American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-10-21
The Yellow Fever ScOurge in
Savannah.


Savannah.
A correspondent of the Louisville
Courier-JournaL writes rs follows from
Atlanta: This city is full of strangers,
including large numbers of yellow fever
refugees from Savannah and Brunswick.
The terrible epidemic which is ravag
ing those two cities has cast a gloom
over the people of the entire State. Ex-
pressing desire to get the fullest pos
sible information in regard to those I'M
fortunate cities, Mr.. w. ID. Chipley,
General Southern Agent of the Virginia
Midland route, and q brother of Col.
Steve Chipley, Clerk of the Louisville
Chancery Court, introduced me to AL
bert r. Lamar, formerly editor of the
Savannah ADVERTISER. Col. Lamar gave
me graphic description of the terrible
scourge that has befallen Savannah and
Brunswick.
The fever was discovered to be cpl
demic Aug. 20. The discovery fell like
the people of Savannah-itw was sowhol-
ly unlocked for-as since the war Sa-
vannah had perfected an excellent sys-
tenn of drainage and built water-works,
which afford full supply of pure water;
and the police, in addition to their other
duties, are made sanitary inspectors;
and there had been no yellow fever to
speak of since 1853; and besides, for
number of years past, the summer sea-
son has been the healthiest portion of
the year, in Savannah. The disease
was not imported, but originated
very extraordinary rainfall in June of
15t inches, which overfiowed the rice
fields near the city and remained there
under a temperature of over 80 degrees
for sixty days, with an easterly wind
from off the Gulf stream since April.
From the very beginning the disease
was of the most malignant type and de-
| fed all efforts to control it, and the
death rate ran up as high as forty-eight
per day. On Saturday last, the date of
the last report, the number of deaths
was twenty-five. The epidemic has
reached its climax, and from this time
forward there will be fewer cases, but
the death rate will be proportionably
| higher, as the disease becomes more
malignant as the season for it draws to
a close. Nothing short of a hard freeze
will effectually stamp out the pestilence,
and that is not to be expected earlier
than the middle of November. Fully
1000 people have died of the plague
from August 20 to date. The usual
population of Savannah is $4,000. A
census was taken last Saturday which
shows $1,000 people there at present.
| Not less than $40 of them are down
with the fever now. One hundred and
ifty-three new cases were reported Sat
urday, and every man, woman, and
child in the city is more or less affected
by the disease. All left that could get
away.
After the epidemic got under full
Roadway it was more dangerous to
leave than to remain, as change of at
mosphere would almost certainly de-
velop the latent seeds of the disease in
the system, and an attack of that sort
invariably proves fatal. No language,
said Col. Lamar, can describe the terri
BILE gloom and apprehension that hang
over Savannah. The suffering and des-
titution are absolutely horrible. Sasan-
nah has a negro population of about
Is, 900, who are naturally careless and
improvident, and then she has a large
white laboring class who are dependent
upon their daily labor for their bread.
Business of every sort, except through
cotton, is suspended, and the laboring
classes are wholly without means. The
disease has run through this class of i'll
fed, ill-clothed, and ill-lodged ones and
swept them away like chaff before a
whirlwind, and is now attacking the
better classes. Many prominent citi-
zens have died, particularly the younger
business men of the city.
The disease comes on suddenly and
almost invariably in the night, when
the system is exhausted. The symptoms
are intense pain in the head, back, and
limbs, and high fever, which lasts
twelve hours. A. the end OF that time
the patient is ready either for his cook
or his coffin. If the fever subsidies
without the black vomit appearing, two
or three weeks of careful nursing will
make him well. A relapse is always
fatal. After the black vomit supervenes
recovery is rare.
Many heart-renaing incidents of the
terrible plague are told. Aworthy and
estimable lady of Savannah was buried
coffinlcss, because one could not be pro-
cured for love nor money. In many
instances the dead were laid in the
graves and the graves left open because
there was no time to fill them.
A great deal of aid has been given to
Savannah and Brunswick, but a great
deal yet remains to be done. Thou
sands of people are in absolute need of
every thing. All the infected bedding
and clothing must of necessity be de-
stroyed. The treatment of the disease
requires large quantities of ice, costly
medicines, and nourishing food. The
laboring classes have no work of any
kind, and are wholly destitute. A dol
lar now is worth ten next month.
Money or supplies sent to Capt. John
F. Wheaton, agent of the Benevolent
Association Savannah Ca or q r