Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1879-03-15
A FALSE RUMOR.
The Sfckuess and Death or the Sani-
trix OF the Linden street school
Causes am Unnecessary Stampede
OF School Children and Great
Excitement In the Neigh
bOrhOOd.

Last Thursday a wild and vague rumor
was rapidly circulated Ia the nelghborhood
of the Linden street school to the effect that
the Janitrix, Mrs. Donnelly, was sick with
Yeliow-fever. How the rumor originated is
involved IN mystery, but no doubt it had Its
origin in that wholesome fear which people
now feel with reference to the terrible plague
that prevailed in Memphis last summer aud
fall. DR.. <. A. White was the physician who
attended the sick woman, and he pronounced
the disease malaf4al henldtnyia, a disease
which II Is wel-known prevails more or less
every year, and Is Indigenous to this climate
and the whole southern country. The
school stampeded yesterday. and the entire
neighborhood was In a ferment of excite
ment. DR.. Collins, secretary of the board o.
health, hearing of the case and these rumors,
visited the sick woman Thursday, ard he
saw at once that the disease was malarial
hen1dturid, and so reported to the board of
health. That evening Mrs. Donnelly died,
and her remains were buried yesterday IN
Calvary cemetery. The needless and cause
less excitement was somewhat ridiculous
under the cIrcums. ances. The following
card from Dr.. Z. A Whites nephew ex-
plains itself:
Gard of Mr.. White.
EDITORS APPEAL-A rumor having been
CT circulated yesterday to the effect that Dr.. L.
A. White had reported case of yellow-fever
street hool)-which false report has created
undue excitement In the city, deem it my
duty, IN justice to the people and in defense
Of the honor of DR.. White, who is absent in
the country on professional business, to cor
rect the injurious report. | visited said pa
tent with DR.. White, and heard his dag
nosis, In the presence of several witnesses,
which was malarial hematuriG. This he told
every one who asked him. Considerable ex-
pJtap1pnt arosa among the y1piOh hoYS when
they discovered that the patient was yellow.
This characteristic icterus, or buff tinge,
every one knows is peculiar to the above dis
ease. But DIR. White found it difficult to con-
vince the neighbors and Miss Donnelly,
daughter of the deceased, that it was not
yellow-fever. The children of the Linden
street school heard yeloW-t yer mentioned
by some Of the inma es of Mrs. Gonnelly S
house, and the rumor re echoed through the
school like wild fire. OF course it was said
that DIR. White had reported the case yellow
fever l was present and heard DR.. White
admonish number Of the pupils taat it was
not yellow fever. | was also an ear-witness
when he told two of the teachers-Misses
C1naway and eDbecker-that the de-
ceased had malignant type of malarial
fever, or malarial henaturiG. l can testify
that DIR. White earnestly endeavored to quell
the excitement among the school children
and sought 10 eradicate the erroneous idea of
yellow fever. And this false report either
had its origin among the pupils of the Linden
street school, or it is a malicious lie, circG
lated by some fendish culmInator. | trust
this statement will suffice to quiet the uneaSi-
ness which the unfortunate rumor has Gre
ated, and when DIR. White returns from the
country to-day a veracious communication
from him will vindicate his impeached charGc-
ter and reprass the needless alarm.
ARTHUR WHITE.