Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-11-08
The Fever Death Rate In Florida.

An old subscriber and friend OF the
Times, and a physician, writes to in
quire what has been the average NOR
tality this year among the yellow fever
patients in Florida, and how the out
break there compares with the out
break of the same disease i'm other
places.
1t is quite difficult to give accurate
Information on these two points, be-
cause connected with all epidemics of
any kind there is more or less exac-
geration. Then some other fevers, not
yellow fever-and which would be
looked upon as easily manageable ct
other times when the public mind is
Tranquil and capable of seeing and I'M
Outstanding clearly-are put down to
the credit side of yellow fever. Then
again. In the hurry and excitement of
medical treatment which, in the very
nature of the situation, must be swift
and prompt, for an hour sometimes is
worth days. an accurate record is not
always kept. Strangers die about
whom very little if anything is known.
Some die before it is even ascertained
that they are sick. While others, the
fever already at work upon them, flee
north to escape, but die in the end.
They went, however, 10 make part of
the aggregate population of any given
place where the scourge was raging,
and should SO he taken account ofifthe
intention lie to give correct table of
the average mortality for the benefit
of science. But perhaps it will be safe
to say that the death rate in Jackson
vile, Fla, where the fever was at its
worst. was about II per cent. The
most favorable death rates from this
disease have been put as low as per
cent. which would make the type of
the disease in Florida virulent one.
At periods in other places the mortal
fly has been much greater. In Louis
lana. in 1878, the hospital death rate in
one instance was as high as 80 per
cent, aud the hospital service is always
the best and the most satisfactory as to
results.
During the epidemic of 1879 in Mem
phis there were ] ,532 cases of yellow
fever and 485 deaths-a mortality of
nearly 80 per cent. One epidemic is on
record where the average death rate in
Vera Cruz and Acapulco, Mexico, was
81 per cent, one in South America
so, and one in Havana of IS. If this
proportion be true, then was it almost
defamation or humiliation. A COM
parison of these data, therefore, appar-
emily shows that the health authorities
national, state and local-who dealt
with the Florida scurge did well, es-
pecially in a place like Jacksonville,
where there was such a large negro
population, and where so many tropical
features impressed themselves upon
the situation in a medical point of
view.
poor camel driver. once going from
Alexandria to Carlo. met cholera on the
road. Believing that his time had
co NE, and feeling to stir within him,
perhaps, a great deal of the fatalism of
his race, he began to reproach this
pestilence i'm most voluble manner.
1t was butcher, an assassin, a coward
and q thief. It had killed such and
such number at this place, and ouch
and such a number at some other place.
None was Safe. The baby in the cradle,
the bride at the altar, the grandmother
nv the firesiee-youth, manhood, old
age. helplessness, weakness-all, all
were subject alike to the blows of the
fell destroyer. STOPPING then to get
breath, the cholera broke i'm on the
camel-driver: BE just, my friend.
only killed one in Carlo and fright kill
ed one in Carol and fright killed all the
balance"
To certain extent yellow fever
might say the same thing, but not
nearly to an extent as great as some
neople suppose. What denoralzes the
men in the presence of yellow fever is
the knowledge that their loved and
HELPLESS ones are in imminent peril.
Alone and unhampered by domestic
sizes. and the average American will
stsy by his town and fight the pest1-
le,,ce 10 finish. Face to face with