The Morning herald., 1876-10-12
YELLOW FEvER's vlCTIAs.

YELLOW REvER's vlCE1As.
A Graphic story Of the Deadly South
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rFrom the Louisville Courier Journal.J
Atlanta Is full of strangers, including
large numbers of yellow fever refugees
from Savannah and Brunswick. The ter.
rible endemic which Is ravaging those two
cities has cast gloom over the people o.
the entire state. Expressing desire To
yet the fullest possible information IN re-
gard to those unfortunate cities, Mr.. W. ID.
Chipley, general Southern agent OF the
Vi,einia Midland route and brother OF
Col. Steve Chipley, Clerk of the Louisville
Chancery Court, introduced me to Albert
B. Lamar. formerly editor of the Savannah
Advertiser" Col. Lamar gave me q
graphic description of the terrible scourge
that has befallen Savannah and bruns-
wick.
The fever was discovered to be an cpl
demic August 20. The discovery fell like .
thunderbolt from cloudless sky upon the
people of Savannah-it was 80 wholly un.
looked for-as since the war Savannah had
perfected an excellent system 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 1858 and
besides, for q number of years past, the
summer season has been the heaithiest
portion of the year in Savannah. The
disease was not imported, but originated In
Savannah.
The causes were the very extraordinary
rainfall in June of 15H inches, which over
flowed the rice fields near the city and re-
mained there under temperature OF over
80 degrees for sixty days, with an easterly
wind from of the Gulf stream since April.
From the very beginning the disease was OF
the most malignant type and detied all
efforts to control it, and the death rate ran
up as high as forty eight per day. On Sat-
urday last the number of deaths were
twenty-five. The epidemic has reached its
climax, and from this time forward there
will be fewer cases, but the death rate will
be Proportiouably higher, as the disease
bscomes more malignant as the season for
it draws to a close. Nothing short of a
hard freeze will effectually stamp out the
pestilence. The usual population OF Savan-
nah is $4,000. A census was taken last
Saturday which shaws 2l 900 people there
at present. Not less then 800 of them are
down with the fever now. One hundred
and fifty-three new cases were reported on
Saturday, 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 good head
way it was more dangerous to leave than TO
remain, as change of atmosphere would
almost certain develop the latent seeds of
the disease in the system, and an attack of
that sort invariably proves fatal. No Ian
guage, said Col. Lemur, can describe the
terrible gloom and apprehension that hang
over Savannah. The suffering and destitu-
tion are absolutely horrible. Savannah has
a negro populotion of about ID, 600, who are
careless and improvident, ard
then she has 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 labor
ing classes are wholly without means. The
disease has run this class of ill-fed, ILL
clothed, and ill-lodged ones and swept them
away like chatf before whirlwind, ard is |
now attacking the better classes. Many
prominent citizens have died, particularly
the younger business men of the city.
The disease comes Oh suddenly and inva-
riably in the night, when the system is ex-
hausted. The symptoms are intense pain
in the head, back and limbs, and high fever
which lasts twelve hours. At 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 very
rare. |
Many heart rendering incidents of the ter
rible plague are told. A worthy and esti-
mable lady of Savannah was buried coffin
less, because one could not be procured for
love or money. In many instances the dead
we're laid in graves and the graves left open
because there was no time to fill them.
A great deal of aid has been given Savan-
nah and Brunswick, but great deal yet re-
mains to done. Thousands Of people are in |
Absolute need of everything. All infected
bedding and clothing must Of necessity be |
destroyed. The treatment of the disease
requires large quantities of ice, costly med |
cines, and nourishing food. The laboring |
classes have no work of any kind. and are
wholly destitute. A dollar now is worth
zen next month.
A Boy Pie and q Cartwheel.
From the Elizabeth H.rald.l
A v,ipo ,k,ook xuo,,op lo-oh. ~;o