Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-03-28
TIE DEATH-STRICKEN FAMILY.
Strange Fatality OF 6carIet-Fever-
Adam Schmidt Loses Three Chill
dren in one Day, and n Fourth
on the Day Following. by
Germs MysteriOusly
Inoeulated.

New York Mercury: One of the most
sudden and terrible Affections that have ever
beiallen family occurred this week to Adam
Schmidt, barber, residing at No. 203 East
Thirty sixth street, and doing business on
the first floor of his residence. Four of his
children were carried off with most mahg-
nant type of scarlet-fever, without the usual
premonltory symptoms accompanying such
cases. On last Sunday they were all appar-
emily IN the enjoyment of perfect health
On Monday little Maggie. Eve years old, was
taken with a languor. She soon fell into
eomatose condition, accompanied by raging
fever. DR.. WetteDgel, the family physician
was sent for, and pronounced it a most ma
llgnant case OF scarlet-fever. Frank, the
only son, who attended the public school in
Ihlrty-seventh street, was kept away from
school that day, and toward night he also
suddenly became
STRICKEN WITH RAGING FEVER,
and soon fell into a comatose state also.
Three hours afterward little Lizzie, three
years Old, while playing, apparently in a per-
feet state Of health, was Frustrated as If bv
bolt, and soon she lay unconscious, but
burning In a raging fever, upon her bed.
One hour later the next younger child Kate.
two years OF age, succumbed Just as sudden
~, ard became unconscious while burning up
With disease DR.. Wettengel told Mercury
reporter yesterday what occurred then. He
said: In all my experience, which has been
extensive, and from all / can learn from
authorities, there
HAVE NEVER OCCURRED CASES SIMILAR
to these when a plague was raging. It is
part OF the diagnosis of scarlet fever, no mat
ter how malignant it may prove to be. to
Ind premonitory symptoms which extend
from Jour to seven days before the disease
becomes pronounced and reaches the crisis or
dangerous point. In the cases of all these
children the crisis canes at once. AS soon as
they were affected found them to be deadly
poisoned and in condition beyond human
nelp. From whatever cause the germs of dis
ease were communicated to them, whether
from others or from a favorable condition of
atmosphere, 1t IS certain that they were
poisoned thoroughly, beyond the hope of
medical assistance. There Is mystery about
the case which | cannot unravel. The con-
tagion could not have been communicated
from school children through the boy Frank,
as inquiry has established the fact that, Of
two thousand six hundred scholars in the
school he attended, no scholar has, or has had
the disease. Besides, the boy was not first
taken down, but caught the disease from his
sister.
SCARLET FEVER Is NOT RAGING
IN the neighborhood. There are no cases in
the vicinity that have heard of, and have
made inquiry IN every direction. / called in
wen known physician to consult with me,
and he was as much nonplussed as |. Mr.
Schmidt lives in a house by himself, and, SO
far as have been able to ascertain, the house
Is c!eanly and free from unpleasant odors
How the children were poisoned is beyond
my ability to tell, yet the seeds of the disease
were thoroughly innoculated in their system.
Ii has been heretofore established that the
contagion is communicated from certain i'm
pure conditions of the atmosphere, or from
persons in whom the seeds have terminated.
both these conditions seem wanting in their
cases. The incubation is made plain by the
fact that three of the children died in one
day, and the fourth on the following day. l
am anxious to learn the report of the health
inspectors. as that may throw some light on
the subject. 1t is case which should be
brought to the attention of the whole medical
profession, as its sudden and mysterious v1o-
lenee seems to have no precedent as well as
no intelligent explanation