A history of the yellow fever : the yellow fever epidemic of 1878, in Memphis, Tenn., embracing a complete list of the dead, the names of the doctors and nurses employed, names of all who contributed money or means, and the names and history of the Howards, together with other data, and lists of the dead elsewhere, Part 11

Author: Keating, John McLeod, 1830-1906; Howard Association (Memphis, Tenn.)
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Memphis : Howard Association
Number of Pages: 906


USA > Tennessee > Shelby County > Memphis > A history of the yellow fever : the yellow fever epidemic of 1878, in Memphis, Tenn., embracing a complete list of the dead, the names of the doctors and nurses employed, names of all who contributed money or means, and the names and history of the Howards, together with other data, and lists of the dead elsewhere > Part 11


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69


1859 .- Brazoria. Tex., near Gulf of Mexico, Cypress City, Tex., Edinburgh, Tex., on Rio Grande, commencing in July, mortality 13; Houston, Tex., Indianola, Tex., Richmond, Tex., on Brazos River, Sugarland, Tex., on Brazos River; New Orleans, only 91 deaths.


1860 .--- New Orleans, 15 deaths.


1861 .- Not a single case reported from any quarter.


91


A HISTORY OF THE YELLOW FEVER.


1862 .- Tortugas, Fla., Gulf of Mexico, mortality 4; Key West, Fla., com- mencing June 20th, and ending October, mortality 71; New Orleans was attacked after an escape of three years; Smithville, N. C., Wilmington, N. C., commencing August 6th, ending November 17th, mortality 446; Charles- ton, S. C., Hilton Head, S. C., commencing September 8th, ending October 25th ; Corpus Christi, Tex., Indianola, Tex., Matagorda, Tex., mortality 120; Brownsville, Tex.


1803 .- Pensacola, Fla., commencing August 25th ; New Orleans, nearly 100 cases, with two officially recorded deaths ; Beaumont, Tex., on Neches River, Matagorda, Tex., on Matagorda Bay, Sabine City, Tex., commencing July, ending October 1st, mortality 14.


1864 .- Key West, Fla., New Orleans-more than 200 cases, with 57 deaths; Beaufort, N. C., commencing September 25th, ending November 17th, mor- tality 68; New Berne, N. C., commencing September, ending November, mortality 700; Charleston, S. C., commencing July 27th, Galveston, com- meneing September 1st, ending November 20th, mortality 259; Houston, Tex., Millican, Tex.


1866 .- Key West, Fla.


1866 .- Memphis, Tenn. (sporadic cases); Galveston, Tex.


1867 .- l'ensacola, Fla., commencing July 24th, mortality 34; Tortugas, Fla., commencing July 4th, mortality 38; Fort Morgan Island, Mobile Bay, com- meneing August 13th; Montgomery, Ala., on Alabama River, commencing August 13th; Key West, Fla., New Iberia, La., New Orleans (after an escape of two years), commencing June 10th, ending December 22d, mortality 3,093; Opelousas, La., Washington, La., Alleyton, Tex., commeneing September 4th, ending December, mortality 45; Anderson, Tex. (140 miles east by north of Austin), Austin, Tex. (above navigation on Colorado River), Bastrop, Tex. con Colorado River), Brenham, Tex. (twenty miles from Brazos River), Calvert. Tex. (between Brazos and Navasota River), Chapel Hill, Tex. (near Brazo- River), commencing August 6th, ending December, mortality 123; Corpus Christi, Tex., commencing August ; Danville, Tex .; Memphis, Tenn., mortality 231; Goliad, Tex. (on San Antonio River) ; Galveston, commencing June 26th. ending November, mortality 1,150; Harrisburg, Tex. (on Buffalo Bayon; ; Hampstead, Tex. (fifty miles from Houston), commencing August 9th, ending November 26th, mortality 151; Huntsville, Tex., commencing August 9th, ending October 19th, mortality 180; Independence, Tex. (80 miles south of Austin), Indianola, Tex., commencing June 20th, mortality NO: Lagrange, Tex., commencing August, ending November, mortality 200; Liberty, Tex. (on Trinity River), Milliean, Tex., commencing October 15th, ending Novem- ber 12th, mortality 4; Navasota, Tex., commeneing August 12th, ending December, mortality 154; Oldtown. Tex. (near Indianola ), commencing Octo- ber 13th, Port Lavaca, Tex., commencing July 3d, ending October 29th: Rio Grande City, Tex., mortality 150: Victoria, Tex., commencing August 1st, ending December 25th, mortality 200.


1868 .-- Baltimore-a few imported cases.


.


92


A HISTORY OF THE YELLOW FEVER.


1869 .- Milton, Santa Rosa County, Fla. (near Pensacola Bay), Hampton Roads, Va., in Harbor.


1870 .- Montgomery, Ala., commencing August 22d, ending November 19th, New Iberia, La., New Orleans (after an interlude of two years), com- mencing May 16th, ending in December, mortality 587; Port Barre, La., Ville Platte (on Bayou Teche, La.), Governor's Island (New York Harbor), commebeing September, ending October 26th, mortality 49; Philadelphia, commencing June 29th, mortality 18; Houston, Tex., ending in October, mortality 1.


1871 .- Tampa, Fla., head of Tampa Bay, Cedar Keys, Fla., Gainesville, Fla,, New Orleans, commencing August 4th, ending October, mortality 55; Vicks- burg, Miss., Beaufort, N. C., Cincinnati, Ohio, Charleston, S. C., commencing July 19th, ending November, mortality 213; Beaufort, S. C., commencing August 5th, ending November 21st, mortality 7.


1872 .- New Orleans, La., commencing August 28th, ending November 30th, mortality 40 ; New York.


1873 .- Pensacola, Fla., commencing August 14th, ending November 19th, mortality 62; Montgomery, Ala., commencing September 4th, ending November 10th, mortality 102; Pollard, Ala., Little Rock, Ark., Bainbridge, Ga., on Flint River; Cairo, Ill., at junetion Ohio and Mississippi River, commencing September 21st, ending September 25th, mortality 17; Louisville, Ky., on Ohio River, commeneing September 22d, ending October 15th, mortality 5; New Orleans, commencing July 4th, ending November 18th, mortality 225 ; Shreveport, La., on Red River, commencing August 12th, ending November 10th, mortality 759; New York, commencing May 23d, ending October 30th, mortality 18; Cincinnati, Ohio; Memphis, commencing September 14th, ending November 9th, mortality 2,000; Baltimore; Columbus, Texas, on Colorado River; Corsicana; Texas (180 miles north-east from Austin) ; Corpus Christi.


1874 .-- Cuba : Pensacola, vessel in harbor with a few cases on board.


1875 .- Key West. Fla., epidemic; Vera Cruz, Mexico; Fort Barrancas, Fla., Fort Pieken-, Fla .; Pascagoula, Miss .; Cuba; Mobile; New Orleans; New York, vessel in harbor with crew sick.


1876 .-- Savannah, Ga., epidemic; New York, 2 refugees from Savannah died ; Charleston, S. C. (sporadic).


1877 .- Havana, and Fernandina, Fla., epidemic.


1878 .-- Abingdon, Washington County, Va., Judge L. V. Dixon, refugee from Memphis, died September 17th ; Athens, Ala., 2 cases, 2 deaths; Augusta, Ark., on White River, 7 cases, 7 deaths ; Bartlett, Shelby County, Tenn., (eleven miles from Memphis) population 350, 35 cases, 23 deaths-proportion of deaths to cases 1 in 1.2; Baton Rouge. La., population 6,500, number of case- 2,716, deaths 201-proportion of deaths to cases 1 in 13; Bayou Sara, La., on Mississippi River, population 700, number of cases 250, deaths 13- 1 in 19; Bay St. Louis, Miss. (summer resort), population, including visitors, 6,000, number of cases 546, death- 83-1 in 6.2; Bayou Goula, La., on Mississippi River, 1 death --- a refugee: Beech Grove, Tenn., 1 death-a refugee; Bell's Depot, Tenn .. 5 cases, 3 deaths; Berwick City, La., population 150,


93


A HISTORY OF THE YELLOW FEVER.


cases 50, deaths 1; Bethel Springs, Tenn., 1 case, deaths 1 ; Biloxi, Miss., population 960, number of cases 216, deaths 56-1 in 4; Bolton, Miss. (twenty- seven miles from Vicksburg), population 200, number of cases 168, deaths 47- 1 in 3.2; Bovina, Miss., ten miles from Vicksburg, population 100, number of cases 65, deaths 17-1 in 4; Bowling Green, Ky., number of cases -18, deaths 26-1 in 2 ; Brooklyn, N. Y., Navy Yard, 2 deaths ; Broussard, La., 1 death ; Brownsville. Tenn., population 4,026, number of cases 844, deathis 212-1 in 8 ; Buntyn, Tenn., five miles from Memphis, included in Memphis report; Buras, La., 2 deaths; Byram, Miss., cases included in Jackson report; Cairo, Ill., on Mississippi and Ohio rivers, population 6,300, number of cases 43, deaths 32-1 in 1.34; Canaan Landing, Lat., on Mississippi River, num- ber of cases 28. deaths 6-1 in 5; Canton, Miss., twenty-three miles from Jackson, population 2.143, number of cases 936, deaths 176-1 in 5.3. Cayuga, Miss., on Big Black River, number of cases 38, deaths 9-1 in 4; Caledonia (on the Ohio River), one case from the steamer Golden Crown; Chattanooga, Tenn., on Tennessee River, population 12,500, number of cases 693, deaths 197-1 in 4 : Cincinnati, Ohio, number of cases (all refugees;, 49, deaths 19-1 in 1.2; Clinton, Hickman County, Ky., 2 cases, no deaths, Clinton, La., population 1,000, number of cases 187, deaths 43-1 in 4; Collierville, Tenn., twenty-five miles from Memphis, population 500, number of cases 121, deaths 48-1 in 2.2; Cook's Landing, La., population 35, number of cases 15, deaths 4-1 in 4; Courtland, Lawrence County, Ala., 1 death-Memphis refugee ; Covington, Tenn., population 1.200, the Board of Health advising. the population fled the town-1 death occurred; Cox's Land- ing, Miss., number of cases 12, deaths 4-1 in 3; Dalton, Ga., 3 cases, 2 deaths -- refugees from Chattanooga; Danville, Ky., 1 death -- a refugee from Holly Springs ; Dayton, Ohio, on Miami River, 1 death and some few cases- all refugees from the South ; Decatur, Ala., population 1,200, number of cases 187, deaths 51-1 in 3.3; Delhi, La., forty miles from Vicksburg, population 250, number of cases 168, deaths 34-1 in: 5; Donaldsonville, La., and Ascension Parish, on Mississippi River, population of town 1,500; number of case, 484, deaths 83-1 in 5.3; cases in parish, 1,373, deaths 179-1 in 7.3; Dry Grove, Hind- County, Miss .. and vicinity, number of cases 203, deaths 50- 1 in 4; Duck Hill, Montgomery County. Miss., number of cases 36, deaths 14-1 in 2.3; Dunboyne, a plantation near West Plaquemine. La .. 3 deaths : Durant, Holmes County, Miss., 1 death ; Edward's Depot, Hinds County, Miss .. 3 deaths; Erin, Houston County, Tenn., population 723, number of cases 38, deaths 10-1 in 4; Eureka, La .. 1 death; Fernandina, Fla .. on vessel in harbor, 3 spamen died ; Fillmore. Ky., 1 death-a refugee from New Orleans; Florence, Ala., population 2,500, number of cases 138, deaths 50- 1 in 2.3; Frayser Station, Tenn., included in Memphis; Friar's Point. Miss, on Mississippi River, population 1.200, number of cases 25. deaths 7-1 in 3.3; Fulton, Ky., population 1,700: number of cases 12, deaths 5-1 in 2: Gadsden, Tenn .. population 350, number of cases 6. deaths 4-1 in 1.3; Galway. Fayette County, Tenn., population 60. number of cases 13, deaths &; Gallipolis, Ohio, on Ohio River. population 3,700, number of cases 51, deaths


94


A HISTORY OF THE YELLOW FEVER.


31; Galman Station, Miss .. deaths among Vicksburg refugce -; Garver Siation, Miss., population 200, number of cases 31, deaths 13; Germantown, Shelby County, Tenn., population 253, number of cases 81, deaths 45; Gill- Station. Tenn., three miles from Memphis, 1 death; Grand Junction, Tenn .. on M. & C. R. R., 201 ca-es, 82 deaths-1 in 2.2; Greenville, Miss., on Mississippi River, population 1,350, number of cases 1, 137, deaths 387 -- 1 in 3.49: Grenada. Mis., 100 miles from Memphis, population estimated at 2.000, number of cases 1.468, deaths 367 -- 1 in 4; Gretna. La., three miles from Algier -. population 900, number of cases 210, deaths 60-1 in 3.2; Halifax, Nova Scotia. H. M. S. Bullfinch, most of the crew down; mortality heavy; Hands boro, Harrison County, Miss., population 400, number of cases 110, deaths 15-1 in 7 ; Harrisonburg. La., on Ouachita River. population 275. number of cases 50, deaths 10-1 in 3; Haynes' Bluff, Miss., ou Yazoo River, muuher of cases 160, death> 19-1 in 8; Hendersoni's Landing, La., on Mississippi River, population 25, muaber of cases 16, deaths 5-1 in 3; Hernando, Miss., population 1,000; number of cases 179, deaths 75-1 in 2.2; Hickman, Ky., on Mississippi River, popula- tion 1,950, number of cases 454, deaths 180-1 in 2.2; Holly Spring -. Mi -. , population 4.000, number of cases 1,240, deaths 346-1 in 3.2; Huntsville. Ala., number of cases 33 (all imported;, deaths 13-1 in 22; Jack-u. M .-... population 3,000, number of cases 326, deaths 77-1 in 4.4; Key West, Fla .. population: 5,000, number of cases 162, death: 39-1 in 4; King's Point, Mi --.. on Mississippi River, 92 cases, 6 deaths-1 in 15; Knoxville, Tenn .. the only cases were refugees-not recorded ; La Fourche Crossing, La .. population 1.v0. number of cases 235. deaths-1 in 12; Labadieville, La .. and vicinity. 760 cases, 150 deaths-1 in 5; Lagrange, Teun., population 712, number of cases 152, deaths 37 -- 1 in 4; Lake, Scott County, Miss., population 400. nimi er of cases 268, deaths 64-1 in 4; Lawrence Station, Miss., number of cases 16. deaths 5: Lebanon Church, Miss .. total cases 192, deaths 44-1 in 4.2: Leighton. Calvert County, Ala., 1 refugee died; Lewes, Delaware. on Delaware Bay, 4 out of a crew of & died on a vessel in the Bay; Lockport. N. Y., a Memphis refugee died; Logtown, Hancock County, Mi -. 40 cases, 9 deaths-1 in 4.2; Louisville, Ky., number of care> 120, deaths 34-1 in 4; MeCombs City, Pike County, Miss, cases 7. deaths 3: MeKenzio, Carroll County, Tenn., 14 cases, 4 deaths ; . McNairy (a plantation six miles from Dry Grove. Miss.), 36 cases, 9 deaths-1 in 4; Mandeville, La .. a few cases, with 3 deaths: Martin, Weakly County, Tenu. population 515). number of cases 126, deaths 34-1 in 3.3 ; Ma-on, Tipton County. Ten. popula- tion 260), number of cases 61. deaths 24-1 in 2.2; Memphis, Tenn .. nunder : : cases 17,000, deaths 5.150-ratio of mortality to cases, 1 in 3.3. to popular in. reduced to about 19,500, a fraction less than 1 in 4: Meridian, Miss. (population 3.000), number of case 382. deaths 86-1 in 3.4: Michigan City. B Mon County. Mi-s., 2 cases, 2 deaths; Milan. Gilson County, Tenn. popularivi 2,025), number of cases 26, deaths 11-1 in 2.2 ; Mississippi City, Miss pop- ulation 300;, number of case- 165, deaths 19-1 in 8.2; Mobile, Ala. p padla- tion 82.000), number of cases 25%, deaths 80-1 in 3.2; Morgan City. La. (population 1,000), number of cases 540, deaths 108-1 in 5 ; Moscow, number


95


A HISTORY OF THE YELLOW FEVER.


of cases 75, deaths 33-1 in 2.4; Mulatto Bayou, Miss., 1 case, 1 death ; Nash- ville, Tenn., 96 cases (all refuges from infected places), deaths 18-1 in 5.4. On the 6th of August fever broke out on the steamer Mary Houston at New Albany, Ind., which had recently arrived from New Orleans, creating alarm there and at Louisville. Fondy Carroll, from the same vessel, had previously died in Louisville of the fever, on the 1st of August. New York City, four Memphis refages died -- no other cases; Norfolk, Va .. several cases on vessel in harbor, 1 proving fatal; Nubbin Ridge, Shelby County, Tenn., 2 cases, 2 deaths; Ocean Springs, Jackson County, Miss. (population 450), number of cases 86, deaths 28-1 in 3 ; Ozyka, Pike Co., Miss. (population 450), number of cases 350, deaths 53-1 in 6.2; Paincourtville, La. (population 400), number of ca-es 150, deaths 13 -- 1 in 12; Paris, Tenn., 118 cases, 28 deaths -- 1 in 4; Pass Christian, Miss. (population 1,250), number of cases 200, deaths 27-1 in 7.3: Pascagoula, Jackson County, Miss. (population 650), number of cases 17. deaths 4-1 in 4; Pattersonville, La., and vicinity, number of cases 300, deaths 93-1 in 3.4; Pearlington, Hancock County, Miss. (population 500;, case< 5, deaths 1; Philadelphia, Pa., 2 Vicksburg refugees, the only cases known ; Pensacola, Fla .; crew of a brig in harbor the only cases ; Pittsburgh. Pa., 1 death, from Steamer Porter ;* Plaquemine, La., on Mississippi River


* The history of the steam-tug John D. Porter is one of the most interesting episodes of the epidemie of 1878. For two months she, with two barges, moved up the Mis-is- sippi and Ohio rivers, a floating charnel-house, carrying death and destruction to nearly all who had any thing to do with her. Twenty-three persons died on her from the time she left New Orleans until she anchored near Pittsburgh. From her the fever was taken to Gallipolis, Ohio, where, out of 51 persons attacked, 31 died. When the Porter landed three miles below Gallipolis, on the morning of the 19th of August, the engineers rein-ed to remain any longer at their post of duty. A strong guard was placed over the tug and her barges to prevent any one from landing from her. There were ten cases of iever on board at the time, three of them very ill, among the number the Captain. John Bickerstaff. Engineer Charles De Grelman, of Pittsburgh, and William Koehler, from Pomeroy, had previously died. Notwithstanding the guards, some of the erew went ashore, and were eventually followed by all the rest but two, who were too sick to leave. With these Dr. Carr, of the Board of Health of Cincinnati, remained, heroically refusing to leave his post of duty until one of thein died and the other recovered. After this result, he went ashore at Gallipolis and did what he could for the plague-stricken people. While there. among others, his attention was called to a case of yellow fever ten miles out from the place, and, in company with a resident physician, he rode out in a buggy to the house of a small farmer by the name of Buck, or Burke, whose son was the vietim. Dr. Carr arrived at the place after night-fall, and found the farmer sitting at a watch-fire of pine-knots in front of his domicil, afraid to enter it, lest he should catch the yellow fever. The doctor made known the object of his visit. The man was glad to see him, for he said that all the rest of the family had gone, scared away by hi- boy's horrible sickness. He thought his boy was dead, for he had not heard him io: several hours, and did not dare to enter the house. While they were talking a groan was heard in the house. Dr. Carr took a brand and entered, and, following the direc- tions of the father, found the bedroom, but not the patient. The place was in a state of disonler, and was filthy. An abominable stench pervaded it, and the three ground- Hoor rooms were smeared all over with black vomit and other unutterable excreta of the wretched victim. It was a sickening sight. Dr. Carr came out and told the father that


96


A HISTORY OF THE YELLOW FEVER.


(population 1,500), number of cases 950, deaths 117-1 in 8; Point a la Hache, La., on Mississippi River, 4 cases, all fatal; Point Pleasant, La., 60 cases, 13 deaths-1 in 1.2: Port Eads, La., 62 cases, 14 deaths --- 1 in 4.2; Port Gibson, Miss. (population 1,500), number of cases in town and vicinity 1,340, deaths 294-1 in 4.2; Port Hudson, La. (population 200), number of cases 74, deaths 12-1 in 6: Raleigh, Tenn., 9 miles from Memphis, cases 64, deaths 18-1 in 3.2; Richoc, a plantation near Franklin, La., 62 cases, 18 deaths-1 in 3.2; Rocky Springs, Miss., cases 127, deaths 39 -- 1 in 32; St. Gabriel, La. (population 425), cases 132, deaths 38-1 in 32; St. James, La., 35 cases, 4 deaths -- 1 in 9; St. Louis, Mo., 116 cases, 46 deaths-1 in 2.2-principally among refugees ; Senatobia, Tate County, Miss. ( population 1,400) cases 26. deaths 7-1 in 4; Somerville, Fayette County, Tenn., number of eases 151, deaths 56-1 in 2.3; Southwest Pass, on Mississippi River, ca-es 26, deaths 8; Stephenson, Ala., 5 cases, 2 deaths; Stoneville, Miss., and vicinity, 110 cases, 80 deaths-1 in 1.2; Summit, Pike County, Miss., a few cases and 3 deaths: Sunflower, Miss., on Mississippi River, 48 cases, 15 deaths-1 in 3; Tallulah, La., and vicinity, number of cases 33, deaths 4-1 in 8; Tangipaha, La., and vicinity (population 300), number of cases 178, deaths 69-1 in 4: Terry, Hinds County, Miss. (population 225), number of cases 10, deaths 5-1 in 2; Terrene, Ark., on White River, ca-es 21, deaths 19; Thibodeaux Parish, La., total cases in parish 1,800, deaths 175-1 in 10;


the young man was not inside. "He must be in there somewhere," replied the man, " for I heard him groan just now." Dr. Carr replenished his light and reentered, and after a careful search found what he thought at first was a negro, covered with black and filthy clothing, in a dirty corner behind the cooking-stove. It was the wretched, abandoned, and dying youth, covered with filth, who, in his delirium and search for water, had crawled all over the dirty floors of the cabin, and, finally exhausted, sank down in the corner to die. Dr. Carr learned that for twenty-four hours no one had been near the poor wretch. His own flesh and blood forsook him and fled, and there he suffered and died in a manner that freezes one's blood to think of. Such was the dread which the pestilence originated, and such the fearful condition of brutal indifference to all but self, which it in many instances developed. The Porter was afterward put in proper sanitary condition by her owners, and her two barges were destroyed. Many other steamer- passed up from New Orleans in August, to which was refused elean bills of health. Among them the John _1. Soudder, on which one case developed on the 7th of August-a lady-who was put off at Refuge Landing. Miss,, and there died. The Golden Crown, which passed up some days before, and at Memphis put off several pas- sengers, was not allowed to land at any of the points above. She tried to evade the quarantine, it was said, as she did at Memphis, notwithstanding Dr. Lawrence refused to give her a clean bill of health, and Dr. John Erskine compelled her to anchor in the stream. William Warne, one of the first cases tthe first reported by the Board of Health), had been a deck-hand on the Golden Crown. At Cairo she was ordered off, but at Mound City she landed all that remained of her passengers on the 19th, all well. At Shawneetown. Ill., as she approached, a military company was sent down to the river to prevent her landing. Her answer to this demonstration was what the local paper- termed a piece of bravado. She fired one gun, as a salute to the military, and all hands turned out on the decks, and went to thidling, dancing, and frolicking. The -teamer Mary Houston also passed up with fever on board, which developed at New Albany, on the 6th, to an alarming extent, several of those attacked dying.


97


A HISTORY OF THE YELLOW FEVER.


Tuscumbia, Ala. (population 1,300), nearly all left, and disease was confined to Memphis refugees and colored people of the town; cases 119, deaths 31-1 in 4; Tuscaloosa, Ala., 2 cases, 2 deaths; Valley Horn, Miss. (Horn Lake), cases 30, deaths 17-1 in 2; Vicksburg, Miss., Washington, D. C., 5 cases, 5 deaths-all refugees from infected places; Water Valley, Miss. (population 3,000), number of cases 146, deaths 47-1 in 3; White Haven, Shelby County, Tenn .; Whistler, Ala., a few cases of refugees, one of whom died ; Williston, Tenn. (population 200), cases 16, deaths 11-1 in 1.2; Winchester, Tenn., one refugee died ; Winona, Montgomery County, Miss., of a popula- tion of 1,700 all fled but 200, number of cases 27, deaths 9-1 in 3; Wythe Depot, five miles from Memphis, 16 cases. 7 deaths-1 in 2.2: Yazoo City, Miss., on Yazoo River, number of cases 17, deaths 7-1 in 2.2.


1879 .- Rio Janeiro, Para, and the north-western provinces of Brazil. Also Santo Domingo, and Cuba, West Indies. New Orleans, La., one case (im- ported), March 31st. The United States steamer Plymouth, which sailed from Boston March 15th, for a cruise to the West Indies, returned to that city April 4th, yellow fever having broken out when three hundred miles south- east of Bermuda. The boatswain died of the disease. The ship returned from the West Indies last autumn with yellow fever on board, and it was thought that fumigation and the frosts of a very severe winter in Boston had destroyed all the germs .* The Mobile News, of the 16th of April, states that


# The first two cases were announced on the 23d, eight days from the date of departure of the Plymouth from Boston, the vessel being in good condition and the crew in perfect health. She was on her way to Gnadaloupe, but when she reached latitude 22 north, a short distance from Bermuda, the fever made its appearance. The Plymouth had several cases of yellow fever on board her while at Santa Cruz, in November of 1878. Two of them resulted in death, the others recovered. She sailed at once for the north, where she could be frozen out during the winter, as that had usually been considered a perfect preventive of the spread of the disease. She lay all winter in Boston, where every thing known to sanitary science was used to disinfect her of the germs of yellow fever. She was entirely broken up, the stores landed and exposed to a freezing temperature, and the ship thoroughly fumigated several times. A part of the time the ship was in a dock, where large quantities of ice remained, and the temperature frequently reached a point below zero. The water in the tanks and buckets in the store-rooms were con- stantly frozen, and when she was removed from the dock and fires lighted under her boilers, she was so thoroughly chilled that for several days. the water remained frozen in her hilges. When the Plymouth left Boston all men of weak constitution or suscept- ible of climatic influences were removed from her, and she went to sea with a crew entirely healthy. Yet, notwithstanding all these precautions, yellow fever made its appearance, as above stated. But the most curious and remarkable fact of all is that the first man attacked, Richard Sanders, machinist, had his hammock slung in the pre- vise place of the man who first showed symptoms of yellow fever in Santa Cruz in November last. For the present the Plymouth is in quarantine off the Portsmouth navy- yard, where every precaution has been taken to prevent intercourse with the shore. All the sick on board were taken to the quarantine hospital, and all her crew have been removed from on board. There was, after her arrival in Boston, one death from yellow fever, Peter Egan, the boatswain's mate, who was the second and last case on board. Richard Sanders, who was the first to show -ymptom- of the disease, recovered. This experience of the Plymouth agrees with the two cases of death by yellow fever-




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.