The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-10-23

NEAR CHARLESTON, Miss, Get. 6, 1873.
Twelve deaths have occurred at Dr. G. w.
/ Payue's, six mikes south of Charleston.
| Two grand-children OF DIR. Payne, children
OF Henry Montgomery first died, then Mr..
| Blackwell, an aunt of DIR Payne. The chill
| drth were supposed to have died of bilious
renIittent fever. Mrs. Black well was Quite
| old and I'm not sure to what disease her
! death was attributed.
| During the illness of Mrs Blackwell. Mrs.
| Thorn psOn. wife of John N Thompson, son
| of Mrs Payne, WAS taken quite i'll, and DIR.
/ 4. j. +. MeriW ether, a physician of more
! than Ordinary experience and skill, was
called to see Mrs. ThOmpSon and two of her
children, who in the meanwhile were taken
| sick. After thorough investigation and
| study DIR. M. pronounced the cases typhoid
III alarial fever that he had treated many
such cases, and that if Mrs. 7. would take
! the med cine prescribed Tor her he had. but
! little doubts of her speedy recovery Mrs
L. however, refused to take medicine until
| the doctor regarded her case AS hopeless
! Mrs. Thompson died The children were
successfully treated ana were soon well,
| The day after Mrs. Thompson died her hus-
| band and TWO days afterwards his brother,
| A. G. vere taken sick. When Mrs. Thonp
! sou died and the Messrs. Thorn psOn were
! taken sick, the community greatly feared
| the disease was yellow fever. and in reply
| to their enquiries DR.. Meriwether said he
| critically watched the symptoms of Mrs. T.
| and had examined the cases OF the Messrs
Thompson, with a view to yellow fever and
was decidedly of the opinion that it was not
| yellow fever.
On the day after Dr. NJ left. DR.. J. M.
| Calhoun, also physician of experience and
| ability was called 10 see the Messrs. Thomp-
son. He found their symptoms alarming
and very soon came o the conclusion they
| had yellow fever. When the subsequent
symptoms were detailed TO DIR. M. he con-
CURED in opinion with Dr. Calhoun. j. NJ.
| died on Saturday and A. G. on the follow
| ing Tuesday. The next victim was Mrs.
| Grace, sister OF Mrs. Payne, and mother-in-
! law OF Judge Thomas Walton; the next
| VIM. Ii. PAYNE, brother OF DR.. Z. who aided
! in nursing the sick; then Smith Murphey,
| sou-in-Iaw of NJ rs. Payne, was taken sick
while nursing the others. went home and in
| day or two died; then Bette, one of the
children DIR. Meri~ether had successfully
! treated tor typhoid malarial fever; then
| Mrs. Russell, sister of Mrs. payne; and last
| DR.. Payne himself.
Dr. Meriwether is still of opinion that
the first cases of yellow fever were Jno.
NJ. and a. q. Thompson. All of those who
nur,ed the children, Mrs. Blackwell and
| Mrs. Thompson, and left the premises of
| DIR. Payne, before the Illness of the Messrs.
Ihompson-quite a number of ladies and
| several gentlemen, have not, up to this
time, been attacked with yellow fever,
while nearly every one who remained after
| that time have been attacked, Mrs. q. w.
| Payne, Geo. w. Payne her son, Steven
| Grace, son of Mrs. Grace and Florida
Payne daughter OF Dr. Payne, are down
with the fever | learn this evening, that
the condition Of each is hopeful. | also
| learn this evening. that Sam'l Berry, a
near neighbor of DR.. Payne, is quite i'll
with the fever. In note just received
! from DR.. Meriw | am informed that
Mr.. VIM. II. Smiley, living six miles west
| of Charleston, is very i'll with many symp-
| toms of yellow fever. How he contracted
the disease, if yellow fever, am not in
| formed.
| Through the vigorous and intelligent ac-
! ton of our relief committee in preparing
| tents and cabins and com fOrtably fitting
| them up with new bedding, ETC., separa-
| ting the patients and procuring ndrses,
| hope the worst is over.
| -. . Yours, fraternally,
| w II. FITZGERALD.