Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1878-11-23
Golden Crown, with fever on board,
was not allowed to land at Memphis.
THE FIRST CASE.

oOluCh SlOWhS WAtA ACvCA Ol DO0k0S
was not allowed to land at Memphis.
THE FIRST CASE.
There is much doubt as to the first
case of fever. The statistics of the
Board of Health report as the first death
James Mcconnell, a policeman, resid-
ing on Poplar Street. A variety of
opinions was expressed by the physi-
clans of Memphis as to the character of
his fever as well as that of several 9TH
ers who were sick at the same time.
First impressions were not satisfactory,
the yellow fever features in these initia-
tory cases being so absorbed by malarial
elements as to render their presence
well nigh impossible to detect, and in
all cases exceedingly uncertain. The
responsibility resting upon the physi-
clans was keenly appreciated by them,
and hence their determination to be alb
solutely certain that their diagnoses
were correct before prOclaiming the
presence of fever. There were some
signs very different from those Of former
epidemics, but as the cases increased in
number and in malignant type, doubt
disappeared, and the existence of the
dreaded Yellow Jack was no longer un-
known. There is nothing satisfactory
really known as to the first case, and up
to the present moment of writing q
proper investigation has been prevented
by the rush of other business.
SANITARY CONDITION.
The sanitary condition of Memphis at
this time was, taken all in all, bad. The
city is devoid of sewerage; there is
much rotten Nicholson pavement, which
contains more or less filth, and the soil
is such as permits plentiful rercolation
of all sorts of fluids. The impression
that the alleys and yards of the city
were in filthy condition, which gained
such extensive circulation in Eastern
cities, is pronounced erroneous in the
extreme. In this regard, Memphis was
as well off before the plague as any city
in the Union. In addition to the prob
able presence of matters on which the
fever could feed itself, as above stated,
there was another and greater one.
Matter drained off the streets finds way
into Bayou Gayoso, which pretty well
encircles the city, its flow being north
ward. Into the bayou is drained nearly
all of the refuse matter of Memphis,eve
vaults in some sections emptying their
contents intoit. 1t is naturally splen-
did drainage, but needs constant cur
rent of water, which never exists the
year out, to be rendered entirely effect
i've in this regard. The removal of
what accumulates in this bayou depends
upon the freshets of the Mississippi, and
during the summer it is well nigh dried
up, the sun for many days having fine
opportunity to pour its rays upon its
barren bed.
MEDICAL HERO.
Conversing with DIR. j. W. Mitchell,
Medical Director of the Towards as well
as a medical hero of the scourge, said
to him:
"How do you account for the fever's
origin?"
"It was introduced here, sir; came by
the river before quarantine was estab-
lished; at first l, for one, was led astray
by the symptoms, in which noticed the
absence of one feature which was an in
fallible indication in 1873; then the
tongue was white and pointed; this time
it was not so in early cases, and we were
of course somewhat puzzled"
SHOW did the tongue look this
time?'
"It was of large, fiat appearance, and
in appearance resembled Scotch snuff;
the medical features Of the fever, how
ever, must further decline speaking
Of"
"How did the fever spread?"
"Rapidly, with northern tendency,
although once started it never stopped,
and was soon everywhere, though the
north-northeast line where it pursued
was the most malignant. There were
two points of infection, ore on WASH
ington, between High and Front Streets,
and the other on Alabama, at the inter-