Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1855-11-15

CURIOUS FACTS CONNECTED WITH NORFOLK
The Richmond Dispatch says there are some
curious facts connected with the progress of
the late terrible visitation to Norfolk and
Portsmouth, which seem to confirm the the
DRY of Dr. Mott, that his fever is travelling
from South to North -
" 1t commenced in Rio Janeiro, reached
New Orleans in 1868, where its ravages were
terrible in 1854 it scourged Savannah. 1t
reached Portsmouth in 1865. In all previous
visitaJlons of yellow fever, Norfolk was first
attacked, and from thence the disease was
transmitted to Portsmouth. But this year the
disease started in Portsmouth, which lies
south Of Norfolk, and its whole march from
the beginning was northward Its progress
through the whole period was ALWAYS greater
in north and north easterly direction, than
west and northwest. Thus it crossed the wa
ter to Norfolk, a mile distant from Ports
mouth, i'll a few days after its appearance at
Portsmouth, whilst it did not reach the Uni
ted States Naval Hospital, which lies nearly
west OF Norfolk and northwest of Portsmouth,
for two months. When it did appear there,
there were very few cases, and those general
ly manageable. Old Point is III the due
north line of its ira TX, and it will be Iemem-
bered that at late period of the season there
were one or two cases there 1t Is some con-
ISOLATION to know, it tins theory be true, that
Richmond lies nearly due west from Norfolk,
and that we are consequently not in the track
OF the pestilence.
A very intelligent gentleman, who ADOPTS
the idea that the plague is caused by the ami
malcul9, mentions statement which he has
heard, that soon after the internent of a corpse
in vault adjoining church, in England,
the communion was administered in the
church, and nearly all who parlook of the
elements were taken sick, and some died.
The wine merchant from whom the wine had
been purchased was arrested on a charge of
poisoning. While the subject was in agitn-
ton, some persons, on entering the church,
saw by the ravs OF the sun, streaming through
partly opened window shutter millions of
anlmalcule floating about in the light Thes,
aDimalcul9 seemed to have all affinity for
fluids, particularly for wine. some of which
was placed in the church, and it was soon
filled with animalcu9, and upon test being
applied, the wine was found to be poisoned.
The animalcule was afterwards proved to
have elnanated from the above mentioned
vault where the dead body had been recently
buried.
Our informant also refers to the curious ap.
pearance of the plague fly. 1t is a fact, es-
tabl'shed beyond contradiction, that alter the
| Pi"SuV Hdu c"llhlbheu Ill portsmouth, TINS
curious fly appeared. 1t was between the
size OF musquito and an ordinary fly, and
changed its color from red to yellow. Where
did the plague flies come from They seem.
ed to have escaped the observation of Latural
historians. Our friends suggest that they may
be the animalcula generated by the dead
bodies IN certain stage OF tier being. In
this connection singular fact is stated by an
eminent Judge Of this State, which seems to
sustain the theory of DIR Mott and our Ports
mouth friend. Its, that the great pest to the
agrieuiturlst, the joint worm, travels from
south to north always in certain line, and
never exceeding a certain breadth. So uni.
form are its movements, that ii the planter
only knows when it has reached the South
Carolina line, or any given point whatever
south OF his residence, he can estimate with
considerable exactness tic time when it will
reach his own plantation"