San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1878-10-12
THE STRICKEN SOUTH.

Progress of the Yellow Fever Scourge-
Tales Almost too Horrible for Belief.
New ORLEANS, Aug. ga deluging
rain, accompanied by thunder and chilly
north wind, which commenced at 3
o'clock and continued one hour, bodies
evil to the sick, and increased mortality
is predicted for tomorrow. From II
O'Clock until 4, % deaths were reported,
increasing the number announced ut II
m. to 60. Interviews with the Sanitary
Inspector elicit the statement that there
are not so many cases to-day as on Tues
day, but all admit that not one-half are
reported. DR.. j. G.. Beard, City Ply
sician, has treated LAG and reported only
40. Every house on Franklin Street, for
two squares above Poydras, contains a
yellow fever patient. One square on
Euterpe Street between st Charles and
CarUndelet Streets is in the same condi-
ton. The intersecting streets have been
barricaded to prevent the passage OF
vehicles, and a milkman who undertook
to force his horse through was driven
away with a loaded revolver. This
afternoon an hour or two passed at the
Office of the Recorder of Deaths deve!-
oped several strange sights. The Office
is on the ground floor of the St. Louis
Hotel, corner of Royal and St. Louis
Streets. While sitting there one of the
charity wagons containing two dead
bodies in rough, implanted pine collins
drove up for burial permit. One, con-
tanning a woman, was piled upon the
top OF the other, and surrounding the
ghaStly heap sat u faithful dog and the
woman's husband, who accompanied her
to the Putter's-feld to note .he spot where
they laid her. Empty collins had
been brought from the Work-house
and driven round to the scenes of death
rs one might drive around and gather
up SO much garbage. The driver start
cd on round through the rain, and af-
ter about an hour returned with two
other bodies for two other permits. The
clerk on duty said that this was his fifth
visit, and three other wagons perform
the same Office. 1t is of course under
stood that these instances are exclusive
" confined to the miserably poor. They
have indeed suffered terribly, and the
nation will rejoice to Learn that miti
cation Of their agony has at length
come. Within week their abodes have
been metamorphosed from pest-houses
into hospitals. Thanks to the Towards
and the Young Mems Christian Associ-
alton, the scum of the city, black and
white, are receiving rs careful attention
as could be given in the best regular
hospitals. Instances do sometimes oc-
cur which are extremely sad. A little
girl of IL was so unfortunate rs to'be at
locked in the house of n cousin on Mag
aaine Street, where two children died
and two were sick. The evening she
expired another of the household was
attacked and the unfortunate girls body
lay in an undertaker's warehouse dur
ing the night and was not buried till the
next day. No one pretends 10 conceal
the fact that the disease is destined TO
increase, but there is every hope in the
ability Of physicians 10 reduce the per-
centage If mortality.
AT meeting of the Board of Health
last night the origin of the epidemic waS
discussed, and from the data furnished,
il was plausibly argued that it could be
traced Ia the ship Suuder. The Board
discussed the progress Of the epidemic,
and the members were unanimous IL the
belief thst II was beyond human coutrol,
and would have 10 run It's coarse. In
less some great aad rare meteorological
change takes place the probability :,
strong that the city will be swept
throughout. \ strange feature was
brought to light yesterday by the c5u-
paratiye statistics of the convalescent
and fatal cases. Il Is seen tina; the
morality among the negnoes attacked Is
nearly % per cent so fatal indeed Is
the disease that When 4 full-blOoded ne
gro ) seized be abanions hope al once
In Illustration Of the extreme nervous
prOStr@.ioa during tee stage of c ava
lescerce, one MAI, already able move
about the house, and who was cons der
81 :o.-fly out OF danger, was severel :