Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-11-20
THE DOMAIN OF DEATH.
Ffe Terrible Two Months Of Life I'm
ShreyeDOrf

MIR. William Barnard, formerly of Gin.
clnnati, and now Manager of the Western
Union Telegraph COmpany's offices in New
| Orleans, was in Shreveport during the
| whole OF the epidemic, ahd gives the fol
lowing account of the sufferings in that
| pestilence-ridden city:
shreveport lies north and south along
| the Red river, and before the DAYS of the
| pestilence numbered 1000 inhabitants.
| The fever broke out on Aug. %. 1t became
| an epidsmic about Sept. 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 living
there which should have gone forward two
| months ago. The lowest mortality on any
| day of twenty-four hours was three and the
highest thirty-six. Up to Oct. %, there
had been 720 deaths.
''The cause of the yellow fever epidemic
is not attributable to the Red river raft.
Not single case of fever or any othersick-
ness occurred among the 40 men en-
ployed by the United States government in
removing this obstruction to the upper Red
river navigation. This fact in itself puts a
quietus on the theory of several scientists.
The causes of the fearful epidemic, afterthe
appearance of the disease, are to be found
in the filthy condition of the city and in
the drying up of the swampS and morasses
in the suburbs, producing the malaria The
virulence OF the contagiOl is directly attrib-
utable to the skinning of POO carcasses of
dead cattle and their subsequent putrefac-
ton on the river banks about two miles
below the city. A steamer loaded
with cattle sunk at that place and the ne
groes tOwed the dead animals ashore. where
after being skinned, their caroasses were
left to decompOse, 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 infection.
The first case of the fever, however, was
brought from New Orleans but, under the
influence mentioned, it resolved itself into
the most virulent type of Mexican black
vomit. The percentage Of death at the
most violent period or the pestilence 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.
'The symptoms began with violent
pain in the head and shoulders. Heavy
aches and numbness then attacked She
bones in the limbs. The fever then set i'm
and the pulse rose TO 40 to 140 per min
ute. The crisis Of the disease arrived in
about three days, when the fever left the
patient; then, if the kidneys could be kept
right, the case was hopeful one. All of
the deaths occurred either from black yomit.
which is the complete. RUtrifactiOn Of the
stomach, or rom the entire seg1esration
Of the urinary organs, There was hardly
a case OF the disease where the catheter
tla not have to be resorted to. The period
or the disease was in each case owing to
the constitution of the patient-the strong
est did not survive week,
''The treatment was simply a hot mus
tard bath, with castor oil as cathartic.
CalOmel, the old specific in this disease,
was entirely discarded. Fear killed a great
many. Recovery in the best cases was a
matter Of GOODNESS, constitution and good
luck. The shortneSs of the supply of
nurses prompted she organization of the
Howard Association in Shreveport, Mr.. l..
K. Simmons being chosen President. The
President Of the Association in New Or
leans, Mr.. (. F. Smith, came at once to
Shreveport with nurses and physicians.
The deaths among the nurses did not ex-
coed five. The greatest mortality among
any one sect was i'll the ranks of the Cath
Pile clergy. They were very faithful in
their ministrations on the sick and dying
The Protestant ministers were equally
fearless of death and iU-t IS indefatigabe
in the discharge OF their sacred duty. The
telegraph operators were the next heaviest
sufferers in proportion to numbers-four
out of six falling victims TO the terrible
disease.
.'fhere was no such thing as funeral SER
vices 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 fOrmalties of
burial were very few. The deaths were
reported to the Howard Association, which
at once detailed wOrkmen to dig the grave.
The coffin 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 gallop to the GEM
etery. There it was deposited beside the |
undug Or partially completed grave. The
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 Potter's Field, looks like |
a bdNSiChClu WIN ITO y-illellC SIdNGSs
''There were no hearses to convey the |
bodies with show Of decorum to their last |
resting places. No mourner followed the |
corpse to the grave, Those who would |
have wished to 60 to the funeral of friend |
were required at the bedside of a dying |
wife or child. The sick monopolized the |
of the living; the dead were re-
garded as beyond all the help of love or af- |
lection. High and low, rich and poor, We're |
buried alike. Whole families were swept |
out Of eXistence-nOt a member left. There |
are one hundred and twenty orphans who
have lost father and mother. They will be |
raised by the State of Louisiana.
''The fever virtually terminated on the |
10Th Of October, when heavy frost chilled |
he atmosphere. and by stiffening up the |
ground stopped the formation Of the ma |
aria"