Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1878-10-10
The Plague in New Orleans.


from which the following extracts ar
taken:
had been feeling an inexplicable SEN
sation growing over me, envelopIng my
limos, covering my back, aud swathing IN,
chest, with . garment OF shudderlny un.
easiness. was about turning around tS
sit down, when something like a cricket
bat struck me on the back, and I felt a ter.
rible decrease Of vitality. Why do say
cricket batf Because 1 felt as though ,
light piece of wood, fashioned like the fiat
tish. rounded blade OF a cricket bat, had
struck me squarely. but not very hard
across the back, q few inches below the
shoulder blades. I sink into the chair. A
dull but overmastering pain shoots through
my head, my limbs tremble. Ny head
becomes oppressed with n load Of pain
and cold chills shoot up my back.
My landlsdy is an old north of ireland
woman, and she has kept boarding house
In New Orleans for over thirty years.
Don't be afraid. now!" said the old
lady; "i'll get Mrs. Delaney ior ye, and
we'll get ye through. The doctor will be
around in little while"
give me some iced water" cry, husk.
lily; "quick, for the love OF God" The
demon OF thirst Is consuming my vitals.
Now can drink the whole water supply
Of the city. What ecstacy to be one OF the
t~enty-four inch pipes OF the Detroit water
works. l wish the Mississippi river to
flow down my throat! Oh. give me the
ocean itself!
The long night dts away. and the blaz-
Ing sun again scorches the plague-stricken
city. Mrs. Delaney, by a fortunate chance
has been secured.
lind that cannot possibly die to-day
This Is the second, and consequently an
even number OF days. may die to-mor-
row, which Is Wednesday, the third dav
or | may become defunct on FRIDAY, the
iinh day, or may shuttle of this fiery SUI
perheated coil on Sunday, the seventh day
or | may linger In awful agony till tn. fol-
lowing Tuesday, the ninth day, but can
scorch and burn and gasp and yell on any
OF the Intervening days without fear OF
death. | study this theory over iu a wild
disconnected way, and think IL odd Tie
doctors say the crisis must always come on
an odd day.
Next day the doctor decides that | am
afflicted with epistaxis. IL is bleeding from
the mouth, tongue and gums. Nv tongue
Is swollen. and there are raw assures in il
and also In the gums, and streams OF blood
Issuing oil the time. After a while my
nose contributes bloody stream, and
family ask Mrs. Delaney II am going to
bleed 10 death. No; no danger OF that
bleeding is good sign" she says.
swallow lime water and calcined magne-
sia which, l am informed. prevents black
vomit. My eyes. which have been aching
terribly, now become fiercely inhamed and
seem TO be ready 10 start out of my head.
Towards evening | sign 10 my nurse to
hand me q small mirror which Is hanging
against the waU. She refuses. l. rsjs,.
Jump out of bed. and with a firm step walk
up to the wall, ascend the chair and take
IL down.
Yer SO purity ye must see yerself," says
Mrs. Delaney, salirically.
can but inadequately describe the ex
preston OF that face. II Is the face of 4
demoni Ny forehead Is corrugated; my
eyes are glaring and bloodshot; my swo!-
len lips are bloody and cracked, and my
discolored teeth set fast, and expressing
murder and destructiveness. are q combin-
alton and form indeed, to give the world
Assurance OF fiend try 10 mitigate the
expression by an attempt to smile, and
produce a hyena.
On the fourth day suffer indescribable
torture, and my mind IS filled up with fren-
zy and Mortified imaglUings. The central
delusion Is that | am condemed 10 whirl in
the same manner as water-wheei, over a
measureless chasm, for just one million
years. fhantasmagorla, In the form OF
endless professions Of men, women and
beasts. each looking at me, and mocking
my sutlerings. pass along In endless array.
l know 1t Is the result OF opium given TO
deaden the terrible torture In my abdomen.
but The drug does not succeed ia mitigating
IL 10 any extent.
Next day. the pains which, in the drst
stages had been somewhat obtuse. now be-
came acute. and | shout aloud in intoler-
able agony. The pain in my head feels as
though there was an iron frame on IL.
which was crushing In my bones, till my
tortured eyes seemed bound to jump out Of
their sockets. The bloody discharge from
my mouth and nose continued.
III We gilt the bloody sweat yer gone"
says Mrs. Delaney, with charming sympa-
thy.
learn from her that fatal symptom of
yellow Jack Is universal bleeding from
pores of the skin, and when this makes its
appearance the patient may as well throw
up the sponge. | tell her boastfully that
bloody sweat or black vomit has no terrors
for mel would just as soon have both OF
them together. The contact OF the mere
cloth on my abdomen makes me shrek
with agony. No position gives comfort.
The fiery heat which consumed my abdo-
men Is supplemented with horrible pains in
the loins. thighs, calves, knees and ankles,
and even toes, which feel as though scraped
hv a 4.
! sharp teeth. The pain in my head becomes
| more Intense, 4. i 81 does the agony in
every part OF my body. My stomach and
bowels have burning heat as though
scaided by boiling water or burnt by Goals
| of fire, and l shrek and carse my nurse
and landlady for not adequately assuaging
my thirst.
| Then there slowly comes q change. Ny
| skin, which during the first three days was
hot and dry. and, afterwards, on the fourth
day. slightly moist, now perspires freely
Worn out, lie gasping and grOaning, aud
still afflicted with pain aud thirst. The
| doctor Is summoned, and comes and says
he rather thinks | will be all right in few
| days.
Niuety-niue doctors out Of q hundred
will tell you that o relapse means death
Two weeks to day after my first attack
!
ach and my mouth filled. My nurse said
not word. but turned deadly pale. As
saw an inky substance before me in the
basin, l said lightly: This Is the blact
vomit, isn't itY' No answer. repeated
the question, and Mrs. Delaney put up heI
apron, like . true Irish dame, and tool
refuge In tears. After few sObs, sht
slips down to the door. A doctor ant
clergyman arrive. The doctor tells mt
that must die by morning l don't be
lieve it. He reiterates tho statement, and
reiterste my unbelief. The clergyman
kneels and prays, and the doctor retires
The vomit continues. The long watches
Of the night pass away, and l am still aliv'
and sensible. The black vOmit diminished
in quantity, and by daylight 1t ceases. Th'
assistant comes about ten O'Clock, and i
met At the door BY Mrs. Delaney. us /
possiblef' he calculates. and he forget
his professionally quiet tread, and walk
briskly to my bed.
Every day have numerous visits iron
physicians. Yielding to the general wish
INV physician has drawn up q formal re
port Of my case, and It lies on my table
and is carefully read BY every medical ma