The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-07-26 00:00:00

THE YELLOW FEVER IN AMERICA.

The New York Herald of July 11 contains the following
despatch descriptive of the terror occasioned at Memphis by
the yelluw fever outbreak :

"Memphis, Tenn., Jaly 10.
"Notwithstanding the fact that there are only two
persons in the entire city sick with the yellow fever,
yet the exodus of citizens from Memphis recalls the
flight from Egypt of the Israelites. Every train has
been crowded to overflowing, and hundreds were
unable to get away. Confidence is being restored, how-
ever, and by to-morrow morning it is to be hoped the
worst fears of the most panicky will be allayed.
Rumours were current during the day of railroad tracks
being torn up to prevent the passage of trains which in a
measure added to the fears of the people, who argued
that if the few cases now in the city should spread
they would be shut off from the outside world, This
alone caused hundreds to leave who otherwise would
have remained to watch the result of the cases now
being attended by the physicians. J. E. it. Ray,
Judge of the Criminal Court of Shelvy County, and a
son, aged 23, are the only sick people now being
treated for yellow fever. Judge Ray's residence is in
the outskirts, fully a mile distant from the heart of
city. It is thought that the death last night and the
sickness of Judge Ray's family are but sporadic cases.
Yet such is the dread that people have of the saffron
scourge that nothing but death can prevent them from
flying at the first alarm.
`From a sanitary view the city was never in a better
condition than now. For months the authorities have
used every energy to cleanse the streets and alleys, and
every one was congratulating himself on the healthy
out-look, when the death of last night came like a
thunder-bolt from the sky on a clear day. From
seven o'clock this morning Main-street has been one
great throng of excited people. Towards nightfall a
feeling of confidence was experienced by many, espe-
cially when it became known that of the five new
cases reported to-day but two were genuine yellow
fever.

"It has rust been announced that Norfolk, Va., and
Holly Springs, Migi4., have quarantined against Mem.
phis. The Board of Health have issued a notice in
which they state that of the five new cases reported
three were not yellow fever. The Board of Health
advises the people to remove their families to a place
of safety."

The Times Las published the following :
PHILADELPHIA, July 21.

_
At Memphis, on Sunday, there were ten fresh cases
of yellow fever and four deaths. The inhabitants are
leaving the town so fast that only 10,000, it is believed,
remain in it. The fever is pronounced to be an epi-
demic. Stringent sanitary precautions are being taken
throughout the Mississippi valley, while rigorous
quarantine is being applied on the railroads, one line
stopping trains to Memphis. The newspapers of the
town have reduced their issues to half-sheets. A
general panic pervades the neighbouring country.
Later.

Fifteen Cases, two deaths, reported at Memphis
to day, making in all about eighty known cases there.
The Government has ordered 1,800 military tents,
with twenty days' rations for 10,000 people, to be sent
to Memphis in aid of the sufferers there, business in
that town being almost entirely suspended.

JULY 22.

"Thirty-six yellow fever cases and three deaths
were reported from Memphis on Monday, six new
cases and seven deaths this morning. Five cases of
malarial fever reported at Mississipi City, on the rail-
road between New Orleans and Mobile, have caused
much excitement; but experts declare that the disease
is not 3, ellow fever. New Orleans and Mobile are
both free from fever. Governor Nicholly, of Louisiana,
telegraphs that New Orleans is perfectly free from
yellow fever,"