Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-06-20
Tho Epide mic of 18l2-13,

1uOugu NtIluVHt Is as HedlLulul rs any D.ltb
in the Union, and not subject to periodical Wis
ltatlons of dCs)latlng tpldemics such Az visit
some sections Of TIE South and West, vet d
more fatal malady than the cholera and yellow
fever, that do not always prove mortal, has once
swept through the valley Of the Chumplain.
FlttY-one years ago last wln'er, old men speak
OF as the SickIy season, aud often refer to 1t ar
the time u GoeIr 0fphanage as u few days
since | asked man II he was old enough to re-
member the sickness Of that v inter he replied
No, but remember my fathsr dI.d OF that
sickness
As the disease Was unknown to physicians
they geye IL 10 technical name, hence il was
called epid.mc cold fever, and s0liia ferer IL
having originated IN The army that lay ma, win
ter in Burlington, Of which many hundred
died. | shall not attempt o give the oharacls-
tcs Of lDalady that bef He'd tho tklll Of the
medlcA faculty, but name few ol lls pecu-
larites.
!. ltwn not thought to be contagious, yet
il spread wherever man died Of this disease.
Late IN the tall many soldiers LETT for home on
lurlougha they were OIlen taken sick and died
% their way and though public houses wero
az that time very numerous yet in most OF them
soldiers died, ana 10 Is majJrity Of Cases tavern
keepers died also. From tuese cases tue dl-els
spread through the towns.
2. More men than women were attacked
and comparatively lew minors | know Ol but
one under twenty years oi age
8. Men thirty years Of age and upWards, o.
the most hate robuH constitutions, were the lead.
ing victims OF the disease. A man said 10 me
Iou are risking your iie BY being with the
f nd A III .ultfb fb4r - ltt
10 10 no danger such d tef6is man ls safe, none
but the robust are ia danger oi this strange and
dreadful malady."
4. Ia few hours ai.lr taken, the sick were
Frustrated phiac4iy aud m.omly, eud di,d
within two Or three days after aiken
3. The dlseaee, | think, proved fatal in all
cases kn0g tie doctors had tue reputation
Of saving some but they shared largely 10 the
common t1cltement all symptoms Of disease
were called and treated az the epidemic. hence
some recovered because they had no sefiOu,
complaint. Doctors who knew not what to 90,
tried all kinds Of experiments. Iuey gave
large portions ol powerful medicines, AID often
gave brandy until their patients were Iutoxl-
Gated. young women IA Fergennes was so
treated, but the next day hers was clear case
Of The measels | was ssnt to see friend de
iound her drunk-tbe next DAY 10 was eJ ident
her physician was mlstif ec. 80 Of many C So.
In one reghbarhood OF twelve families one
or more deaths occurred in ell tut one, and 10
nearly all the head OF the family was taken.
Ii Was snowy winter, yet 50 frequent wtrs toe
funerals that the path to the principal cemetery
was well beaten. A tier few weeks congrega
nons were largely composed Of mo rners,
among whom were mauy widows and orphan.
have seen no es innate of the numb.r Of
deaths by this epidemic. DR.. GAllop, ct
Windsor, think published slmething respec
ing bis theory on TINS anonymous, incura1le
malady
An approximate calculation Of the number OF
deaths this side Of the mountain may be made
from the fact hat more th.n triy dird 10 oto
town. am not aware that the epidemic wa-
more prevalent there than IN many other towns
through Western Vermont
EHtract IRON poem IA concentration Of
the epidemic.
10 from sbos wtsacs cbas'en ing Idsns1t, come.
\ fesrtul sentence Sc . s.al egf doou.
: dread Dis aae Rii. unClaf. o4rd posrr
Ch U.s. life s ~st4 ioan 10 oar eFru-'ul hour
Attacks be aroHg IS Il 90 shus as poser
Ana thoustnls sla5 a. b. sil gle BIOS
a. the tgypuAn,-Eh In oue ia morn
10 desu = cola arms t&cn found hts ,ldesi CORN
Nith IKE surprise thro' cr,ty topn and stree.
VI hear ike tIiss and none bdt noetn,r, met"
VIII not some oetogenarlan prepare q more
extended account OF ,nls great c4lamlty, aud
present 4. az IA meeting OF the lll.@ricA So,ie-
y2 T.
Charlotte, April 4, 1900