The New York herald., 1873-11-07
THE DOMAIN OF DEATH.
The Terrible Two Months of Life in
Shreveport.


Shreveport.
Mr.. william Barnard, formerly OF Cincinnati and
now manager Of the Western Union Telegraph
Company's onlces in New Orleans, came to this
city yesterday, direct from Shreveport, La. He
was there during the whole OF the epidemic and
gives to. the HERALD the following account OF the
sufferings in that pestence-ridden city
Shreveport hes north and south along the Red
River, and, before the days OF the pestlence, num-
bered IL, coo inhabitants. The fever broke out on
August %. 1t became an epidemic about Septem-
ber 4, and 5000 OF the population at once left
the city. Since that time Shreveport has been
quarantined in every direction. Mails for Texas
are lying there which should have gone forward
two months ago. The lowest mortality on any
day Of twenty-four hours was three and the high
est thirty-six. Up to October 25 there had been
100 deaths
HOW THE FEVER CAME TO SHREVEPORT
The cause Of the yellow fever epidemic is not at
tributable to the Red River raft. Not single case
Of fever any other sickness occurred among the
14O men employed by the United States govern
ment in removing this obstruction TO the upper
Red River navigation. This fact in itself puts
quietus on the theory OF several scientists. The
causes OF the fearful epidemic, after the appear
ance Of the disease are to be found in the filthy
condition OF the city and in the drying up OF the
the malaria. The virulence OF the contagon is
directly attributable to the skinning OF 200 car
casses OF dead cattle and their subsequent putre-
faction on the river banks, about two miles below
the city. steamer loaded with cattle sunk at
that place and the negroes towed the dead animals
ashore where, alter being skinned, their
carcasses W. were lett !, to decompose. s southwest
OF the year, carried the stencil which the burning
sun created into the city. This prepared the ar
| for taking the injection. The first case OF the
| fever however, was brought from New Orleans
| but, under the influences mentioned, 1t resolved
itself into the most virulent type OF Mexican black
vomit The percentage of deaths AZ the most vio-
lent period OF the pestilence was 95 out OF every
100. Sixty per cent was about the average, but
there were never less than 40 deaths to every 100
! persons attacked.
HOW THE FEVER CAME TO THE INDIVIDUALS.
| The symptoms began with a violent pain IN the
| head and shoulders. Heavy aches and numbness
then attacked the bones in the limbs The fever
n aa se o ap e u in J
three days, when the fever left the patient; tnen,
If the kidneys could be kept right, the case
was hopeful one. All OF the deaths occurred
either from black vomlt, which Is the complete
putrefaction OF the stomach or from the entire
sequestration OF the urinary organs. There was
hardly case OF the disease where the catheta did
did not have to be resorted TO- The period OF the
disease was in each case owing to the constitution
OF the patient-the strongest did not survive a
week.
THE MEDICAL TREATMENT.
| The treatment was simply hot mustard BATH
with castor oil as a cathartic. Calomel. the old
specific in this disease was entirely discarded
| rear killed u great many. Recovery In the DeSb
cases was a matter OF GOODNESS, constitution and
good luck. The shortness OF the supply OF nurses
/ prompted the organization Of the Howard Associa-
| tion in Shreveport Mr.. l.. r. Simmons being
| chosen President. The President OF the Associa-
ton in New Orleans, Mr.. +. +. Smith, came at
| once to Shreveport with nurses and physicians
The deaths among the nurses did not exceed i've.
The greatest mortality among any one sect was la
the ranks OF the Catholic clergy. They were very
faithful in their mnstrations on the sick and the
| dying. The Protestant ministers were equally
fearless OF death and just as indefatigaDle in the
| operators were the next heaviest sufferers In pro-
portion to numbers, iour out OF six falling victims
to the terrible disease.
| THE FORM OF BURIAL.
There was no such thing as funeral services at
the churches or at the graves. Every place Of
business was closed except the drug stores and
| liquor saloons The churches were closed. The
iormalltes ol burial were very few. The deaths
were reported To the Howard Association, which
| at once detailed workmen to dig the graves. The
comm was taken to the sidewalk In front OF the
house. The corpse was brought from the house,
| put into the box and. after being closed up the
casket was placed in a wagon and driven at gal
| lop to the cemetery There II was deposited beside
grave digger was left alone with the corpse and his
own thoughts. lie got the box INTO the grave as
best he could. The cemetery and especially the
| Potter's field, looks like o battle field with its
newly made graves.
now THE DISMAL DAYS PASSED.
There were no hcarses to convey the bodies with
some snow OF decorum to their last resting places.
NO mourners followed the corpse TO the grave;
| Those who would have wished to go to the funeral
Of friend were required at the bedside OF
a dying wife or cnlld. the sick monopolized the
attention OF the living; the dead were regarded as
beyond all the nelp OF love or anection. High and
low, rich and poor, were buried alike. Whole
families were swept out OF cxistence-not mem
Der left. There 100 little orphans VINO nave
| lost both father and mother. They VIII DC raised
| by the State OF Louisiana.
The fever virtually terminated on the goth OF
| October, when heavy frost chilled the atmos-
| phcre, and ny stlrcnng up the ground stopped
| the formation OF the malaria. Regarding myself
| can only say that / never have had tile lever, and
prior to going TO shreveport as q volunteer never
had seen "A case Of the disease.