The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-09-05
YELLOW FEvRR NOTES.

The fever did not spread at Ocean
Springs, where two deaths occurred.
Shreveport sends $500 and prac-
ticed yellow fever physician to serve
Vicksburg.
The plague is rsvsqing and desolat-
ing Port Gibson. Two hundred aud
thirty cases and thirty-fve deaths in
eight days.
There is not case of yellow fever
between Canton and New Orleans, 200
miles. The country is dry and mainly
covered with pine forests.
The average Memphis negro fills his
stomach with green or stale water
melons, and proceeds to grow as yel.
low as possible, and then curls up and
quits.
The terrOrs of the fever, or rather its
fatality, is steadily aggravated in Mem
phis. The disease follows the wind
ings of Bayou Gayoso, an uncovered
drain and receptacle for the filth from
streets and back yards and cesspools of
the sewerless city.
Yellow fever is gradually spreading
over Vicksburg, and we may soon have
as painful recitals from that undrained
and uncleansed city of vaults and sinks
and foul cesspools, without drains to
the river, save such as are given from
the foul bayou of Memphis and the
reeking ditch and river of Grenada.
Just as fishes live and procreate their
species in water so do the germs of
malarial fever live and grow and mul-
tiply in damp, misty atmosphere,
1t rains and then the sun shines almost
every day in Memphis, and the vapors
! that rise up sre the rivers in which
sporules, more terrible than sharks and
sword fish, do disport themselves.
DIR. Chas. w. Zaremba brought from
Chill "sure cure for yellow fever"
1t is manufactured by Parke, Davis s.
Co., of Detroit. from leaves of an AL
pine plant called Boldo, who will send
a specimen bottle to any druggist ap-
plying for it. Unless the druggist go
and take the disease he can't test the
value of the drug, and we suppose they
will hasten in a body to Grenada.
An individual who came out of
Vicksburg few days ago Gays the
epidemic is due to the criminal negli-
gence of sanitary precautions on the
part of the city administration. A
few dollars laid out IN street draining
and disinfection in the spring would
have averted the plague. The stagns-
ton of water and want of sewerage in
front of the city begat the calamity
Everybody knows it now, but could
not see it last winter and spring, and,
what Is worse, the asses Will forget all
about it when the fever disappears.
Members of the Independent Order
of Workiugmen at Memphis buried
five members of the fraternity. They
have exhausted their means and call
upon their brethren for substantial
aid IN caring for the sick and bury.
ing the dead. The Baptist relief
committee is also out of means, and
through their president, Rev. 8. Lam
drum, appeal to Baptists and other
friends throughout the country for
assistance in this hour of peril and
suffering. Even the smallest amounts
will be gratefully accepted and used
in feeding the starving, nursing the
sick and burying the dead.
Ii Canton, Mississippi, not single
business house &c open except two drug
stores. Once populatior Of $500. but
now only seventy-five whites are t. be
found here. Mayor and family are sick
and board of aldermen have fed.
Court house is locked up and officers
gone to some safe place. Nothing but
hearses and coffins are to be seen in
the streets. There are some thirty five
or forty cases there. The death lis,
includes Miss Steele. Mrs. Fulton,
three Misses Henry, DR.. Mckay, Mrs.
Garrett, Miss Bruthal, etc. Many ne
groes have died within the last few
days. The few whites here now arc
scared because not single case of yel-
low fever has been doctored success
fully. No person attacked has recov
cred.
New Orleans, letter-writer states,
was never as filthy as at this hour. The
first case of fever is said to have oc-
Cured there in May. 1t was carefully
covered up. Three weeks later othei
cases occurred, but the old-time policy
of concealment was adhered to. Th'
Peoples Exponent, new evening pa
per, was the first to sound the alarm,
after which the other dailies were
compelled to furnish yellow fever news
All would have been we'll had the city
administration and board of healtt
commenced early in July to use active
measures for cleaning and disinfectinf
the entire city. The early appearanc,
of the fever and the malignity OF III
character demanded speedy and united
effort. But nothing of consequence
was done until disinfection had growr
to be farce and cleanliness an lmpos
sibllity.
The following postal card has beer
received by the Memphis newspapers
ga fair warning to Memphis: We
the poor class OF Memphis, is wei
aware of the fact that the governmen
has sent provisions for Us, and we cam
help the distress Of the city. We de-
sire to make an honest LIVING, and i
something Is not done for us, we vii
take the Law in our hands. We cam
I starve, aud don't intend 20 ss long 3
there is anything to sat IN Memphis
II we could get employment vi
wouldn't ask 1t Of you. GiSe us sone
thing to subsist on and Memphis vii
be in peace, and IL not We will turn he
upside down, IL possible.
5ignedl IRISH AND NEGROES"
The same day (2g the negroes be
came clamorous for rations. Abou
one thousand men, women and chill
dren surrounded the commissary depot
and it was found necessary TO station
guard from the colored mIlitar,
company TO kesp back the crowd.
The sums of money paid the quaran
tine officers would hire ten or twent.
poor and hungry men to clean tb'
streets and sweep the cutters. Tn
} health of the city would thus be as