The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-04-02
A rERRIBIE COFFEE SACK.
The Story a Texas Doctor Tells-A
Box of Quinine That Carried Pes
thence.

Memphis Appeal
DR. Jacob :. West, a prominent physician Of
Texas. has recently published a letter ia
which he demonstrates that the yellow fever
germs can be transmitted through grains OF
imported coffee. When it i remembered that
the greater portion OF the coffee consumed IN
the United States is transported from Brazil,
where the fever annually prevails, this state
ment bv DR.. West viii show the Importance
of rigid quarantine. DIR. West publishes
his letter in the Berne Texas Register, and
he is represented Us a physician OF high stand
inc and unreasonable veracity. He says:
In 1867 the town OF Liberty had declared
and was enforcing quarantine against Calves
ton where yellow fever was prevailing and II
being a small town, and everybody on the
alert. a stranger could not have come nor
goods have been imported without II belh8
known. The steamboat Ruthveu came from
Galveston, and when within mile or two OF
town was ordered 10 stop, and the captain stat
ed thatif he was allowed To land on the bank
the river sack OF coffee that he had on
board Tor Mr. Kicker, he would take his
steamer down the river. This permission was
granted, the sack OF coffee was placed on the
bank and the boat Immediately lett. The
coffee was hauled tn Liberty and opened by
Mr. Kicker Mt his store aud in a few days he
was taken sick with yellow fever and died !;
his wife and servants were the next cases, and
then il spread all over the town. In this IN
81 the yellow lever iillcttIot was ShSNiI-
tracoable through the sack OF coffee.
The second instance l. as follows In 1870,
in nassinr through Galveston on my way TO
Cornu. Christi. / met Hon T. B. Pickett, who
gave me list of names OF families VINO had
moved from Liberty county some years before
and had settled on the Nueces river near
Cor,us Christi On reaching Corpus Chrlstl,
| visited die settlements mentioned, and
learned that nearly all the families were dead
had died of yellow fever. The story, a.
related to me bv several parties living II me
immediate neighborhood, and by lew mem
hers of the stricken families who had survived
the seeUrge. Is follows: During the epidemic
~ IS67 coffee gave out in the neighborhood
and \ man who had had the yellow fever wa
selected 10 go to Corpus Christi, fifteen miles
distant tn buv A sack of coffee, and drive 70 s
csrtain mesouit tree in the Nueces Valley
near a place known as MeansvIlle, ana ller'
To divide the coffee into separate SACKS, pre-
viouslv deposited on this tree-top and Ilmos
In twenty-four hours after the couee hau oeeI
thus divided and suspended IN the 4ee-top
-, .,,.ersI parties interested went there ano
GOT their respective portions OF coHee, anu -
everv family into whose house this Gomez wa
introduced in few days yellow IeFer pru "a
ont and ragged with fearful fatality leH
deem interest in the matter, ana was yer! pa
ticuIar in nv inquiries, and the testimony
al tbe Darties interested proved beyond
3o,,bt that il was : sack OF coffee that con
,.,od the disease for not Single IamIII e.
- who used the coffee, and othe tamllle'
| ala ascane who had no interest In the cones
| and received none. and from the 1urther iae
that all the families were attacked ABOUT .i'
san,a time and no other communication wiz
! Cornus Christi or other place OF lniectloh va
ba3 II will be observed that TINS sack .
co,fae was transported in wagon exposed |,
nc oner air for fifteen miles and then oPeheo
avoided. then placed in small SACKS ana aga
exnosed in the open air for twenty-ioGr hoo ls
The yellow fever germ still lived, ana as sou
| a. the conditions were favorable aeteu WIN
great virulence. rrobora
ted bv what occurred at Grenaaa, H. III
| Snr;nos Grand Junction, Tuscumola, rlor
-, Decatur. and Brownsville last summer
| YaIlav fever was transported to these places
! {.,st "a II was to the town OF Liberty, IeNas
sand from Corpus Christi to the tree-top Il
/ N,,aces Valley. 1t was shown before .a'
VaIlov Fever Commission, which convened !.
~ citv a few months ago, thai box OF GU
- nroteeted by saw dust, was sent lfetp ~
80 EFb;le the yellow fever was raging 10
o;t3y,,or n Fayette county. When the oo1 a.
sts-aJ tbere were several persons u the phys
$3.50 office. who iocularly Feponstrated WI.
c ,,hysie;en for opening the box n Ille1
the . as il might contain the germs o. ye1
presen. The physician regarded their le,l
low Isver l But the facts show that ever
as aDsuru. Nom at the time the pex wa
person IN tne .fftea-,,- 4rd died with the yeiio
opened soon T, fsc,s deuenstrate that the yello
isyer- ne s transnorted as easily and with
mnch certainty as a bale OF 49,
matter.