The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1884-09-17
THE CHOLERA IN AMERICA.
TERRIBLE RAyAG ~ OFTHEsCOURGE
AT sANDuSKY IN 1910.

AT sANDUsKY IN 1910.
A Faint Description Of the Horrors Of thu
| Dreaded Disease -ItetributiOn Visited on
Pcnurions Resident.
The recent appearance OF Asiatic
cholera in France, and the probability
that the scourge may again find its way
across the Atlantic has caused the old
residents who remember the terrible
times from 1S48 to 1849, when such
havoc was wrought by the disease in
America, to jog their memories. Hun
dreds Of people died then in Cleveland,
but Mt Sandusky the death rate was
simply awful. reporter met an East
End lady who resided in Sandusky dur
ing the ravages of the scourge, and her
story cannot but interest at present.
"Sandusky at that time" she said, "was
busy town. 1t was an important place
on the lake, and most OF the travel from
the South was to that point. There
we're, OF course, no railroads or tele-
graphs then, but nmors reached us Of
the coming Of the fearful disease. II
was impossible to realize the horrors,
however, from the reports. The streets
Of the city were in filthy condition,
and committee Of citizens tried to
raise money by subscription to have
them cleaned. There lived at that time
in the city in a magnificent palace, sur
rounded by high stone walls, million
aire, one Of whose daughters married
wealthy Pennsylvania railroad king.
When the committee called upon him
he refused to give one cent, and advised
each citizen to keep his own house and
grounds clean, as he did, and there
wOuld be no danger. But his high walls
could not shut out the deadly germs Of
cholera, and he was visited with II ter
riblo retribution. At last the cholera
reached us, breaking out here and
there throughout the town. In short
time il assumed the proportions OF Il
plague. Horror reigned. Men and wo-
men were crazy. Houses were deserted
with all their contents unprotected.
Doors and windows were left open, and
men rushed of with their families to
perish miscrably in tents which had
been hastily erected in the fields.
There, where they had hoped and
prayed for security, they died unat.
tended by friends or physicians. Within
the city it was terrible. Words cannot
describe it. The physicians labored in.
ccssantly until, worn out and stricken
with the disease, they were compelled
to lock themselves in their houses to
escape the calls made upon them. DIR,
Ackbley came with force Of gentlemen.
An hospital was established in one Of
the churches. Volunteer nurses were
called for. My sister and myself had
lost our parents year or so before, and
we had given up all desire for life. We
went TO the hospital and worked to the
end of the plague. The gentlemen who
came with DIR. Ackbley would go to the
afflicted homes and carry The patient,
bed and all, to the hospital, where we
would care for them. For protection
from the germs with which these houses
were filed IL was necessary to wrap
towel soaked in vinegar over the mouth
aud nostrils. | used as q preventive
bag Of camphor, aud we had great
faith its power AS remedies, we used
brandy and laudanum. We had moth
ing to eat except salt meat and fish.
Death came very quickly. The patients
passed through three stages. The last
and fatal stage was n complete collapse
of the muscles of the body. Wagons
passed through the streets every morn
ing aud carried the dead, collnless, to
the trench for burial. SO great was the
haste to remove the bodies that many
were doubtless buried alive. The trench
where the dead had been placed was
ailerward opened and it was evident that
some had changed their positions among
the bodies. ii death entered house
he was loath to leave while n living per-
son remained. After death it was nee.
essary to destroy everything within the
house. This was done by burning.
Among tho poorer people the bedding
and furniture were buried until the
germs were killed. All the cergymen
Of Sandnsky died. A monument was
aiterward erected to them. 1t is also
curious incident that every jeweler in
the city died of the cholera. Not one
of the nurses or assistants was smitten
with the disease. l attribute this TO
the fact that we were perfectly cool and
fearless. as much as to the use of pre-
vcntivcs. Fear did much toward in.
croasing the number of deaths. The
doctors advised everyone to keep cool
and clean, and there would be little
danger. One incident | remember OF
the early days of the plague. A gentle
man in perfect health approached his
house and found physician there.
Upon. inquiry he found that boarder
in the house had symptoms of the
dreadful disease. In few moments the
gentleman complained to his wife OF
being i'll, and in few hours lie died OF
AsiGtic cholera. But cleanliness within
ones own house was of little use when
the whole city was filthy, for this mil.
lionoire's family suffered with us all.
The servants fled in dismay. The father
and mother were buried. Finally the
found the dead body Of the
daughter in the kitchen. - Wcpciand
LeGdtr.