The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1878-09-19
THE SOUTHERN PLAGUE.

THE SOUTHERN PLAGUE.
Horrors of the Pestilenee at Memphis
The 'subt1est Scourge Ever Known !
-Heartrending Scenes
[From the Louisville Courier-Journall
The following letter from prominent |
citizen Of Memphis to commercial !
house in this city is exceedingly inter-
esting, and contains some facts and top
les we have not seen elsewhere. Tt is
written from Camp Joe Williams, four
miles south of Memphis
We have had trying and desperate
fight with the fever at this camp, but I
begin to feel we have conquered You
can form no idea of the distress. Women
in childbirth, surrounded by little ones,
quartered in tents, see one by one pass
from their sight on to the hospital,
thence to the grave. Soon the babe is
born, yellow as gold themother fingers
a few days, and then she, the last of the
household, is put under the ground. We
save no women who are attacked. Such as
are pregnant miscarry; others, when at
tackled have premature hemorrhage be-
fore the regular monthly period, and there
is no cure for such. Yesterday women
and two pretty daughters, of - and Is.
walked from the train to my tent, and
reported for assignment to quarters
From my familiarity with the disease, I
at once remarked !: why, woman,
your two girls have the fever. The
eldest one said: "No, sir, indeed I
never felt better in my life. Ihad
little chill yesterday, but am we'll now.
Her pulse showed 1875, temperature 104,
eyes CLASSY, skin pulled, and the whole
countenanee beautiful pink. In order
to quiet and crafty the mother, I putup
a tent near me for the night. Next morn
ing I had them examined, and both were
sent to the hospital. I was down there
this noon. The mother is PROSTATE with
nervous prostration and the children lie
in the Potter's field.
Just now I toted fellow to tent near
the hospital. [ have had men hunting
him all day. He has been lodging us.
He swears nothing is the matter with
him. His pulse is 1876 and temperature
106. He is literally burning up. He
will be dead by noon tomorrow.
There are fresh arrivals. We have
400 who have been out from the city
sufficiently long to be regarded safe.
We are building houses and establish
ing new camp to which all who have
been beyond the infected districts ten
days will be removed. If no more ar
rive we will be able to say we have
snatched from certain death 455 souls.
The camp is laid out in streets !; each
tenement is numbered, and complete
register is kept of every inmate. New
arrivals occupy street called Quaran-
tine square. We have quartermaster,
commissary, undertaken, physician, pur-
veyor and military force. We have
large warehouse and brick oven, soup
house, and every appointment the emer-
gency suggests.
This disease is yellow fever, or is, in
fact, the malarial fever of this coast, in
tensifed by the introduction of ship or
Asiatic fever. It is the most subtle
scourge the world has experienced, and
affles all medical experience. Aperson
of intelligence, when first attacked with
the malarial symptoms, if he be admin
istered to at once with the usual treat
ment, wrapped up in blankets and
nursed carefully, may pull through.
None but the rich can, in times like the
present, command special attention.
The masses are treated by the whole
sale, and all alike. Few recover.
The first symptoms are heaviness and
slight chill, then suppression Of the
urine, pulled face, CLASSY eye, beautiful
flushed skin, pink eye-lids, pulse 100,
temperature 103 to 106. Soon vomito
begins, which is simply slight hawking
sound and splitting of coffee ground
substance from the stomach, which sinks
to the bottom of the vessel. The pa
tient. after each emission, feels well,
and would get up if allowed. No pain,
no evidence of concern, either by look
or action. The pulse begins to run
down to 80, 80, 70, so, 40; then comes
the pinched nostril and mechanical
breathing. They sit up; want to get
up; are induced to lie down, and quietly
pass away. ~ Y aa-a.l Ha ~
Thursday night, as I was making the
rounds, i saw woman returning from
the infrmary with vial of medicine.
1t was sprinkling a little. She went in
her tent, lit candle, and lay down.
In a few moments I heard an alarm.
Women and children were running wild
about that portion of the camp.
FASTENED there, when my eyes beheld
most heart-rending sight. This woman's
babe, 9 months old, was crying on it's
mothers breast, and she was dead.
The child was cared for, the mother
taken away, and the tent burned with
it's contents. '@<7t- .4/@<
..ta.. - - ------- aalta@ 6s3T
... "In the Valley of Death" a..
Mr. ~ T11ckar of Gb1ooro x1ho