Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-11-10
ur,A GAZETTE & VIRGINIA ADVERTISER
THE DOMAIN OF DEATH.

rrRRlBLETW MONTHS OF LIFE IN SHREVEPORT.
Mr. William Barnard, formerly of Cincinnati,
and DOW manager Of the Western Union Tele-
srsph Company's offices 10 New Orleans, came
10 New York yesterday, direct from Shreve-
mort. La. He was there during tho whole of
lbe epidemic, and gives to the Herald the fol-
lowing account OF the sutferings 10 that pestl
Ieucc-ridden city:
Shreveport lies north and south along the
Red River, and, before the days Of the pesti-
leuce, numbered II 900 Inhabitants. The fever
broke out on August %. 1t became an cpl
icmic about September 4, and 5000 of the
nopulat;on at once left the city. Since that
direction. Mails for Texas are lying there
which should have gone forward two months
ago The lowest mortality on any day of
tyenty.to four hours was three and the highest
thirty six. Up TO October % there had been
20 deaths
HOW THE FEVER CAME TO SHREVEPORT.
The cause Of the yellow fever epidemic is
nor attributable to the Red River raft Not a
single case of fever or aGy other sickness occur
red among the 40 men employed BY the Uuit-
cd States govcrnmcut 10 removing this Oh
s,ruc,ion to the upper Red River navigation
This fact in itself puts Quletus on the theory
ofseveral scientists. The causes of the fearful
epidemic after the appearance Of the disease,
are to be found in the filthy condition Of the
city and iu the drying up of the swamps and
morasses 10 the suburbs producing the mala
Iia The viruleuce of the contagion is direct y
attributable to the skinniug of POO carcasses of
dead cattle and their subsequent putretactlon
on the river banks, about two miles below the
civ \ steamer loadt d with cattle sunk at that
place aud the oegroes towed the dead auimals
ashore, where, after being skiuued, their Car
ca>scs were left to dccOmpOSe. A southwest WIND
which prevails during much Of that season OF
the year, carried the stencil, which the burning
sun created, into the city. This prepared the
air for taking the injection. The first case of
the fever however, was brought from New Or
leans but under be influences mentioned, it
resolved itself into the u ost vlrulent type Ot
Mexican black vomit The percentage of deaths
at the most violent period of the pestlleoce was
% 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 violent pain in
the head and shoulders. Heavy aches and
uumbuess then attacked the bones 10 the lmbs.
The fever then set 10 and the pulse rose to l2O
,yl40 per minute The crisis Of the disease
arrived in about three days. when the fever
irfe the patient; then, if the kidneys could be
kept right, the case was u hopeful Que. All OF
the deaths occurred either from black vomlt,
which is the complete putretaction of the
stomach, or from the entire sequestratlon OF
the urinary organs. There was hardly case
Of the disease where the catheta did not have
to be resorted to-. The period of the disease
was iu each case owing to the constitution OF
the patent-the strongest did not survive a
week.
THE MEDICAL TREATMENT.
The treatment was simply hot mustard
bath, with castor oil as cathartlc. Calomel,
the old specific iu this disease, was entirely dis
carded Fear killed great many. Recovery
iu the best cases was matter of GOODNESS, con-
stitution aud good luck. The shortuess OF the
supply Of purses prompted the organization OF
the Howard Association in Shreveport, Mr. L.
T. Simmons being chosen President. The
President Of the Association in New Orleans,
Mr.. +. +. Smith, came at once to Shreveport
with nurses and physicians. The deaths among
the purses did not exceed fVe The greatest
mortality among any one sect was 10 the ranks
Of the Catholic clergy. They were very faith
full in their ministrations on the sick and the
dyiog. The Protestant ministers we're equally
fearless of death and just as lndefatigable 10
the discharge of their sacred duty The tele
graph operators were the next heaviest sufferers
in proportion to numbers, four 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 liuuor saloons. The churches were closed.
The E"rualities of burial were very few. The
deaths we're reported to the Howard Association
which at once detailed workmen to dig the
graves The coffin was taken to the sidewalk
In front of the house. The corpse was brought
from the house, put into the box aud, after
being closed up. the casket was placed I'D a
wagon and driven at gallop to the cemetery
There it was deposited beside the undug or only
partially completed grave. The grave, digger
was left alone with the corpse and his own
thoughts. He got the box into the grave as
best he could. The cemetery, and especially
the Potters field, looks like battle field with
Its newly made graves
HOW THE DISMAL DAYS PASSED.
There we're no hearses to convey the dodies
with some show of decorum to their last resting
places. No mourners followed the corpse to
the grave Those who would have wished to
40 10 the funeral of friend were required at
the bedside of a dying wife or child. The sick
nonopozcd the attention Of the living; the
dead we're regarded as beyond all the help OF
love or affection High aud low, rich and poor
were buried alike Whole families were swept
out Of existcnce-not a member left. There
aae 10 little orphans who have lost both father
and mother. They will be raised by the State
of Louisiana.
The fever virtually terminated ou the 26th of
October, when heavy frost chilled the atmos.-
phere, aud by stiffening up the GROUND stopped
me formation Of the malaria Regarding my.
Sell can only say that | never have had the
isSer, and prior to going to Shreveport as .
'o'unleer never had seen case ofthe disease.
THREATENED FAMINE IN BENGAL.-The
Jews teegrsphed to US by our Calcutta cores.
pouuent Is Of very serious importance. Ben-
hAl, The larpest and BIZ tar the nnnulnus