The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-09-04
HORRORS AZ NEW ORLEANS.
No Quarter of the City Exempt from
the Fcvcr-How Filthy Streets and
Garbage Brought the Epidemic.

NrW ORLEANS. August 2S,-Thc fever seems
to have established itself in all parts. ol.thc
One square. bounded by ~: Clar'tS'
Eutcrpc, CarOndclCt and pOtyminlh Slrcc;S'
cOntainSlO a cases, OF which Care in one block.
There are numbers OF similarly infected To-
~caliti"s. from which tie disease is creeping
rapidly throughout thcc entire district. 1T Is
estimated that 1000 children are sick; many
Of them. however, In q mild form. Tho last o.
the Sansouri family died today. The father;
mother and two children having persisted
last week. inc family of Portuguese. seven IN
were buried simultaneously inSt
Among the horrors brought to llEhl
today was that OF a family Of cmigranlS IN n
back Of the First District, all of whom,
had been down for three days. without 1909
or attendance. one had been dead since yes
tcriuy morning, and his p~utrc1ying corps
cndcrcd tho atmosphere in the room so pois-
mons tEat one of Towards tainted on en-
tcring tho 20 ON the floor lay TWO cnli,
drcn, tossing in delirium. while upon inc pea
was the mother in the last stages OF Inc uiS'
case. with the black vOmit. The tendency o.
thc fever to result In the Srporvcntlon olccre'
bral~ congestion is lcSScning. probably IRON
the fact That tho nights are much cooler the
thermometer usually dropping to ~ degrees
before morning. For the first time since tho
outbreak of the fever q gloomy forboalnG
seems to prevail among the community. ano
tho hope that the climax has been already
reached Is being fast ~diSSipatcd.
On Euterpc street, between Carondeict ano
ST. Charles streets, there being many cases o
yellow fever in the vicinity, IA temporary bar:
ricadc was placed across the street. 10 nEol.
tho noise Of vehicles passing over the coDolc
stones, with which the street Is paved. y
mill came along. andinSiStcd upon pass
ing with his cart. saying that he had paid iol
his license and intcndcdt to driveon any stree,
where he pleased; the huffman ATTEMPTS"
to force his way through. hut was fired upon
by a citizen M driven of.
The CITY undoubtedly brought the fever up
on herself through not taking sufficient san
itary precautions. II impression preva'
lent, apparently ali over the North. and ever
in New Orleans, thai the disease did not origi
nate in that city, Is erroneous. IT Is comlnon'
ly supposed that the germ OF the fever was
brought to the city In Il ship from Havana
That the fever originates IN New u rLcmnS n
tho medical fraternity with whom a con
vcrScd are of the same opinion. Atthe tlint
the fever began the lower portions 81 me CITY
were rccking with filth. There was i%nsutlic'
lent sewerage, and vegetable and animal mat
ter was permitted to accumulate In tht
streets, which rapidly purified under tho
burning rays Of the sun. Gangs or men were
hired by the city TO clear the streets ano
worked fora few months, but as the dirt was
scraped up in piles II not removed all thcil
labor went for naught. PutrcSccncc every.
where. The air was laden with pcstilcntihI
smells. The citizens often. complained. bul
the municipal authorities refused to hccu
them. The epidemic was forcsccn by a great
many people. A physician predicted thai
there would be yellow fever if proper santa
~ precautions were not taken at least three
months before the first case was reported
New Orleans. you know, Is not noted for It's
cleanliness, but ut the commencement OF
the present epidemic IT. was in the
worst condition ] ever saw II. The
lower classes Of French and Italians
and the da"ocs never attempt to keep
their dwellings clean. and rs the city officers
did not attend to it, garbage was allowed to
lie in tho back yards, cutters and streets fol
weeks. until the sun or rain disintcgrnted on
putrcfcd IL. When an epidemic had been de,
clared by the board Of health mon were 81
once pui to work cleaning the Nth from tho
city. Huge piles of it were dumpcdin Tivol
Circle and other places and burned. Carbolic
acid, lime and other diSinfectants were scat
tered III profuSion over ticcity; but II vast toe
late. The scourge could not be kept within