The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-08-14
Yellow Fever, !,

n'eniy Interesting and we'll prepared article OF
yehow fever; It's symptoms. causes, and the pro
oso'iisies of its reaching Richmond. IL possesses
particular interest at this time. when every mai
rom the afflicted cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth
bring accounts of its ravages there.
| Yellow fever ID q form of what tbe doctors cal
| continued fever. Unlike intermitten and remit.
tent levers, there 10 single progressive uaroxvsm
varying notably 10 duration but there is no rene
,ss Mson OF phenSnena. 1t hurries with fearful ra
Pidity, to termination In death. 1t is true tha,
"hen nature is able to resist the violence of the
unset there Il reaction from the intense prostrs-
eon-there is sort of secondary affection; but 1,
Iorms no necessary part of the complaht under
cohsideration-it does not belong to this specific
oisesse-but occupies the same relation to yellow
scarletfever
As to the symptoms with which this terrible pes
tiience announces its Invasion, they ars somewhat
Irregular. varying with the circumstances OF con-
su'ion, season and locality. Its primary indica..
uohs present so many features Ia common with
otner autumnal levers, that the most experienced
may be deceived without due attention TO the en-.
uemic or epidemic constitution of the place and
tlme and the predspositions of the subject In re.
terence thereto A chill, not necessarily violent.
not always noticed, may and usually does mark
the onset, soon followed, however bv drv akin
epigastrc and pain and aching in the head back
and limbs. Anxiety, alarm and restlessness are
prominent symptoms; flushed face and red watery
eyes, stunning the light and painfully moved, are
cor staDty observed.
The headache is violent and persistent the spi-
nal pains excessive, and the pains about the Joints
and muscles severe the stomach is most coDst mt.
y affected, and, to use Rushs emphatic language
seems the throne of the disease" Nausea, an
ntolerabie burning heat, extreme tenderness
retchiog and vomiting, with the election first of the
stomschal contents, then of bile, and afterwards of
thin fluid, variousy coored, are ever present
signs The breathing Is difficult and irregular, or
al and tnhn v,itL
skin perfectly hot seeming almost to scorch the
hand applied to It, and presents the yellow tipes go
characteristic as to give name to the disease. This
ssow dye, somewhat between orange and bronze
colors hrst the eyes. then the forehead, breast,
arms, and body. Strange to say, the pulse. which
In most levers, offers 80 marked character In
Yellow Fever exhibits but little correspondence
with the general condition. In ordinary cases
however, Ii is found rapid, resistant, tense, bound.
Ing and irregular. The tongue, st first soft swol-
len, and showing the impress ofthe teeth, becomes
later, pointed and red on the top and edges The
thirst IL not great yet the patient cool drinks
to relieve the burning stomach. The bowels are
constipated In most caSes-rare Ia the diarrbma-
and brisk cathsrtics act but slowly. The expres.
sion OF the countenance 10 thou rat by some To he
characteristic The flushed, inged facs, with red
watery eyes gives gloomy and distressed, a sort
OF drunken herceness OF look marked with sadness
and terror.
Such are the features of the rst of febrile stage
of the maady, lasting from four to seventy, snd
ordinary thirty six to forty eight hours. Follow.
ing this fierce confc ct with mortal suffering comes
a calm almost perfect. The skin becomes moist
and soft; the headache and psins cease; the stou,-
ach Is no longer irritable, or, If vomiting occurs II
is easy and painless and at long intervals the face
resumes more natural aspect; the eye is not suf.
fused but more yellow, while the golden hue Is
more marked on the rest of the surface; the pulse
and breathing becomes almost natura the mental
anxiety and detection pass off, and the atient sur.
rendering himself to the dee hts of his feelings,
resumes his cheetfslaess, and fondly hopes the
time of recovery is at hand, little dreaming that
this agreeable calm Is but prelude to series of
dretul and rapidly progressive phenomena which
WILL in all human probability hurry him to the
grave. It is but the stiffness of the tiger before hs
leap. few hours of quietude, occasionally twen-
ty.four or thirty,sx, usually twelve or eighteen
often less ushers In the the third stage of pros
tratien:
The pulse soon sinks, the skin grows dark like
mahogany, becoming white under pressure, and
slowly resuming the dusky hue; the tongue gets
brown, dry and issured, or fiery red and emootb.
oozipg an offensive blood. The stomach retains
nothing, vomiting is incessant and without effort
elected fluid gradually assuming that peculiar ap.
pearsncs known as black vemit-an apparent mix.
ture OF SCOT or coffee-grounds and gum water
Inc quantities thrown up seem miraculous Ii
spous forth with Involuntary force, while the pa
tient lies on his back. The bowels become relax
ed, and often the same ominous black tipees the
excavations, clammy perspiration bedews the
surface, which loses It's elasticity and sensbity
are hollow and sunk In the orbits the nose points
there is a low mutterjng delirium wi h signing
laborous breathing, bleeding from the mouth
tongue, eyes, nose, ears, stomach bowels one or
all, occurs and the victim is released from all his
earthly troubles
Such are the more ordinary features of an at
tack OF yellow lever, most horrible complaint
ranking, as the records show, with the plague and
cholera In Its malignity and fatality. Out of a
population OF 5000 In Gibraltar, 10 1904, twenty
eight persons alone escaped an attack, and in 3
died In Jamaica out of4 died of II; In Philadel.
phia, In 1920 2 out of g.
Sir James Fellows tellsus that during the fever
OF CadiZ, In 1900, the air became so yltiate tn AT
Its noxous qualities Injected even animals canary
birds died with blood issuing from th cir bills and
in all the neiRbboring towns which had been infect.
ed, no sparrow even appeared" Rush says that
cats died 10 great numbers 10 Philadelpbis from
the peslential state of the atmosphere. Peree
afirms that about NstcheZ In the year 1919, not
only domestic aninas, but even the wild deer of
the forests, shared the influence of the epidemic
constitution of the air.
Is yellow fever contagious This above all
othersis the question universally propounded. Is
il catchingi 1t one man has 1t, will those who
visit him receive the Infection succumb to Its ef.
fects, and themselves become centres from which
1t may radiate In every direction
Must we establish quar- antine and lay embargoes
Must we deny admi.tance TO those who have visited
the sick2 Must counsel our friends to flee from
the hidden poison which may lurk In our wharfs
nOteis, stfeeu anu market placesE Both el16s OF
this question have strong advocates. Some swear
by their heads that it Is trifllng with ones own
life, uselessiy, to visit case of yellow fever
while others affirm positively, that there 10 no
danger Which of the Parties shall we believe,
since both are of equal authority In medic
tattssimus 10 probably safe guide to our conclu-
sions.
Yellow fever Is most assuredly not contagious in
the same sense as small pox, measles and scarlet
fevsr To touch s not to catch; to be present Ia the
same room, house or city, will by means insure
an attack Yet the poison Of yellow fever may, ost
probably. when once generated. be conveyed by the
winds. by vessels by individuals. by articles and
clothiug from locality to another; but to render
Its presence efficient in procuring effectusl trans
mission to other districts towns individuals
must be superadded the existence of conditions ia
vorable to the multiplication Of the poison In other
words, to prevail epeemicaily, tho atmospheric ard
social states Of the locality must be such that the
ieaven introduced find material to reproduce
itself from; or the individuals who come in relation
with 1t must be under the inaspce OF the necessary
predisposion otherwise the fearful disease will not
% tansmtted to individuals nor prevail a. cpl
demic g.,
Lastly. as the probability Of Its extending from
Norfolk to Richmond, think. from " hst has bsen
already said, that all must adopt the conclu-
sion. Tho elevation, drainage and cleanliness of
Richmond, Its comparatively sparse population, its
,a attsde and prsviou. exemption. for thi, is NOT
the first time yellow fsver has visited Norfolk are
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