Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-02-09
IS DEADLY sCOURGE.
Black Scarlet Fever Makes 1t Appear
ance in LOuisYiIIe Ky.

-
ance in Louisville, Ky.
In the mOrtuary report, returned to the
Louisville, KY, Health Office Thursday,
were two deaths in one family-that of B.
&. Scannell, OF No. 1925 Portland avenue.
In both cases the cause of death was
ascribed to "black scarlet fever"
A reporter, informed of the dangerous
cOntagiOn attending black scarlet fever,
set out 10 learn the particulars in the
case.
On reaching Portland avenue it was
learned that nearly all the houses in the
Scannell neigbbOrh0Od were deserted. Mr..
ScannelPs family occupy a twO-story
brick just above Nineteenth. A preVa-
lence o. great alarm and anxiety was
soon developed. The terrOr-stricken peO-
pie IN that vicinity regard the disease as
more deadly and contagious than small
p0X, yellow fever or cholera.
Questioning physicians as to the first
cases of the disease, the reporter learned
that the original case reported was that
OF Mrs. Blake, who died about two months
ago. She was attended by DIR. Bailey,
who, after the decease Of his patient, en-
deavored, by the free use of disinfectants
and burning the bedding and clothing, to
check the spread of the disease.
Despite all the efforts, the family of Mr..
b. G. Scannell next tell victims. Mr.,
ScannelPs family had been on friendly
terms with the lady who died. There is
no doubt as to where the disease then
originated from. Sporadic it is termed by
physicians, meaning that it emanates
from germs which are conveyed in arti-
cles of clothing, food and water, or more
directly by the air.
On Wednesday week ago, little Bar
tholOmeW, a 6-year-Old son of MIR. Sean
nelfs. became suddenly and violently i'll.
Violent vomiting and purging attacked
him, and in few hours the disease had
reached It's height. DR.. Benjamin A. AL
len, the family physician, was called in
and he pronounced the disease at once
scarlatlna maligna, or, as it is more COM
monty called, "black scarlet fever.0
The boys life was despaired of, but
nevertheless, Dfs. Larabee, Pelle aud Al,
len, Sr., We're called in consultation. In
spite Of their united endeaYors the child
died in twenty hours after being taken ill.
The children in the Scannell family
were kept carefully separated from their
dead brother, and every effort was made
to prevent their contracting the disease.
This was in vain, however. for on Monday
Birdie, an eight-year-old girl, on rising in
the morning was suddenly seized with
cramps and severe headache. In few
moments she was attacked with violent
vomiting and purging. Growing rapidly
worse, in a few hours she was soon in a
cOmatOse condition with high fever,
The fever rose rapidly. and by midnight
reached LOG degrees. At daybreak she,
too, died In state of extreme exhaustion.
Wednesday morning the eldest child
was attacked by the disease, and at night
his life was despaired of. Birdie was
buried In the afternoon, the family leav-
ing the latest victim of the disease at
home. With the sick boy was left his
nurse and the youngest child. On their
return from the funeral the grief-stricken
parents were Mortified to find their young
est child in the clutches of the dreaded
disease.
Tie stricken family receive no commits
GRAFTON from the .neighbors, who. badly
frightened, evade them, and have estab-
llshed quarantine. All their efforts
have been futile, however, and two new
cases have been reported, one in the fam
lily Of MI. Joe Waters and another do
mestic employed near the Scannell resi-
dence.
None but the most courageous and
reckless and dearest friends have come
near to alleviate the misery of the
afflicted ones. With blanched faces and
averted heads those compelled to pass the
scourged spot hurry by, and anxious
mothers guard their children from the
pestilence.
DR.. Is. A. Allen is untiring in his efforts
to prevent the spread of the disease, but
1t is feared that its pestIlentiaI breath
will sweep over and scOurge the entire
neighborh0Od, and it is impossible to con-
ecture where it viii stop.
Speaking Of the disease the doctor said:
1T spares neither age, sex nor color,
and is most deadly in its action. The
most common results, if recovery from
the disease should take place at all, are
Brights disease Of the kidneys, deafness,
loss OF speech, assesses and paralysis.
'tOne curious feature of this disease,
and the one which gives it the name,
black scarlet fever is that within few
minutes after death the patients face
grows black very rapidly. The disease is
characterized by violent retching and
purging, with no clearly defined premon-
itOry symptoms. After the first stage il
past the temperature rises very rapidly,
and becomes higher than in almost any
other disease, frequently, in fatal cases,
rising to 10G degrees or 107 degrees"