Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-05-23
THE BLACK DEATH.
A Fatal Case of the Plague in san
Francisco.
San ErAnriscn Chnnnicln.

AnlaStaSla Dee WAS 4 Young woman
OF twenty-Seven, employed for the past
three or four months as y companion
al Mrs. Sarah korchikotf, and elderly
and intrm Russian lady occupying u
+ suite OF apartments in y block near the
Junction Of Vallejo street and Mont
gomery avenue. She was known in the
house and in the neiGhhorhood rs
Mary, and WAS y strong, healthy, we'll
formed and good-looSiug girl. Last
SATURDAY. afternoon she Was slightly in
disposed, but was iii her usual robust
health on Sunday. en- Monday she
was troubled with strange weakness,
but glass Of gin restored ner, and she
performed her usual work. On Tues,
day She was feeling too uuwell 10 work,
and she sent for her brother, He
called for her with carriage, rode to
the house Of her sister, Mrs. Edward
Sass, No. 1925 Folsom street, and when
she arrived there She walked from Inc
carriage To the house. she was weak,
but had no other evidence OF illness,
This was 1T o'clock in the afternoon,
An hour later She was sliced with
dreadful pains in the chest and abdo-
4 ilCh, itlN ElNclNtdll, - -. ~
Schmidt of No. 122 Folsom street, was
sent for, and he saw her at 6 o'clock,
She was then suffering frightmlly, but
was concious, and remained so until Z
o'clock. At s o'clock she died Soon
after death the body assumed 4 very
dark copper color, with here and there
a large number Of spots of a still darker
/ hue. Information Of these facts having
reached the Chronicle office, n reporter
was detailed TO investigate the matter.
He proceeded first TO the health office,
and aScertained that the cause assigned
for death was typhus petichialS, COM
monty known rs the black plague,
Inquiry nj the coroners office disclosed
the fact that nothing had been done by
that official in the matter. The scene
OF death was next visited, but the
relatives were unable to throw any
additional light upon the matter. The
hrother-in-law was still doubtful as to
the cause of death, while the brother,
who had carefully investigated the
matter, was satisfied that there had
been no foul play.
DR.. Schmidt was the next visited and
interviewed III reference to the case.
He said; was called to attend the
deceased Oh Tuesday last and found
her suffering from very malignant
typhus fever. She was conscious mt 6p.
M, about which saw her, prescribed
for her and left. considered it y very
strange case. Tuesday night man
came to my house and said she was
dead. expected death, lie said
there was something wrong. ! told him
would call the next morning. On
Wednesday morning | went there and
saw the body. 1t had turned n very
dark copper color. and was covered
with still darker spots on the breast and
arms As her friends were complain
ing Of foul play, gave them written
opinion of the case, rs | expected the
health officer or coroner would make
an examination. then went to the
health officer and gave the gentleman
in charge the particulars of the case,
and saying that il was very strange
one, and that | should like to have DIR,
Meares see the remains. | gave the
cause of death in the certificate as ty.
phda pctichiaiis, and fully believe i; to
be such. 1t was the same as "the
pest The man ! saw in the health
office said he would inform DIR. Meares.
/ have heard nothing of the case since
then, The various plaques that have
appeared are similar in some respects
to this case. | don't know the char
acter Of the present Russian plague,
but believe it could be disseminated in
a paper, letter or package. ] have
never seen any other case OF n similar
nature to this, nor heard Of one. ! am
quite positive it was n form of the
plague. and the case demands the inn
mediate attention of the health officer.
The reporter of the Chronicle called
upon II number of the highest medical
authorities in the city-men Of large
experience and extensive practice.
None Of them had ever had any actual
| knowledge OF case Of typhus petichi-
alis in this city; some had never heard
Of any rs occurring here, and one we'll
known gentleman did not believe it
probable that it did exist. From seve-
raj it was learned that the name plague
was applied to var us typhus d'Orient,
! typhus pestilentialis, typhus pests, also
ship, cam ~ famine and Jail foyers.
Typhus petichialis was another form,
and belonged to the same class Of terri
BILE scourges. The plague prevailing
in Russia il characterized by sores and
boils, and il is Of the mostvlrulent char
acter. The majority Of the medical
men interviewed were Of opinion that
it could be spread in variety Of ways.
Smallpox has been scattered by means
of letters; yellow fever has been sent
from one city TO another in clothing,
and plague could have been scattered
in the same manner. Nearly all Of those
interviewed considered DIR. Schmidt
well-informeJ and successful pract-
toner, and admitted that If he was cor
rect in his views il was case Of plague.
1t is worthy Of note that the dead wo-
man was in the employ Of Russian
when she was stricken, and one Of the
physicians called upon by the reportel
last night was Of the opinion that the
terrible black death may have been
transmitted through letters from the
plague-stricken villages Of Southern
| RuAsia