The herald., 1897-09-13
Yellow Fever

Herald: Relative to the recent excite
ment in New Orleans over yellow fever
1t may be of interest to some of you
readers to peruse the following descrip
ton, which is taken from Harpers' Mag
azine for November, 1853. In past year,
the mortality from yellow fever in New
Orleans exceeded that from any epidem
ic that has ever ragged in civilized com
munity. The following excerpts are from
an entirely trustworthy writer and give
come OF the facts of the yellow feve,
season Of 1853, the most fatal year eve1
known:
cling on the 1st of Augus
with LOG deaths by yellow fever, 142 by
all diseases, the number increased dali,
until for the first week ended on the 7tt
they amounted to 909 deaths by yellow
fever, 11S6 by all diseases. The next week
showed a continued increase-12SS yell
low fever, 1926 by all diseases. This was
believed to have been. the maximum
There had been nothing to equal it In
the history Of any previous epidemics
and no one believed it could be exceeded
But the next week gave mournful
refutation of these predictions and cal
culations, for that ever memorable week
the total deaths were 1875, of yellow few
er 1346. But the next week commen ce d
more gloomily still. The deaths on the
22d of August were 2S3 of all diseases.
23S of yellow fever. This proved to be
the maximum mortality of the season.
From this it began. to slowly decrease.
Tho mr. Of l., I
total of 5122 deaths by yellow fever and
nearly 1000 deaths Of all diseases. Look
ing back from the 9Th Of September Cat
which time these notes are transcribed)
we find that the whole number Of deaths
by yellow fever, from its first appear
ance on the 2Sth of May, were 1889;
deaths from all diseases. 9941.
"But do these figures include all the
deaths? Alas! no. Hundreds have been
buried of whom no note was taken, DO
record kept. Hundreds have died away
from the city, in attempting to fly from
1t. Every steamer up the river contrib
uted its share to the hecatombs of vic
tins of the pestilence. Nor do these re-
turns include those who died in the SUBJ
urbs. in the town Of Algiers and in the
of Gretna and Carrollton. But
even these figures. deficient as they are,
need no additions to swell them into
proofs that the most destructive plague
Of modern times has just wreaked it's
upon New Orleans.
mo language can overstate the ter
rors Of such visitation. Funeral pro-
cessions crowded every street. No We
hicles could be seen except doctors cabs
and coaches passing to and from the
and hearses, often solitary,
taking their way toward those gloomy
destinations. The hum of trade was
hushed. The levee was a desert. The
streets, wont to shine with fashion and
beauty, were silent. The tombs-the
home Of the dead-were the only places
where there was life, where crowds as
sembled, where the incessant rumbling
IF carriages, the trampling of feet, the
Of voices and all the signs Of
active, stirring life could be seen.
- Stfaaetvs-terrible- -diseasal- l-rArrii>i--s--
IN the quiet, serpent-like manner in
which it gradually winds its folds
around it's victim, beguiles him by its
deceptive wiles, cheats his judgment and
senses and then consigns him to grim
leath. Not like the plague, with its red
spot, its maddening fever, its wild de-
irium and stupor; not like the cholera,
n. violent spasms and prostrating pains,
9 the approach of the vomitQ 1t as
sumes the guise of the most>ordinary
disease which flesh Is heir to-a cold, a
slight chill headache, slight fever,
and, after a while. pains in the back.
Surely there is nothing in these. I won't
lay by for them says the misguided VIC
tim: the poor laborer cannot afford to
10 80. Instead Of going to bed, sending
for nurse and doctor, taking mustard
bath and a cathartic, he remains at his
post until it is too late. He has reached
the crisis of the disease before he is
aware of it's existence. The chances are
thus against him. The fever mounts rap
idly and the poison pervades his whole
system. He tosses and rolls on his bed
and raves in agony. Thus he continues
for thirty-six hours. Then the fever
breaks, gradually it passes off; joy and
hone begin to dawn upon him. He is
through now. Am l not better, doctor?'
You are doing WELL but must be very
quiet Doing we'll! How does the learn
ed gentleman know? Can he see into
his stomach and perceive there collect
ing the dark brown liquid which marks
the dissolution that is going on? The
fever suddenly returns, but now the par
oxysm is more brief. Again the patient
is quiet, but not so hopeful as before. He
is weak, PROSTATE and bloodless, but he
has no fever; his pulse is regular, sour
and healthy, and his skin moist. He will
get WE'LL says the casual observer. Ths
doctor shakes his head ominously. AT
ter a while drops of blood are seen col
lecting about his lips. Blood comes from
his gums-that is bad sign, but such
cases frequently occur. Soon he has &
hiccough That is worse than the bleed
ing at the gums; then. follows the ejec
ton Of dark-brown liquid which hi
throws up in large quantities; and this
in nine hundred and ninety-nine case
out of a thousand, is the signal that thu
doctors function is ended and the un
dertaker's is to commence. In a rev
hours the coffin will receive its tenan
and mother earth her customary trib
ute"
James Parton, the historian and biog
rapher, in commenting on the above
said: "Dr. Mccormick, who was in tn
city during those fearful weeks. has as
sured me that this picture is not over
charged" u.
| September 10, 1897.