Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1898-10-13
IN THE GRASP OF FEVER.
Yellow Jacks Tentacles Spread Over
Mississippi.

mississippi.
Without the Intervention of frost the
spread of yellow fever over the entire
State of Mississippi seems certainty
Each nights report indicates how surely
and rapidly the disease is getting the
whole State into it's clutches. The contin-
uance of the present warm weather will
guarantee further spread which the re-
sources of the State Board seem unable to
stop. The disease is firmly rooted in all
the different sections of Mississippi and
it's appearance in counties adjoining those
already in the grasp of the fever is only
a question of short time. The State
Board of Health has, of course, long ago
despaired of confirming the infection, and
is now devoting itself more to the gem
eral work of relief and securing of nurses
for the places that are stricken. 1t is still
waging a stubborn but hopeless fight
against. the rapid advance and whenever
new place is reported a State inspector
is sent at once with orders to isolate and
Gordon the town. AS Il general thing,
however, the exposure has usually been
too widespread to render this inspection
of any great value.
The appeal of the Governor of the State
to the Federal Government for relief had
the effect of arOusing neighbOring States
to the necessities of the situation About
S., 900 was raised in Memphis in one day
for general distribution in the shape of
food and supplies. The helpless destitu-
ton of negro reconcentradoes continues
in jackson and other towns without ma
terial alienation. They crowd as close to
the guard line as possible when anyone
cor1nnnU
beg eagerly for money and supplies. Many
without families have managed to get out
and away. Helpless, ignorant creatures,
they cannot understand why they should
be sacrificed for the general good
The executive department of the State
government is located at Brandon, Miss, a
small station on the Queen and Crescent
road twelve miles from jackson. Jackson
is the city most affected. and the virulence
of the disease among negroes has demon
strated that they are no more immune
than white people. The mortality re-
mains small, only five deaths having been
recorded so far at the State capital. In
the smaller towns, however, new cases
are reported daily in totally unexpected
quarters, and in some places have caused
a panic. Realizing that it's efforts were
unavailing, the Mississippi State Board
of Health has appealed for aid to the Fed
eral Government.
Since the cordonng of the yellow fever
infected districts and even towns with a
strict guard the condition Of affairs has
rapidly grown worse. More than 5000
people, according to official figures, are in
absolute need of food, not to mention the
necessity for nurses. The acute stage
that the situation has reached is proved
by the official appeal for aid to the Presi-
dent of the United States issued by the
State Board of Health.
The panic continues. A grewsome illus
tration of the state of public feeling was
reported by Dr. Harrison, health officer
of lie Flore County. A tramp entered the
neighborhood of Phillips, small inland
town in that county, three days ago. DE
was taken sick, and sought refuge III a
negro church, where he remained two
DAYS before he was discovered, and his
sickness diagnosed by DR.. Harrison as vel
low fever. The whole neighborhood was
in q panic Jackson was wired for an eX-
pert to come and confirm the diagnosis.
None of the citizens would go near the pa
tient, who was in a dying condition. DR..
Harrisons practice compelled him to leave
him for several hours alone. When he re-
turned the church was in ashes, and the
tramp consumed in the flames.
The yellow fever reports show total of
465 eases in Louisiana this summer, and
thirty deaths and 351 cases in Mississippi
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