Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1867-09-12
Correspondence Gallipolis Journal.
Letter from Galveston, Texas
The Yellow Fever, Incidents,


The Yellow Fever, Incidents,
&c.
GALVESTON, TEXAS.
August "a, 1857.
Nothing 10 talked Of here but vel
low fever. 1t is the first thing in the
morning, the last at night, and one
even dreams of it while asleep. Look
in whatever direction you win every
thing reminds you Of it. The almost
deserted streets; the large number of
closed business houses and hotels;
the spare market, the numerous fu.
neral processlons, the dead wagon
from the hospitals, the running to
and fro OF physicians, nurses and
members Of the Howard Association,
all remind one Of the engrossing sub
ject-yellow fever.
The number Of cases at enc time
exceeded one Thousand, and have
varied but little from that figure up
TO this date. The Howard Associa-
ton last week had under their care
227; City Hospital I34; Military Hos
pital "a; Charity Hospital "a; making
total OF 4I9. To be added to this
is the private practice of the physi-
clans which will number fully COO.
This is about fair average of the
number of cases for the past two or
three weeks. The deaths will foot
up grand total Of nearly 500 to
date. All this In a population of
not exceeding 13, 900 souls. Taking
the ratio Of population into -censid.
GRAFTON this would be equal to
mortality Of fully 800 per day in
Cincinnati. The epidemic began at
least q month earlier than ever. be-
fore known, thereby giving more
favorable weather for the sick.
September is considered the most
severe month, owing to the sudden
and frequent changes in the weather.
A norther is almost sure death to the
sick but gives new lesse of life to
the well. The weather ai this time
is very favorable for the sick ones,
and the number of deaths has fallen
off from 80 to 19 per day, but sud
den change may make it more viru-
lent than ever. Yellow fever never
disappears, entirely, until about 1st
to 18th OF November, while it has
been known to linger along until the
middle Of December Nothing but q
hard frost kills it.
The fatality among the troops and
officers Of the army has been unac-
ceuntably light. Only one officer
has died, Col. George Taylor, Medi-
cal director Of the district, and not to
exceed fifteen soldiers. The wives
Of the officers have suffered more.
Lieut.. Bascom's wife has been very
i'll but is slowly recovering. He lost
a babe, but not from the fever.
Lieut.. B. is son of w. F. Bascom,
formerly editor of the State journal.
Lieut.. Gel. Albert lost his wife q
week since, and he is quite i'll now
from the same disease. His daugh-
ter has been quite sick but is now
considered out Of danger. Lieut..
Kirkman lost his wife q few days
since, leaving babe but four months
old and a daughter who is down with
the fever. Surgeon Saml. Adams
wife and her sister are both down
and very sick, yet hopes are enter
tanned Of their recovery. Major
Sinclair's (Freedmans bureau) wife |
has been very low, but is now con-
sidered out of danger. Her sickness |
has been the most severe of any, and |
her escape from death seems almost
q miracle. Gems Griffin and Pot |
ters families together with my own
are the only ones that have escaped /
so far. We hope, with great eau
ton, prudence and care to escape it
altogether, still we are not out of
danger by any means yet. Take it
all in all this has been q Hue summer,
and one cannot be blamed for being
little. ] have been
through epidemics (cholera) before,
but deliver me from the second one of
yellow fever. Seeing from thirty to
forty interments q day, a cemetry
looking like a ploughed field, and
hearing q sexton ask the driver OF q
hearse, show many you got this
.rip"--"only one," is not calculated
10 add to ones cheerfulness or give
one very firm belief in the certain
y Of life. A few days ago, while
funeral at the cemetry,
had to wait until the grave was dug,
t being only about half past seven
A. NJ the sexton turned to the
clergyman and asked him, ''are there
many sick in town. Do you believe
t haven't been able to get to town
n long time" Think Of sexton T,
Isking such q question, when he was
ourying about 80 per day, and had
already buried 8 that merning. As
We turned away he nudged me with
lis elbow and said, 81 say, mister,
10 you pay for this one3" That sex
on ls an institution. I presume q
nan in his position, becomes har.
lened and only has an eye to his
business interests.
Several persons, owing to fright, !
ave gone to the interior to run sWsy /,
rom 1t, many Of whom have taken /,
he disease after leaving and died. :
They we're sick where they could not ,
'btain medical assistance or nursing. !
After the yellow fever becomes e6- !
lemic 1t is far more dangerous to run | .
way than to remain where you can .
ave the best Of nursing, and pro. /.
essionai attention from practitioners !
4 experience. One physician here !
ss had over 100 cases in his private :
'ractice, and lost but 7. He gives !.
mt little medicine and makes it m !
o nursing. Calomel is being used !
his season with great success, and :
understand fof the first time. The :
ug of war comes after the fever h.a );