dusky, Newhope, and many other towns as clean as any in 
the state, were attacked with a perfect ferocity by the cholera ; 
while others, not at all remarkable for cleanliness, escaped. 
The committee on epidemics appears to attach much im- 
portance to the case reported by Dr. S. Hanbury Smith, as 
follows :—“ In a frame building at the corner of Plum and 
William street, there lived about 33 persons. Of these, eight 
boarders occupied four of the largest rooms, sleeping only 
two in each room, but the other small rooms were occupied 
by whole families for every domestic purpose, from five to 
eight persons residing in each room. Of the twenty-five per- 
sons who were thus crowded together in the small rooms, 
twenty-three died of cholera, whilst of the eight who slept in 
the larger rooms, not one was attacked by that disease, 
although they assisted in nursing those who were sick. ” 
The Doctor appears to have been misinformed in almost 
every particular,—I will explain as I had it from the owner 
of the house and her family to day (14 Jan.) There are 
sixteen rooms in the house :—• 
Three rooms were occupied by the family of the owner of 
* Those flatboatmen in several cases, I know, were from the sand-stone 
regions, about 100 miles up the river; and the change of water they had 
been accustomed to, to that of even the river, (low at the time) may have 
operated fatally, by giving effect to an atmosphere charged with the miasm of 
cholera. the property, consisting of - - - 6 persons 2 died.* 
Say room No. 1, “ “ “ 5 “ 0 “ 
a a 2 “ (( fi 4 <( 2 ££ 
u a 3 a (( (( 3 a j « 
u (( 4 « « <t 4 cc 2 
“ « 5’ « « “ 3 “ 0 “ 
a a g a a a 2 £< 0 44 
a a 7 ££ c« a 5 ct 1 « 
a a g a <c a Q a a 
<£ U 0 U ££ ££ 5 ££ 5 ££ 
“ “ 10’ “ “ “ Ilf “ 3 “ 
<£ <£ 22 a it ££• 2 44 2 ££ 
££ ££ 22 44 44 44 2 44 1 44 
“ <£ 23,’ “ “ ££ 5J ££ 0 ££ 
62 23 
Of those twenty-three deaths, ten are said to have been 
babies; “ nine of which died of summer complaint, and one 
died of cholera. ” The “ eight boarders, ” were in the room 
number ten, for board, but slept in the garret; one of whom 
took the cholera and died; the rest took flight, and went to 
the country. The owner of the house died, and left a widow 
and three children, now living on the premises. She said 
they had heard that the well water was bad for them, but one 
Doctor said, ££ drink as much as you want, it can’t hurt you. ” 
She likewise said, that she “ saw much white stuff stick to 
the kettle, that the water was boiled in. ” 
The committee might have found cases much more re- 
markable than the foregoing, at the northern end of Sycamore 
street, and elsewhere. 
Many (even'entire families) have been led to destruction, 
by taking advice, which, however well intended, proved most 
disastrous. They were advised to seek safety in high and 
dry situations, well ventilated, no ponds nor swamps near ! 
they did so, and by so doing, were led to use the calcareo- 
magnesian water of the wells and springs; there are none 
amongst us, I presume, who do not know cases in point. 
Had those who removed from locations in the city, where 
they wete supplied with river or rain water staid at home, 
J;he charfces would have been one thousand to one in their 
favor- A most lamentable case in this category, occurred to 
* One died of old age. 
f Eight removed. 
i All removed. a gentleman’s family which arrived here from Baltimore in 
1849; he took a house on Sycamore street, hill-side, that 
looks down upon the entire city; here he was led to believe 
that he might repose in safety during the prevalence of cho- 
lera, but unfortunately his family used the spring water, and 
seven died ! Six (the entire family) died in the house adjoin- 
ing on one side, and three in the one adjoining on the other 
side, all from the same cause, while the family adjoining the 
latter, past through the season unscathed ; the use of any other 
than rain water being strictly prohibited. The others refused 
the advice which the latter profited by, they all had cisterns, 
but preferred the spring water on account of its coolness. 
The rare occurrence o£ deaths by cholera amongst children 
is mentioned in the “ report. ” They do not appear to enjoy 
that immunity here. On Reed’s alley, at a house where five 
died last summer, they were all children, under fourteen years 
of age, and it frequently happened that entire families (inclu- 
ding children) were cut off. The “ report ” states, as a re- 
markable fact, that twenty-three cases of cholera at Philadel- 
phia succeeded each other, at considerable distance, (perhaps 
two to four miles) it is quite probable they could be traced to 
the use of well water, or cathartics injudiciously administered 
in a choleraic atmosphere. 
It appears by the same “report,” (p. 114) that out of one 
hundred cases, eighty-eight died under saline treatment. That 
the propagation of cholera in any city is owing to the quality 
of the water used therein, there is no room to doubt: 
wherever rain water is used exclusively, that disease never 
prevails epidemically, and where the supply by springs is free 
from calcareo-magnesian elements, a like immunity will be 
enjoyed ; thus in the arenacious regions of Saxony and Prus- 
sia, I believe the population has not at any time suffered. 
Halle suffered severely, while Leipsic, but a few miles dis- 
tant, was very slightly affected, yet the former is more favora- 
bly situated as a healthy location, the cause of this difference 
will be found to exist in the quality of water, used in the 
respective cities. The most malarial districts are quite as 
exempt from cholera as any others, when the use of rain 
water is adhered to: thus Charleston, S. C. (where jdiey are 
obliged to depend upon rain water) though located inTemark- 
ably unhealthy region, experiences immunity from cholera, 
and the general health of its inhabitants is better than that 
of those of New Orleans, where their piincipal dependence 
is on the water of the Mississippi. I would ask those who think that there are other exciting 
causes equal to that of calcareo-magnesian water, (as unripe 
fruit, and crude vegetables) how it is that those irritants have no 
effect whatever in such regions, as the primary formations gene- 
rally, of New England, West Tennessee, Mobile, Charles- 
ton, and the sea board generally, of the southern states; in 
those regions they have no occasion to make any change in 
their usual diet; the choleraic atmosphere passes over them, 
and finds no stimulant to nourish its venom ; it does not be- 
come epidemic. 
After such an array of facts, as has been now and hereto fore, 
adduced, will it be said—“there is no new light!55 I have 
not been able to find one well attested case of death by cholera, 
of an individual who had adhered rigidly to the use of rain 
water; if such have occurred, the cases are so very few, that 
the exceptions prove the rule, and it will certainly he found, by 
those who may takethe trouble to investigate it, that rain water 
(and probably calcareo-magnesian water, which has been 
boiled) is a surer prophylactic against cholera, than vaccina- 
tion is against small-pox! Prevention—always better than 
cure—is most especially so in respect to the most malignant of 
all diseases that ever afflicted the human family—one that 
counts its victims by millions !