Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1878-09-28
\ Doctors Experience in Memphis.

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Among those who have taken their
lives in their hands and gone forward
to help and to do for the yellow fever
sufferers in the South is a young physi-
clan from indianapolis, Dr. John +.
Fenner. DR.. Fenner graduated with
the highest honor in the class of 1876,
in the University Of Louisville, and is
well known to a number of our citizens,
having spent several years here while
engaged in his studies. He was men,
Der Of the Chestnut Street Presbyterian
Church (Rev. DR.. Simpson's). From
several of bis letters to friend here
there is gathered few items Of interest
about the plague in Memphis. This
heroic young physician has since fallen
a victim to the scourge.
Memphis, he says, is IN fearful con-
dition, death lurking everywhere. Busi-
ness is closed, men step softly when they
walk, aud speak in hushed tones A
few minutes after he arrived at the Pea
body Hotel (the only hotel there open),
while talking with three other physi-
clans, a young man came up and APP
/ pealed to them TO see his mother. The
three refused; Dr. Fenner went, al
though at night and against the warn
ing advice of friends at home. 1t was
the first call. Next day, August Land
daily since up to the date Of his last let
/ ter, September 6, he visited at least $50
patients in more than 90 houses. As a
prudent precaution, he goes to his room,
/ in the third story, at 8 ?. m, and does
not leave it until I a. IN,
81 have not seen one case who was
not taken sick at night, nor have | heard
of one. The reports in the newspapers
are not full; for many physicians do
not make any report. They are at work
from early dawn until dark, and are too
nearly worn out to write out q report
and take it to headquarters. The suffer-
ing is fearful dead, dying and sick all
very often in the same room. One must
be considerably hardened to keep from
getting nervous sometimes; though
night is the time when one need at all
tremble, If he is of the trembling kind.
"The whole city is divided into
special wards. The Howard Associa-
ton has almost complete control of the
nursing and attending to the sick. Two
or three physicians are under orders
from the Howards in each ward, known
by their white badge inscribed, How
ard Association Physician | have
some streets in my ward in which | 90
from house to house. | saw patient
this morning, a poor German man,
who, in the delirium of fever, tried to
kill his family, and succeeded in cutting
deep cash in his own neck, but with
out wounding any of the greater vessels.
There are many places where, for days
together, l, as physician, am the only
one who is seen in the house. They
know my usual hour for passing, and if
| am a little late they fear am sick.
This afternoon | came to house, a
shanty inhabited by one man, whom |
found delirious, sitting on top of cook
ing stove, the blood trickling from his
gums; he will be dead before morning.
By the way, we are losing physician
every day; not very consoling for the
rest of us!
"To-day | had a talk with the Pres-
dent of the Howards. He told me their
expenses amount to nearly $4,000 per
day, of which $4,000 is for nurses,
daily. They feed considerable over l,5OC
people daily, who would have to starye
if not thus cared for. If the people of
the North do not assist them by contin-
ued subscriptions, famine will finish the
work ~