New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1853-08-12
FVT We Z
Notes on Yellow Fever.

| Editor Of the Crescent--As every thing re-
lative to the epidemic that now affiicts our city
appears to be Of interest will, if you deem the
communication worthy Of notice, proceed to
| give you some "reminiscences of facts by one
who, although not a physician, has seen and
noted much
writer in the Pieayune Of I am not mis-
taken) few days since, upon his own opinion
and the information and opinion of Captain De-
passan, endeavored to establish the theory that
| yellow fever in New Orleans had always been
| imported, and could be traced to a foreign
source do not deny or affirm this doctrine
for physicians themselves hold different opinions
on this subject, and
" Who shall decide when doctors disagree
And Soundest cBsuists doubt like you aud me ,"
but will merely state some facts bearing on the
| subject, from which you may draw your own
conclusions. In the year 1919 there lived in
Baltimore two very respectable English mer-
chants, named Charles and Peter Wirgman, both
of whom lived near the Battle Monument, in
Calvert street, very healthy portion of the
city These gentlemen alternately superin
tended the repairs Of ship, in the month of
August, lying at Felrs Pont--there was yellow
| fever then prevailing at the Point-they sick
ened and died within ten days of each other Mt
| their homes in the city, but not one person of
| their families, nurses, or visitors, contracted
the disease. A gentleman, then of Baltimore,
now resident of this city, Mr.. L. Mathews,
must recollect these facts
Another fact. About half way between Bal
timore and Washington City, in a most healthy
neighborhood, lady sickened, and in about
i've or six days died with all the symptoms Of
yellow fever, viz black yomit, etc it was dis
covered that in the cellar Immediately beneath
her bed room there was heap of Irish potatoes.
in rotting condition. The infection originated
from local cause, the cause was removed, and
no other person in the family which was n LARGO
one, was attacked with the disease
Previous to the use Of steamboats, on the Mis-
sissPpi river, barge loadeI in New Orleans
with goods for tie upper country, and rs they
necessarily Travelled slow, and toiled hard. thew
were ten or twelve days in reaching Thompso-a
Greek, where they put ia for harbor ana for
assistance, This creek is about twenty miles
above Baton Rouge When the neighbors Wis
lted the barge they found every person on board
either dead or near death Some persons in the
neighborhood took charge of the barge, opcned
the matches, made an inventory of the Foods
and stored them Some of those who visited
the barge were taken with yellow fever But
the families Of those who died did not contract
the disease; this latter. fact was communicated
to me by Mr. Vim, Flower, merchant of this
city, who resided al the time Of its occurrence
in that neighborhood
These facts would, in my opinion 20 to prove
that, although the malaria 5r miasma that pro-
daces yellow fever may be confined and trans
ported 70 place, where it may DESTROY those
who come in immediate contact with il, VET il
2iso rs conclusyely proves that to become cpl
aenlc II must be nourished by malaria OF MAS
ma generated IN the locality where the epidemic
prevails | leave it to those having the sanitary
charge Of ourcity 10 draw their own conclusions
and apply their own remedies
The writer Of this article left the city of New
Orleans on the lst Of September, 1872. that
fatal year Of teyer) on ship bound for New
York After being five or six days at sea, sew
lral cases Of yellow fever occurred on board
two passengers and two seamen died of it
your correspondent was also seized with it
there was not physician on board. but apply
ing the old adage that every man is either a
iool or a physician MT forty, so far as regards
his own complaints, he commenced the use of
pulYerzed charcoal, known TO be a powerful
antyseptic,) mixed with moasses, to a paste
the vomiting instantly ceased, the irritation of
the stomach was allayed, and time can never
enace the recollection Of the delightful, sooth-
ing sensation produced by the first few spoons
full takeni il seemed to eat up and destroy the
burning acidity throughout the length OF the
lhmehtdry canal.
IL these recollectiOns can be Of any service,
you are welcome to use them; if you deem them
worthless, throw them in the ire w.