Telegram-herald., 1888-09-16
ONE WHO HAS HAD It
YELLOW esves vleIlN's STORY.
a Cius~H - Gr.pe EsFtds whs Esc tss
Dls.@ss IN assspEt.- -Hts nsrri els
s4asrsss sd the Sossss
ne ita..4s1.

ne witRs..sa.
"Arsyou swas tbst ] wss oncs vel
lev lever sefsfer re0Af1ed q eeuusl1sE
tSs Moassl ~ allow BE name 10 be used
- a reporter isr tie TEIEsEkN- hEsALD yea
terdsy. YET. sEch ls tie isoi sna isg ne
assure yos .ay eEpsTisnees with The dreaded
plague vas ligtls sh0rt of the wonderful
/ iound myself AsmBhis. Teus.. the frsl
psrt Of the naoDth Of september. ! wss out
e soy siItsen years Of eye. Ens bad run
away from Asze here in Grand Rapids
Ay parents Euew nothing Of my whrre-
sOouis, snd hsc lit iEtO Memphis just ia
uLas - have good tussis with old lsllOw
Jack Al. ,h2t horrible spidemic Can
y0u n4agins cltY stIuct VITA ucsflf Well,
II vsa can you can pioture that fsied city ia
the gloom sbd power u fhe terrible pssiu.
ence that stakes throughout the city CON
Quering whom il might meet.
A gloom hung over the stricken city ike
land bereit of the sunlight Stores were
Chsed NEST Of the day. People walked
about The city with q listless air anu kushed
voice, ard rarely laugh could be heard.
Funerals were ~ com non as the sight of an
express wagon - ON yOn street oh, wee.
you no doubt have read accounts of those
times IA the ne~rpspsrs but the actual Ell
Beriencs OF one differs widely. Most things
that pass ia everyday life are The little
things, but these same little things' were
the most terrible
The fever took hold OF me In a manner
that was queer indeed, for breathing came
zs Ds turaliy out OF my ears ss through my
mouth. A terrible thirst peryaded my
whole being. and when ! drank any water
II was the sweetest thina imaginable. Peo-
pie who met me on the street, for / was
among strangers. IN q strange land and
could go nowhere. as the hotels were al
Some said | had tho fever. and q dozen
TOLD me TO go 10 the hospital,
which was situated two miles
out from Memphis. On the frat day that |
noticed any illness | Was sitting in front of
q hotel that Was closed up, and doing no
business. With that terrible ratsling
breathing, the horrible thirst. painful
sensation was creeping up and down my
back. To my head hot flashes came and
went, everything seemed ten times its
usual size. got up from where ] was
sitting. and from there date NV wandsriDgs
accompanied by wild delirium. 1T was
Saturday and all that dav. the ne Il and Sun
day night, was constantly begging for water
of wbomever | might meet-at least this
is all ! can remember. / was in such ter
ribls pain, especially my back and the base
OF my head. Nothing seemed 10 ease ma.
The very air hated. for it would rush in
and out OF my ears and eyes in a horrible
manner. Ny hands seemed TO be charged
with too much blood, and the finger ends
would almost burst-at least that was what
/ then thought in my fever delirium. On
Monday morning | found myself at the
door OF the City Hospital. They took me
in, placed me IN a room where there was an
iron cage. within which was yellow fever
patient afflicted also with deliTigtn ire-
mems. 1t was a fearful sight to look at
and hear the roarings of that poor creature
and after the doctor had pronounced me III
with the fever. they moved me TO another
room. That night | begged piteously for
water of the single nurse who had four pa
tents in charge. | being one. he gave II 10
me- Just a drop. with the warning OF TO
expect any more. For five days i was Hn-
conscious. Whsn avoke On the
siItn morning was 30 tired aud weak that
could not move. l imagined that nv
brain had been on fire. nothing can describe
it. Ny whole body seemed as If II had
burned out and, oh, what . sensation IL
gave me when ] felt OF myself NV hesn
was hard and psrched. Great sores broke
out around my mouth, and within q few
days my hair stood oslt a. if it had been
scorcbed just enough TO make 1t stand out
straight
II WAS IN the hospital for over month
| witnessed the death of more than one
poor fellow within the room where ! lay.
There were SIX cots. and on them all lay
and tossed the victims of yellow fever.
saw one young man. apparently
p or y years of age, brought 20
the room where ! was. That night he stole
out in the hall and drank a quantity Of
water, which was sure death to one like
HIM. lie was great big. healthy, full
blooded man. and to such the fever made
deadly InrOsds. The next day he was
deierious, swearing and cursiDR left most
of the time entirely alone. for the city was
almost out of those who could nurse and
attend TO the wants of the SICK. Often
would the warden of the hospital or bis
only assistant come into my room and
mournfuily announce the death list. num-
numbering all the way from SIXTY 20
ninety day. 1t was terrible. This man.
on the third night, rolled and tossed about
with the sure stroke of death hanging over
his head. No one was with hIm, ard about
II O'Clock his muiterings and tossings
ceased. The wstchman came IN shortly,
sire ig hteDed hifa out for bis feet hung on
the hoor. bis head and back were against the
wal. and in that position he died. he
next morning. . they carried him out,
could hear the fearful sbrieking Of bis wife
who. too vas III in another part of the
building.
The poor Who died in Memphis toward
the last Of September were sometimes taken
across the Mississippi River and buried in
the sand bar. People could moi be found
10 bury the dead properly. Toward the end
Of October life began TO awaken. and when
the frost came people were ovsrjoysd. Some
in their happiness would kiss The snowy
messenger OF health with thsnkfulness and
heartfelt prayers. ] eft there the 2sfh and
on November J saw Grand Rapids, and
what vas dsarer-sD0E.
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