Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-04-23

picion of the fever, and that at tme' When. d.
most like Tartarus, it was open to every Visitant
but rarely returned any-servants aDahdohins
tender and humane masters, VINO only "anteu
little care torestore them to health ana
who, say, can think of these things WITHOUT
horror? Yet they were often exhibited tnrough-
out our city; and such was the force OF haot' Una.
the parties who were guilty of this cruelty, ieit
no rcmorse themselves-nor met with censure
from their fellow citizens, which such conduct,
would have excited at any other period. Indeed,
at this awful crisis, so much did self appear to
engross the whole attention of many, thatn some
cases not more concern was felt for the loss of
parent, husband wife, or only child, than on
other occasions, would have been caused by the
death of faithful servant.
This kind of conduct produced scenes OF DIS
tress and misery, of which parallels are rarely
to be met with, and which nothing could palliate
but the extraordinary public panic, and the great
law of self preservation, the dominion OF which
extends over the whole animated world. Men OF
affluent fortunes, who had given daily employ
ment and sustenance to hundreds have been a.
bandoned to the care of negro, after their wives,
children, friends, clerks and servants, had fled
away. and left them to their fate. In some cases,
at the commencement of the disorder, no money
could procure proper attendance. With the poor
the case was as mig be expected, infinitely worse
than with the rich. Many of those have perish
ed, without human being to hand them drink
of water, to administer medicines, or to perform
any charitable office for them. Various instances
have occurred, of dead bodies found living in
the streets, of persons who had no house or habi-
tation, and could procure no Shelter
A man and his wife, once in affluent circum-
stances, were found lying dead in bed, and be-
Il Al. IL. -. aipfap hn
was sucking its mothers breast. How long they
had lain thus was uncertain.
A woman, whose husband had just died of the
fever, was seized with the pains Of parturition,
and had nobody to assist her, as the wcmen in the
neighborood were afraid to 60 into the house
She Law, for considerable time, in degree of
anguish that will not bear description. At length
she struggled to reach the windows. and cried for
assistance. Two men passing by, went up stairs;
but they came at too late stage.-She was stri-
wing with death-and actually, in few minutes,
expired in their arms.
Another woman, whose husband and two chill
dren lay dead in the room with her, was in the
same situation as the former, without midwife.
or any other person to aid her. Her cries at the
window brought up eof the carriers employed
by the committee for the relief of the sick
With his asstance she was delivered Of child,
which died in few minutes, as did the mother,
who was utterly exhausted by her labor, by the
disorder, and by the dreadful spectacle before
her. And thus lay, in one room, no less than
five dead bodies, an entire family, carried Oft with
in few hours. Instances have occurred, of re-
spectacle women, who, in their liying-in, have
been obliged to depend on their maid-servants,
for assistance-and some have had none but from
their husbands. Some Of NE midwives were
dead-and others had left the city.
| A servant girl, belonging to a family in this
city, in which the fever had prevailed, was ap
prehensive of danger, and resolved to remove to
a relations house, in the country. She was,
however, taken sick on the road, and returned
to town, where she could find no person to re-
ceive her. One of the guardians Of the poor pro-
vided cart, and took her to the Aims House,
into which she was refused admittance. She
was brought back, but the guardian could not
procure her nights lodging. And in fine, af-
ter every effort made to provide her shelter, she.
absolutely expired in the cart. This occurrence
took place before Bushhil hospital was opened.
To relate all the frightful cases of this nature
that occurred, would fill volume. To pass them
over wholly would have been improper-to dwell
on them longer would be painful. Let these
few, therefore, suffice. But must observe, that
most of them happened in the first stage of the
pnblic panic. Afterwards, when the citizens re-
covered a little from their fright, they became
rare.
These horrid circumstances having tendency
to throw shade over the human character, it is
proper to throw little light on the subject,
wherever justice and truth will permit. Amidst
the general abandonment of the sick that prevail
ed, there were to be found many iIlustrious in
stances of men and women, some in the middle,
others in the lower spheres of life, who, in the
exercise Of the duties of humanity, exposed them
selves to dangers, which terrified men, who had
often faced death without fear, in the field of
battle. Some of them, alas! have fallen in the
good cause! But why should they be regretted?
Never could they have fallen more gloriously
Foremost in this noble groupe stands Joseph In
skeep, most excellent man in all the social re-
latons of citizen, brother, husband, and friend
To the sick and the forsaken has he devoted his
hours, to relieve and comfort them in this tribu-
lation, and his kind assistance was dealt with
equal freedom to an utter stranger as to his bo.