File:The Boston medical and surgical journal (1849) (14778576592).jpg

Identifier: bostonmedicalsur3918mass (find matches)
Title: The Boston medical and surgical journal
Year: 1849 (1840s)
Authors: Massachusetts Medical Society New England Surgical Society
Subjects: Medicine Surgery
Publisher: Boston, Cupples, Upham & Co
Contributing Library: Yale University, Cushing/Whitney Medical Library
Digitizing Sponsor: The College of Physicians of Philadelphia and the National Endowment for the Humanities

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these tacks short tacks,in marine parlance, of the electric fluid, within the crust of the earth,alter and affect the exhalants forming the atmosphere in the routeshere shown, rendering them inimical to the healthfulness and vitalityof the animal and vegetable kingdoms. I believe it to be, as it were,a solar and terrestrial combat for the balance of power of the electricforce, between these and the other bodies of the universe, until the equi-librium, from the natural laws governing them, is brought, about andmaintained ; and that during such a period, Mermo-electricity is evolvedwithin the body of the earth, and organized bodies must suffer more orless, according to their several peculiarities and organization. Thus3 The Asiatic Cholera traceable to Electric Influences. 355 then, in man, and in several of the inferior races, the hlood has in aneminent degree become electric, and the contest is with the nervouspower or animal electricity to overcome the non-electric force of the sur-
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rounding agents. It is immaterial whether the atmosphere be filled withanimalculae or with flying scorpions, it being a well-established factthat venomous reptiles and animalculae are engendered and thrive in noi-some corruptions. The production of locusts, the plagues of the east,the exhalations of the Pontine marshes, arise from these electric causes. 356 The Asiatic Cholera traceable to Electric Influences. Thus I conceive the potato rot may be accounted for from theseoccult causes, and which, I opine, will yet be proved to have acted as asort of inoculating virus, which has, and will in an eminent degree modifythe action of the atmosphere in those places where, I may say, thecholera.has existed as a disease in the potato—i. e., decomposing its vitalfluids—to such an extent as to change the peculiar character of Asiaticcholera into the form of the fatal dysentery which has afflicted ourcountry as an epidemic during the last six months. It is true that it hasbeen exceedingly fat

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