THE WISCONSIN FARMER.    245



and bowels are far
and disease,-to be
under the uniform
where hard water i
firmed by the testirr
ical men everywher
subject carefully.
   CHOLERA.-Durin
1848-9, the writer o
of seeing this fact
spent the spring, su
the prevalence of I
one of the Mississ
which lies below tL
near the river's edg
is high above, on th
almost impossible to
in the ground, so t]
the only alternative
use; and little or a
you go some distant
The consequence wi
cholera, fever or dia
the residents on thi
proved fatal. nor wa:
eatery or summer cc
ren; while in the
water was used, tho!
lignant fatality, swr
and became so mark
their abode to the u]
  With great unani
regard to cholera an
we have read, state
rare, and still morn
and communities tL
water for all purpose
ly afflicted localitie
America; while thoi
formly fatal where h
this result is as marl
complaints" as of m
  A French Commis
upon this subject sae
ascertained, both in
that rain water is a
cholera, and that the
an epidemic in any c



less liable to derangemen
attacked by epidemics-
use of soft water, that
s used. This will be con
iony of scientific and med
e, who have examined thi

g the cholera seasons o
if this had an opportunity
clearly demonstrated. lI
mmmer and autumn, durin.
hat frightful epidemic, in
iippi cities, one portion o0
te high bluffs, on the flat
e; while the other portion
e rocky bluffs, where it is
D dig wells, or reach water
hat a resort to cisterns is
of obtaining water for any
o earth water is used till
-e back into the country.
as that scarcely a case of
rrhen has occurred among
e bluffs, and not one that
s there a fatal case of dys-
mplaint among the child-
lower town, where earth
-e diseases raged with ma-
eeping off old and young,
ed that hundreds removed
?per town.
imity Medical Reports, in
Ad other epidemics, which
that cases of attack were
a rarely fatal, in families
hat exclusively used rain
,s, even in the most severe-
es, both, in Europe and
se epidemics were as uni-
ard water was used; and
ced in cases of ",summer
talignant cholera.
sioner of Health, writing
ys: "It had been clearly
Paris and elsewhere, that
prophylactic (antidote) to
disease has never proved
ity where rain water was



exclusively used." And he recommends - the
general use of soft water, at whatever expense
it may be secured."
   Dr. Hobbs, of Memphis, reports as follows
-That by the exclusive use of cistern water
cholera will speedily disappear and never re-
turn; this is known both from analysis and an
experience of over twenty years; " and hence
he "recommends that it should be used, faith-
fully, for all personal purposes."
  Prof. Sea, of Cincinnati, writes Ad that it is
a verified fact, which will stand the test of
strictest investigation, that rain water used for
drinking and cooking and bathing, instead of
the hard water of wells, is a sure preventive
of cholera and bowel complaints; that no city
or town exclusively supplied with soft or rain
water ever suffers from epidemic cholera."
  Thus, it is unquestionably true, that the
exclusive use of rain water is a preventive of
epidemics and conducive to general good
health. Testimonies of high order might be
numerously multiplied, showing that the ha-
bitual use of hard or earth water is the fruit-
ful pre-inducing cause of disease and epidem-
ics. But enough, perhaps, has been presented
on this particular point, to secure the attention
of intelligent, interested people; as well those
who have easy access to earth water as those
who have not, but are compelled to resort to
cisterns; for the possession of vigorous health
and security from epidemics is equally desira-
ble by all, at whatever of expense attained.
  Even though hard water were obtained
abundantly at small expense, still in the long
run we should find a pecuniary saving in in-
curring the expense of cisterns to secure soft
wasJr for personal uses, by the decreased loss
of time and money in sickness, to say nothing
of the increased strength, capacity and exhil-
eration of joy, from continuous good health.
SUFFERING ON THE PRAIRtIs.-In years past
we visited some neighborhoods on the broad
western and southern prairies, where, from
general scarcity of water, it was very scantily
Ised, in both washing clothes and persons-
Land in bathing never; while the animals abso-



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