The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1855-11-10
Yellow Fever Mt MarLsville.

Editor. opels4a.a, Patrol:
Our hitherto healthy little village has been
visited with the epidemic, which has been
wasting the population pit other points in the
State, and its course has carried desolation to
many a ireside and spread terror throughout
parish.
It's hieory is like that which marks its com
ing every where else, and many of the cases
originating here would furnish data to the adj
~vocates as well of contagion, as of infection.
The first case, as well the second and the third,
did not originate here being persons who had
the disease in their systems, and which were
soon developed. ..a g~ig4Y5u .gEE
Ayoung gentleman named Coburn arrived
here on the 9th Of September 81 He had but a
few days previous visited Grand Gull, where.
yellow fever prevailed. On the succeeding day
the fever manifested itself, and came to.a rapid
termination by black v5omit. 81 al 5-i
The worthy Judge of our District (Cush-
man) was the next and the third was that Of
our lamented fellow citizen John P. Waddill,
Esq. Both had contracted the disease on Red
River, and having returned to their homes in
this place, soon fell victims to it. as1l,sa
Thence arose the subsequent cases following
in rapid succession, and out Of about forty-fve
or fifty cases here sixteen have proved fatal.
Tn disease came upon US without any e1-
pectation of its dread approach. We had
never q case before (but one) in this Parish.
Our physicians were unacquainted with the
mode of treatment. DR.. Waters, from Bayou DIES
Glaizes, and who had treated it in 1853, about
the period Of its breaking out here, came
among us on business, and was induced to take
charge of some ten or twelve cases then on
hand but he was soon called home to attend
his own family the period Of his leaving,
the number of cases had risen to twenty-seven.
1t is impossible to form IN idea of the panic
thenprevailing-a few young, gentlemen had
formed themselves into o Howard Association,
and met the pestilence at every point. But
they were soon worn down add to this pro-
visions became scarce, for the country people
had stopped all intercourse with us.
At this %juncture DR.. Mather, of NewOr-
leans, arrived and about the same period -four
good and efficient nurses, two from Alexandria,
and two arrived from Washington.
This force relieved the few broken down
nurses we had, and O few noble friends from
theicountry supplied us with provisions.
The Rev. A. E. Goodwin, the Methodist
Pastor at Alexandria, came among US, and
nursed wherever he was needed-what in
creased the burthen upon us was the fight of
some families who abandoned their slaves to
the mercy of the scourge and threw upon us the
charitable task Of nursing them and taking care
Of them.
The owners no doubt left under the impress /
sion that their slaves were not liable to be af- 4
fected by the epidemic, but this was a a mis-
take, for many Of them were stricken down.
We have had three frosts, but as yet it does
not stay the fell destroyer, for several cases
have manifested themselves since. At present
there are some six or eight cases on hand,
two of which it is feared will prove fatal. Our
citizens cannot be too grateful for the kindness
evinced for them by the nurses sent to them /;
they will ever hold q place in our memories for
their services during the most trying period |
which has ever visited our little village.
Marksville, Oct. IA, 1855. II. T.