The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-11-10
The Yellow Fever at Fernandina.


YESTERDAY morning Col. J. N. Whit
ner arrived here from Florida. He
left Fernandina some days ago, but was
in that fated city during the fury of the
scourge. A reporter called upon him
and had a conversation concerning the
state of affairs in Fernandina The city
has a population of between 1900 and
1000 persons, probably the larger por-
ton being colored persons. Many of
the latter earn their livelihood by the in
dustries of the place and by labor upon
the wharves in stevedore gangs, loading
and unloading vessels, of which large
number are engaged in foreign trade to
and from that port.
Heretofore Fernandina has been re-
markedly healthy city and since its
foundation has never been visited by
a yellow-fever scourge. The causes for
this fatal epidemic may be properly
traced to the uncleanly condition of the
southwestern portion of the city. Where
the disease first appeared the neighbor-
hoods were in so filthy condition as to
sustain very putrid atmosphere, most
inviting to the disease. This condition
municipal authorities, when they as
sumed the care of the city, found its
treasury impoverished, and debt accum-
ulating to heavy amount, and in their
desire to economize in city expenditures
the drainage of the city and sanitary
regulations generally were neglected.
The usual result of such foolish, if not
criminal, negligence in the name of econ
omy followed, and the city's quarters
| became the harbors of this malignant
plague Eleven hundred cases have
been under treatment since the disease
made it's appearance, which number is
fully thirds of the population subject
| to its attacks. A number of citizens left
the city upon the intimation and assur-
ances that the sickness was yellow fever,
but many who would have escaped were
delayed by controversy between the
two leading physicians over the true
character of the disease. One of them
contended that it was yellow fever, while
the other stoutly denied it, and it was
not until DR.. Mcfarland, the eminent
physician from Savannah, eXhumed the
body of a deceased person and made an
autopsy, by reason of which it was fully
established as a case of yellow fever,
that the true condition of affairs was re-
allied. The disease made rapid progress,
but was singularly mild in effects though
protracted in its operations upon the sys
tens of those attacked. Out of the l, 100
cases only about fifty deaths have beer
reported, which is fatality of less thar
per cent of the number seized with the
sickness. This is very small mortality
and shows that the plague has been gen
eral but not so virulent as was at frs
supposed. Nearly all the white people
in the city subject to attack have alread.
been Frustrated, and the material upOI
which the disease can feed in that direc
ton is nearly exhausted.
The ravages of the plague are now
rapidly taking in the colored people
who of late years seem to have lost thei
immunity from this scourge. Among
them it finds victims i'll prepared to figh
the dread monster, and as a consequence,
there is reason to fear greater mortalit,
among them. Trade is suspended an(
the negroes are poor, and in many case
paupers, to the extent that even thu
L~-sa+ necessities of life they have not
When the scourge first appeared, Col
Whitner says the authorities and people
were pretty well prepared to combat it
but now there is immediate use for pc
cuniary assistance and supplies, princi
pally to relieve, in the name of pure hu
manity, the large number of destitute ant
suffering colored people. atlanta (Ga.
Constitution.