Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-08-28
The Yellow Fever.

This dreaded disease made its appear
ance at New Orleans about the first of this
month and soon went up the Mississippi
appearing at Grenada, Mississippi, then at
Memphis, Tennessee and later Mt Vicks-
burgh. A few cases have occurred else
where through the southern states and
even as far north as Philadelphia and New
York, but it is only in the Mississippi
Valley that it has assumed dangerous
proportions.
The disease itself is fever that thrives
only in tropical regions or farther north
when the fierce summer heat affords trop-
ical conditions. 1t lasts usually from
three to nine days and is not uniform in
maligniIy, at times the percentage of
deaths being very low and again running
up so that more than half of those attacked
perish. 1t is sometimes accompanied with
the black vomit,'a discharge of blood
which foretells 4 fatal result.
The earliest history of the New Orleans
region records the fatal results of fever
which was doubtless the same rs the one
now raging, and in 1899 its ravages were
deadly in that city. 1t has frequently ap-
peared since. and during the last thirty
five years has been largely destructive in
its effects six times, in 1913, lS47, 1858,
1853 1867 and 1873.
The terrible visitation upon Norfolk.
Virginia, occurred in 1855 when the low
er Mississippi Valley was comparatively
free from the disease. 1t is said that the
cholera spreads from Asia once in about
twelve years and if that is true it is nearly
time for it to begin its deadly march from
the plains of India. The yellow fever has
not as yet been timed" but its most
deadly effects have been felt in New Or
leans at periods not differing far from those
assigned the cholera.
In 1858 1t was of very deadly character
there; and in 1867 its severity was again
unusual, the deaths being in that one city
in August 255 in September 1887 and in
October 43l, the daily death rate ut times
being between SO and 60. The scourge
this year has now rea ched proportions that
place it near that of 1867. The new cases
yesterday reported in New Orleans We're
1874 and the deaths 40 and there Is every
indication that the disease has not yet
reached its height.
Up the river the town of Grenada has
been depopuated and there are now bu,
few people there except the sick and
nurses. In Memphis the death rate is
about % daily and the fever spreads tc
new localities. Not more than tenth o.
the white population remain in the city
Vicksburgh has rs deaths daily and thu
new cases increase in number, The in
habitants Of jackson have fed though NJ
cases of fever have appeared there, whil
those of Holly Springs turn nobody away
sick or well, and stay at home themselves
caring for such sick as come there. Gre
NADIA was a filthy place and there seems t
have been the most reckless disregard O
all sanitary precautions. Contribution
are pouring in from the north for the he'll
of the sufferers in the afflicted towns
The disease is always checked when tn
thermometer marks the freezing point, an
it generally abates its ravages within sixt
days. But there are yet some weeks c
warm weather and it has not exhauste
half its usual limit of time. so that we ma
expect for n large part of next month t
hear Of great fatality and suffering through
out the southwest even if northern citie
are kept free from the scourge.