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roffsgärd» by the present Vodroffsvej and one in »Ladegården» by the lake Sortedams-
soen, both situated outside the city.
A large staff was appointed including doctors, clergymen, cooks, clerks, pall bearers
and gravediggers. The staff was greatly exposed to infection and many died. More than
20.000 inhabitants died - out o f a population o f 60.000.
The measures taken by the Health Commission had very little effect. Nevertheless it
must be admitted that it served with reasonable efficiency regarding the possibilities
and conditions o f that time.
A fter the epidemic the city was cleansed by fumigation and washing. The epidemic
came to an end in the first month o f 1 7 1 2 .
The most outstanding persons working on combating the epidemic have to be men
tioned:
Hans Mule, professor medici, decanus at the Medical Faculty. His letters to his
brother in the isle o f Fyn give an interesting eyewitness account o f the epidemic. He
was a member o f the Health Commission. Mule died in 1 7 1 2 after the epidemic, fati
gued with the big trask.
Johan Eichel, city physician, M.D. Eichel was appointed city physician in 1 7 1 0 and
was therefor the obvious præses o f the Health Commission. Eichel was infected early in
th the epidemic, but he recovered arid was able to take part in the meetings o f the
commission during the last half o f the epidemic.
Chresten Worm, the bishop o f Sjælland, professor theologiae. Worm was an active
and experienced administrator. He was an important person o f first-rate ability on the
Health Commission.
. .
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Johan Gottlieb Bötticher, M.D., medical practisioner in Copenhagen. Bötticher was
a German, but had practised in Denmark since 17 0 5 . He was a pugnacious and some
what difficult person. During the epidemic he ran a large practise in Copenhagen. Later
on he published a treatise about the epidemic, which is the only preserved scientific
paper about this epidemic.
Johan Bertram Ernst, chief constable o f Copenhagen. As chief o f the city guard and
o f the watchmen he was appointed member o f the Health Commission.
Cholera
In contrast to plague, cholera was unknown in Europe until the beginning o f the
19th century. The disease has its origin in the areas around the delta o f the Ganges
in what is now Bangladesh. In widespread pandemics cholera was ravaging the whole
world until as late as 19 20 . In the nineteenseventies there have been sporadic cases.
In Denmark the only major cholera epidemic was the one in 18 5 3 , and we have not
had cholera in Denmark since 18 5 7 .
Cholera is caused by a vibrio which can survive in fresh water for a long period,
whereas it doesn’t agree with acid solutions. It is transmitted almost entirely by con
taminated drinking-water.
A fter an incubation period o f three or four days cholera manifests itself in severe
diarrhoea resembling ricewater, and the discharge can amount to 1 liter per hour.
Untreated death will occur after a few days.
In the nineteenseventies the treatment consists o f administration o f glucose per os
(which counteracts the diarrhoea) and substitution for the fluid and electrolyte deple
tion by intravenous infusion. Antibiotics are o f secundary importance as the cholera
vibrio cannot penetrate the mucosa o f the small intestine.
In 18 5 3 Denmark had pulled through the Slesvig War, although the Slesvig problem
was not solved. Internally the country had its first democratic constitution after the
abolition o f autocracy in 1849. Politically the power was in the hands o f the national-
liberal citizens, the conservative officials and the landowners.
For several years Denmark had been surrounded by cholera. Sweden, Norway and
Germany all having had cholera since the eighteenthirties, whereas Denmark had al
most escaped it.
In order to prevent an epidemic regional Health Commissions were established in
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