The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-10-03
A STRICKEN CITY.
Ravages OF the Epidemic I'm shreveport,
Lathe Origin Of the Disease.

Rmvares ofthe Epidemic I'm Shreveport
Lathe Origin Of the Disease.
[shreveport Sept 2r Cor. New York world.l
The medical faculty are divided III
opinion as to the disease which is raging
with such fury and fatal effect, some
contending that it is yellow fever of the
most malignant type and consequently
contagious, while others hold that 1t Is
the "yellow disease malarial fever
peculiar to the swamps OF the Southern
States. and not at all contagious, but,
having become epidemic from purely
local causes, will continue to rage Just
so long as the cause exists or there IS
material upon which 1T can feed.
The origin of the disease is at pres
ent in doubt, although those who con-
tend that it is the yellow disease "
claim that it had its origin IN the ex-
treme low water of the Red River, which
exposes large extent OF the bottom OF
the river to the fierce rays OF the sun,
thereby causing a malarial exhalatiOn
from the damp earth. The low water
has left exposed upon the banks OF the
river large amount OF vegetable mat
ter and decaying wood, the stencil from
which is of the most mephitic character.
Added to these causes some parties
few weeks ago slaughtered large num-
Der of diseased Texas cattle on the
river bank, skinning them and permit
ting the carcasses to remain and rot
where they were. These causes COM
bined are believed to be the origin OF
the scourge which is now devastating
the Inflated town. The above theory
would appear to be the true one, be-
cause the disease has not spread to the
adjacent towns and villages where like
local causes did not exist. Further evil
dence of the local character and nom
contagiousness of the disease, we think,
is shown in the fact that number of
persons who sought safety i'll flight from
the scourged city were stricken down
after they had gotten away, yet those
who attended upon them and were
brought into communication with them
were not attacked, because the local
causes were absent and the disease was
not contagious, simply epidemic.
We do not remember of disease
where the percentage of deaths has been
so great. We have known more deaths
to occur in a week in New Orleans dur
ing the prevalence of the yellow fever,
and in st. Louis during cholera times,
then the number of cases was proper
tionately greater and the population of
the places many times larger. In
Shreveport many families have been
swept out of existence, and there is
scarcely one that does not mourn the
loss of at least one member. The fatal
ity appears to be far greater among
the males than females, but this may be
accounted for by the fact that the occu-
patton OF the males requires them to be
abroad more than the females, and they
consequently become impregnated to
greater degree with the poisons which
produce the disease; also there are
more males attacked than females.
Those who remain at Shreveport be-
cause they cannot get away, or because
they feel called upon to remain at their
posts, no matter what dangers surround
them, appear to wear the sullen aspect
of despair. They have been during the
past few weeks brought face to face
with death so frequently, have seen
their friends, relatives and acquaint-
ances fall upon all sides, and grown SO
familiar with the appearance of the fell
destroyer, that they have lost that SEN
which is characteristic of our
Christian civilization. They weep not,
nor do they mourn the fountain from
whence flows the the tears that Christ
ian people are wont to shed over the
remains of dead loved ones appears to
have been dried up. Upon nearly every
face there are traces of sorrow-a set
tied gloom nearly approaching despair.
But still there are few Mark Tapleys
who remain jolly under all circumstan-
,es. They appear to laugh at deaths
ioings around them, and believe that
0,y being jolly they escape an attack of
5he disease.
No one at present can write an ac-
count of the disease which will exag-
yerate the true condition of affairs in
he stricken city. The poor are suffer-
ng, not only from the disease, but from
he want of many things which an en-
ire suspension of business necessarily
entails. The city authorities find It
liflicult to bury the dead, and had not
he Howard Association, of New Or
eahs, come forward with material aid,
here is no telling what would have
)een the result