Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-09-28

cle in question, we for many reasons
refrain from any further discussion
Of the matter.
Ed. CHRONICLE.
EPaDEMGCS an CLARKSVILLE.
EDITORS CHRONICLE: By request
of a prominent citizen of this city,
[ herein give an account of the
health status of GAINESVILLE running
back for many years, and which
has transpired under my immediate
; also my opinion as to
the causes which produced unfavor-
able effects upon the health of the
community at large during my res
idence here.
| first became citizen of Clarks-
Vile in the year 1927. The town
was then nearly surrounded by ex-
veswamps, covered with stand
ing and fallen trees. Ponds of stag
nant water were numerous. l had
been accustomed to seeing large
bodies of men together elsewhere
whose prominent features were those
of good and robust health. A few
weeks after my debut here, a mil
tia muster took place. My atten-
ton to them was Immediately
attracted by their physical appear
ance, which indicated sickness and
uniform bad health under which
they seemed to exist. took a good
view of them, as many were heroes
who had fought at the battle of
New Orleans, and yet from their
physical appearance it seemed as
though | were mistaken as to their
having participated in that great
event. Their skins were of a sallOW,
bilious hue, thin-visaged, abdomi-
nal prOturberances in many and
cadaverOus looks in others. ] very
naturally enquired for the causes of
this Ito me) phenomenon was in
formed that chillS and bilious fever
prevailed throughout the country
every year. The same causes pro-
duced the same effects from the
| first settlement of the country. l
suppose the sickness of one year
rarely left an individual before the
next season added more fuel to the
| flame.
In 1884 a case of Asiatic cholera
was brought here from New Or
leans. Curiosity drew crowd of
citizens, including myself. The
case was a hopeless one, being in
the collapsed stage. In few hours
he was reduced to skin and bones
and died. No person contracted
the disease from this case.
The next summer of 1885 cholera
as an epidemic suddenly visited
GAINESVILLE. On the night of the
3Oth of June, while the inhabitants
were slumbering in supposed Sc
curity, seven cases of cholera Oc-
Cured three were soon fatal; the
remaining four survived few days.
The disease spread with undated
violence, lasted eight days exactly,
and suddenly disappeared. was
with a number of cases. AS calOmel
had ever been the sovereign cure for
all diseases, it was largely admins
tered to patients. A near neighbor
of mine was down; the doctors were
all busy; he could get no medical
aid; he sent for myself; found him
very bad off; asked what medicine
he had in the hOuse-nOthing but
calomel. l poured a pile OF pyri-
midial shape into my hand without
weighing or measuring. He ate it
dry, and in a few days he became
convalescent and lived many years.
[ do not know that the calomel
cured him. / wish it to be known
that during the cholera there was
not ciStern in GAINESVILLE; all the
citizens used spring water, from the
same spring. Every householder
had small dray and barrel attached
and an old horse to draw it. The
annoyance to me became intolera'
BILE; | struck out on new departure
here. Forty years ago, or in 1888,
built the first cistern in GAINESVILLE
on the lot where Capt. Gracey now
lives, and which is still intact Sew
eral neighbors followed this inova
ton Immediately, and in few
years nearly every house had a els
tern, and the water dray was thrown
aside as a nuisance.
In the year 1910 malarial sickness
such as chills, bilious fever, etc.
prevailed. Probably not a family
escaped its touch throughout this
entire region. One family in
neighbOring county, consisting o
twenty-five persons, were all dowr
sick so their neighbors had to look
after them, and yet very few deaths
occurred in the entire country.
About the year 1915 the swamps
and stagnant ponds had all become
drained and their surfaces put into
high state of cultivation. From
about this time may be dated new
era as to the health of GAINESVILLE
although it is true that in 1915
GAINESVILLE was again visited by
cholera-the number of cases very
. large, but the disease very much
modified in character and its treat
ment perhaps better understood, as