The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-09-19
Horrors cfthe Plague.

tiess. IN Childbirth. SUR
rounded by little ones. quartered
IN tents, see one by one pass from
their sight on TO the hospital.
thence to the grave. Soon The
babe Is born, yellow as gold; the
mother fingers a few DAYS. anG then
she, the last of the household. is
put under the ground. We save
no women who are attacked. Yes
terday a woman and two pretty
daughters, Of twelve and sixteen
years, walked from the train to nv
tent and reported for assignment
to quarters. From my familiarity
with the disease at once remarked:
why, woman. your two girls have
the fever The eldest one said
NO, sir; indeed, | never felt better
IN my life. had a little chill yes
terday, but am well now" Her
pulse showed 125, temperature,
lO4; eyes CLASSY, skin pulled and
the whole c~ountenance a beautiful
pink. In order to quiet and graft
~ the mother | put up a tent near
me for The night. Next morning
| had them examined and both
were sent to the hospital. I was
down there this noon. The mother
was PROSTATE with nervous prostra-
ton and the children lie in the
Potter's field.
This disease is yellow fever, or
IS, IN fact, the malarial fever of
this coast, intensified by the intro
ductlon of the germs of ship or
Aslatic fever. It is the most subtle
scourge the world has experienced,
and battles all medical experience.
A person of intelligence, when first
attacked with the malarial symp-
toms, if he be administered to at
once with the usual treatment,
wrapped up in blankets and nursed
carefully, may pull through. None
but the rich can in times like the
present command special attention.
The masses are treated by the
wholesale, and all alike; few re-
cover.
The first symptoms are heaviness
and a slight chill, then suppression
OF the urine, pulled face, CLASSY
eye, beautiful flushed skin, pink
eye-lids, pulse 100, temperature 1913
to 100. Soon vomito begins, which
is simply a slight, hawking sound
and splitting of battle-ground sub
stance from the stomach, which
sinks to the bottom of the vessel.
The patient, after each emission,
feels we'll and would get up if al
lowed. No pain, no evidence Of
concern, either by look or action.
The pulse begins to run down to
90, 80, 70, so, 40; ther m the
pinched nostril and mechanical
breathing. They sit up; want to
get up; are induced to lie down,
and quietly pass away.
Thursday night, as | was making
the rounds, l saw a woman return
ing from the infirmary with a vial
of medicine. It was sprinkling a
little. She went into her tent, lit
a candle and lay down. In a few
moments | heard an alarm. Wo-
men and children we're running
wild about that portion Of the
camp. | fastened there, when my
eyes beheld a most heartrending
sight. This woman's babe, nine
months old, was crying on its moth
ers breast, and she was dead. |
came nea having a stampede. The
child was cared for, the mother
taken away ard tent burned with
its contents.
The doctors quarrel among them
selves, each insisting that his own
theory of treatment is the right
one. They refuse to organize. The
negroes refuse to bulge while ra-
tions are given out, and threatened
to sack the town unless their de-
mandS are acceded to.