The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1878-09-05
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 y
O'Clock until 4, % deaths were reported,
increasing the number announced at y
N. to 60. Interviews with the Sanitary
Inspector elicit the statement that there
are not so many cases to-day rs on Tues
dav, but all admit that not one-half are
reported. Dr. j. c. Beard, City Ply
stefan, has treated 14G aad reported only
40. Every house on Franklin Street, for
two squares above POydras, contains
yellow fever patient. One square on
Euterpe Street between st Charles and
Carondelet Streets is in the same condi-
ton. The intersecting streets have been
barricaded TO prevent the passage Of
vehicles, and a milkman who undertook
10 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 woman, was piled upon the
top of the other, and surrounding the
ghastly heap sat a faithful dog and the
woman 5 husband, who accompanied her
to the Potter 10 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 50 much garbage. The driver start
ed on a 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, aud three other wagons perform
the same office. 1t is Of course under
stood that these instances are exclusive
ly confined TO the miserably poor. They
have indeed suffered terribly, and the
nation will rejoice to lealn that a miti-
cation of their agony has at length
come Within a week their abodes have
into hospitals. Thanks to the Towards
and the Young Mems Christian Associ-
alton, the scum of the city, black and
white, are receiving as careful attention
as could be given in the best regular
hospitals. Instances do sometimes oc-
cur which are extremely sad. A little
girl of ! ! was SO unfortunate rs to be at
tackled in the house Of a cousin on Mag
aziue 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 to conceal
the fact that the disease is destined to
increase, but there is every hope in the
ability of physicians TO reduce the per-
centage Ct 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 TO the ship Souder. The Board
discussed the progress of the epidemic,
and the me,ubers were unanimous in the
belief that IL was beyond human control,
and would have TO run It's course. I'm
less some great and rare meteorological
change takes place the probability is
strong that the city viii be swept
throughout. A strange feature was
brought to light yesterday by the com
parative statistics of the convalescent
and fatal cases. 1t Is seen that the
mortality among the negroes attacked is
nearly 90 per cent. So fatal indeed is
the disease that when a full-blooded ne
gro is seized be abandons hope at once.
In illustration of the extreme nervous
prostration during the stage of conva-
lescence, one man, already able to move
about the house, and who was consider
ed totally out of danger, was severely
frighted by a vivid flash of lightning
Saturday afternoon, relapsed into fever
within an hour, and died with black
vomit at o'clock. Many of the best
doctors in the city now are refusing to
visit new cases, having their powers al
ready tried 10 the utmost.