Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-08-23
The Epidemic at Portsmouth and Norfolk

| C0FerCQ In from lanQS. 1870 40
The Epidemic at Portsmouth and EorfolL
! The accounts from Norfolk and Portsmouth,
/ received last night, show that the foyer is
alarmingly on the increase-every part of the
! two cities being subject to its influence; no
condition in life being exempt from thigh
and low, rich and poor, white and colored, are
stricken down with the fever
The appearance of Norfolk is represented as
being really gloomy. Most of the stores are
closed, and the streets almost deserted Nearly
half the white population have gone off. In
! all the epidemics which Norfolk has passed
! through, from 1889 to the present time, nothing
! to equal it has been seen.
! For the "a hours ending on Tuesday at D
m, there were thirty-seven deaths in the two
cities
The following are the names of Some of the
victims, recently deceased:
/ Mr.. O'Rourke boy Summers Jno Christian.
/ Dick Mullet, Mr. Greenwood. Miss Adele Lie
| Page, Horatio Moore, Miss Caroline Rufiu
Mrs. Copes, Mrs. E. T. Murphy, Mrs. Ghise-
| len, VIM. Wilder, and four colored persons
There are near $50 cases of the fever under
treatment in Norfolk. The doctors follow the
same mode of treatment IN vogue at New
| Orleans. (Which has been recommended by
| Drs. Stone and Pension which consists in the
| main of the hot mustard bath in the first in
! stance, calcmel and quinine followed by castor
| oil and constant sweating-lnustard plasters
| on the legs and back Of the neck, ice to the
head, until the fever is broken, then small
| doses of quinine. If this proves successful,
| careful nursing is strictly enjoined-the light
est Cruel or soup, iced lemonade, a little fruit,
the only food and drink allowed for several
days.
Drs. III. NJ. Webster and C. X. Walter left
| Baltimore yesterday for Portsmouth, to aid the
| physicians of that town in their arduous duties
| Other physicians Of Baltimore have preferred
! their services, and, will no doubt, speedily re-
| pair thither. Dr.. Webster has had much ex-
| porience IN yellow fever cases, having been in
the Mexican war, during which there was
| much OF it in the Gulf OF Mexico
On Saturday night, some tiend attempted to
| fire the office Of the Beacon, and if the attempt
had been successful, the entire lower portion
| Of tho city-Which is almsst deserted-would
have been destroyed. The fire companies
| were promptly on the spot, and saved the
building. This is the third attempt in three
years to burn the Beacon office.
| BEN amin Peddler, and Oliver Ellsworth,
| two of the principal witnesses in the case OF
| Decker and G0sline, charged with killing
| Murphy, died Oh Monday
The Board of Health have directed hospital
| quarters to be fitted up at Lambcrt's Point
| for colored sick persons who require TO be
| moved-their owners being held responsible
| for the expense.
A correspondent writes under date OF Mon
| day, August, 20, that the deaths and new ca.
| SEES to-day number more than they have done
! since the fever first made its appearance. A
| lighter load was taken from the wharf to day,
! by the steam ferry boat Princess Anne to Ju-
| lsppi Hospital, at Lambert's Point. Provi-
| SONS of all kinds have gone up to an almost
| incredible figure; bacon is 20 cents per pound,
| and meal Sl.75aS2pe bushel. .
| The Beacon of Tuesday says:
! eve regret that DIR. Stone was compelled to
leave in the cars at 3 o'clock, yesterday after
noon to take passage in the boat for Baltimore
+! Ever since his arrival On Thursday, he has
| been engaged daily and nightly in visiting the
| sick in the city, at the City Hospital, and has
| paid two visits to the Naval Hospital He
| promptly went wherever he was invited. He
| mas given all our physicians the benefit of his
professional experience and observat ton in yell
| low fever cases in New Orleans. His visit and
| that OF Drs Permission and Freeman, has had
r most happy effect on our afflicted communi-
| ty, giving more confidence and aIlaying appre-
| hcnsion.
The Norfolk Herald has been compelled to
| diminish its size, there not being eompostors
enough left TO get the paper out Speaking of
the epidemic, the Herald says:
severe thunder storm on Friday evening
| followed by heavy rains during tho night and
| the afternoon of Saturday. has caused re-
markable change from the previously Excess
siye hot weather to an unusually cool temper
| allure. The change appears to have been I'm
| favorable to the sick, and the number of deaths
since the change of weather has considerably
! increased; though as far we have ascer-
tanned there has been no increase Of sickness
| The disease, it will be seen by our obituary
record, is embracing a wider field than here
tofore, and some OF our most estimable citi-
| zens are falling victims to it. Six families in
| Fenchurch, between Holt and Main streets
| have been visited by it.
Contributions from abroad are pouring in
| upon the Howard Association for the relief Of
| the destitute poor and sick of our city and
Portsmouth This is no time to stand upon
false notions of pride and etiquette. Let us
overlook the errors of those who have placed
themselves or been placed in a false position !;
| for we know their sympathies are with u.s.
But there will be 10 want of provisions.
| though there is deplorable deficiency of
| nurses and attendants, which money cannot
always procure. A case OF sickness is some
times left unattended to in due time, for the
want of messenger to 60 for physician or
procure medicine; hence it is liable to be me-
elected until it is too late. We are glad to be
able to report that the sick in the City Hospi.
pital at Lambert's Point are doing we'll, and
that no death had occurred within the twenty
four hours ending ON Saturday.
Miss Andrews, of Syracuse, 1.-THE Beacon
says who has been attending on the sick at
the Hospital: was brought up from Julappi on