Washington sentinel., 1853-12-17
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THE EPIDEMIC OF 1859.

We extract from the columns Of the Bran
don (Missssippi) Republican, the following
mortuary statistics in relation to the ravages
Of the late pestilence that swept with such
fatal wing over so large portion of our
country
DR.. Bows Review for the present month
contains long and interesting article on the
same subject, from which, but for the pressure
on our columns, we had designed making ex-
tracts.
The year 1853 WILL doubtless, be rendered
memorable by the mournfnl results Of the late
epidemic. Amid the Joy and gladness, which
we find universally expressed in all our ex-
changes at its final disappearance, it may be a
lesson fruitful Of good to take brief survey Of
its ravages in different localities, and especially
in those where its career was marked with most
decided malignity and virnlence. In doing
this, it is useless to indulge in those feelings Of
sorrow and lan1entation, Of which the theme
and the subject have been so fruitful and pro-
ductive. We would otherwise hope that the
"days Of mourning were past and that the
fearful visitation Of the dire pestilence might
for the future long be delayed. The southwest
has unquestionably never passed through such
an ordeal such a trial in the crucible Of aflic-
ton has certainly never been her lot. What
may be in the future time only can deyelope;
and whether science and skill in the curative
art, aided by the dear-bonght experience of the
present season, may tend, by sanatory regnla-
tions, to prevent recurrence of like ca
lamity, or mitigate its terrors when it appears,
is yet matter of conjecture and uncertainty.
This is truly said to be the age Of progress,
Of invention and improvement, but verify the
progress of death has more than kept pace with
the boasted progress of man. The plague Of
London, in 1866, has been world-renowned, and
is often referred to as the most awful visitation
of any pestilence in modern times, but truly
the year 1853, in some localities, has far ex-
ceeded it.
ave know that we are not fully prepared to
give most exact and detailed accounts of the
number of deaths that have occurred in the
several localities mentioned below, but the num-
bers, we are assured, will be found to cores
pond with the facts as they have been detailed
at different times. These mortuary statistics
will develope, to considerable extent the rela-
tive maghgnity of the disease at different local..
ties where the population has been correctly re-
ported BY census or otherwise. Beginning with
our estimate at the nearest point, we find that
in jackson the total number Of deaths from the
I'd of September by the 3lst October, were ll),
of which 80 were of yellow fever The popula-
tion during the epidemic was ascertained by
census to amount to 693.
YIcgsBuRG.-The number of deaths in the
city proper, from the lst of August to 3lst Of
October, were 288, in the hospital n in the
vicinity of the city 65, and from other places
10 making in the total 44O; $50 of which were
from yellow fever. The population in which
this mortality prevailed, may probably be esti-
mated at $500 The greatest daily mortality,
or climax of the disease in Vicksburg, occurred
on September 18th, the number Of interments
reported, being %,
YAzoo CITY.-The total number Of deaths
in this city end vicinity from lst September to
9th November, as recently published, were in
| all 158; l30 Of which were within the limits
Of the corporation, and all, except 8, we're from
| the prevailing epidemic. Since that time six
have died, and few new cases have occurred
since the frost No census was taken during
the epidemic, but the population of the city
was rscnorted to hays not exceeded three or four
hundred, which we blink YES probably too low
an estimate.
'.xs PRoyIpEscE,--At this point the ep;
), a = with greater fatality than at
any locality in the Mlss,s... -.s es
population which remained in the town 49,.
tlmated at less than 800, of whom ] 10 died Of
the epidemic. The disease is reported to be
now prevailing there, notwithstanding the late
frost on the 25th Of October.
PORT GIBsoS.-With a population Of COO
during the epidemic only about 40 escaped an
ATTACK Of the disease. Of this large number
OF patients, 40 only died. 8 of whom were
blacks. This was from l4th Of August to the
18th October, 1853.
GRAND GuLF.--At this place, the population
Of which was estimated Mt 400, and few of
whom escaped an attack, from the 30th Au
gust to the 18th October AZ whites and I
blacks died.
NArcHEz.-The yellow fever first made its