for example, travelers liked to camp along the platte river in colorado, so they could easily get fresh water. however, as thousands of travelers used the same campsites over and over again, sewage from travelers with cholera got into the platte river. after this, any traveler that drank water from the platte river, or made food with that water, could get cholera. often, cholera's symptoms would be so bad that travelers would die within 12 hours of getting sick.