THE YELLOW FEVER EPIDEMIC OF 1867
FROM THE
DAILY RANCHERO,
BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS
The following are
excerpts from the Daily Ranchero published in
Brownsville,
Texas.
There was some communication between the two towns during the epidemic in
the form of letters and mortality reports. Ranchero editor, Henry Alonzo
Maltby, had lived in Corpus Christi serving as mayor until he resigned that
post and left in 1857. He was the brother of William Maltby, who remained
in Corpus
Christi and was
the editor of the Corpus Christi Advertiser. These accounts offer a
contemporaneous glimpse into the situation existing in the city, the fear
felt in neighboring towns, the attempt to discern the origins of the disease
and the efforts made at prevention of an outbreak. Local accounts of this
epidemic, one of the most catastrophic in the city’s history are almost non
existent as those who might otherwise have chronicled the event were either
sick, dying, attempting to cope with illness in their own family or the loss
of loved ones. It is estimated that 300 people died out of a population of
1,000. The loss of professionals in the city, it’s elected officials,
physicians, druggists, clergy, teachers and others caused many problems.
Death had claimed so many that by 1868 the city’s officials had to be
appointed by the military commander of the district at the time.
YELLOW FEVER AT
CORPUS CHRISTI
Mr. Ohler, proprietor
of the Ohler House, received a letter from his son in Corpus C Christi this
morning stating that the yellow fever is prevailing at that place, and
nearly one half of the citizens are sick—but one doctor in town and
medicines scarce. As the sickness is rapidly abating in Indianola, we trust
that one of our physicians will go to their relief, also experienced
nurses. Corpus
Christi has generally escaped this terrible scourge, and as a consequence
the people are inexperienced in the treatment of yellow fever.
The weather has taken
a change for the better and the atmosphere is much clearer and cooler than
it has been for the past month. We trust that it may so continue until the
virulence of the epidemic is past. We have truly been sadly afflicted and
the loss of some of our dearest and best citizens has cast a gloom over our
city that will not soon be forgotten.
-- Indianola
Bulletin, Aug. 3
Source: Daily
Ranchero,
August 9, 1867, p. 1, col 6
THE FEVER
The fever at Indianola
still continues about the same but is probably exhausting itself for want of
material. The Bulletin reports up to Aug. 1st seventy-three deaths, which,
if correct, shows the fever to have been unusually mild. Among the deaths
reported is that of the editor of the Indianola Times, Col. Saml. A
Benton.
From
Corpus Christi
we have a meager report. So far as we know but six deaths have occurred
from the fever. Among them we regret to announce that of Rev. Mr. Mitchell,
a man between sixty and seventy years old. The fever is epidemic there,
beyond which we know little about the matter. The Corpus Christi
Advertiser, from some cause, did not reach us. *
*Editor of the
Advertiser, William H. Maltby, was ill with yellow fever as was his wife, Mary
Grace, and sister in law, Jobena Marcella, they died 10 and 7th
respectively. Maltby recovered.
Source: Daily
Ranchero,
August 10, 1867, p. 2, col. 2
THE FEVER
We have news fro
Corpus Christi
three days later than by mail. We learn no particulars about the epidemic
beyond the fact that twenty deaths had occurred, and that the epidemic had
become general. No names were furnished by our informant, Mr. Ramirez, of
those who had died.
Why not put a stop to
commerce and travel from infected ports, and save the people of these
cities—Brownsville
and Matamoros? Right here rests a fearful responsibility. On a legitimate
order that no vessel from a yellow-fever infected city or town will be
permitted to land at Brazos Santiago, may, and probably does, depend a
thousand lives. Nothing short of positive non-intercourse can save us. Any
other sort of quarantining would be but little better than a farce. To
hesitate is to be dammed.
To all who do not wish
and do not intend to breast the yellow fever foe, we say get ready to leave
and leave. If the
port of Brazos shall
remain open another week or two, yellow fever will be reported in these
streets. Of this no sane man of experience can entertain a doubt. That it
can be quarantined away admits of no question—the only question is, shall it
be done?
Suppose yellow fever
should break out on the next steamer at the
Brazos, whilst lying
at quarantine: what can be done? Can the ship be ordered back to
Galveston? Could the steamer be kept quarantined a month and until all the
passengers had died or removed from the disease? Or would the sick and well
be put ashore, and into hospital? So certain as one case of yellow fever
occurs at the Brazos it will break out here in less than a week. If one
case of yellow fever appears on a steamer at quarantine there will no longer
be hope—Of Brownsville and Matamoros escaping a fearful epidemic.
It would be a credit
mark to
Brownsville to escape the fever even one year when it was raging everywhere
else. And General Reynolds would be entitled to no small share of this
community’s thanks if he would exercise his undoubted, rightful power to
prevent its introduction. Shall we or shall we not have an epidemic this
year? It is for the Military to answer.
Source: Daily
Ranchero,
August 11, 1867
HISTORY OF YELLOW
FEVER
The nativity of yellow
fever, like almost everything connected with that fearful disease, seems to
be involved in doubt. It seems to be certain that it was found in the
West Indies by
Columbus, on his second voyage, and attacked the Spaniards who accompanied
him. Dr. Noah Webster says that in 1618, some off the
New England
tribes of Indians were almost destroyed by this malady—three hundred only
remaining of a tribe that had numbered thirty thousand! The whites found
their skeletons strewed over the ground in and about their towns. The
survivors described the leading features of the disease so as to leave no
doubt of its true character.
In 1635, Father Du
Terre and others described the yellow fever of Guadalupe , as did the
English who suffered from it at Carthagena in 1641, and in Barbadoes in
1647. But black vomit, as a symptom of this disease, appears to have
escaped the attention of observers, or was absent, until described by Father
Du Terte and others, near the middle of that century.
Spain
was formerly the principal country afflicted with yellow fever. Accounts of
its ravages at Cadiz go as far back as 1705, and there were thirteen
epidemics there between that year and 1821. It also visited Gibraltar from
1804 to 1814. It visited
Seville
several times early in the present century. It has also occurred in
Malaga,
Medina, Sidonia, and numerous other Spanish towns. It has prevailed as an
epidemic about fifty times in Europe. It first appeared in New Orleans in
1796. Before it appeared in New Orleans it had prevailed in Cadiz six
times, in Philadelphia eight times, Norfolk three times, Charleston ten
times, Baltimore twice, New York seven times, New Haven twice, eleven times
at Barbadoes, four at San Domingo, five at Jamaica, and three at Havana. It
prevailed in Philadelphia in
1700-‘32-‘41-’43-’44-’47-’62-‘ 93-’94-’96-’97-’98-’99-,
1801’2-‘3-‘5-’17-’20-; Boston, 1693, 1695, ’96-’08-’99-; New York, 1702,
’43-’48-’62-’91-’93-’98-’99, 1800, ’01-‘2-‘5-’19-‘e2, New Haven, 1742-’94,
1805; Baltimore, 1894-‘5-‘7-, 1800, ’18-’21; Providence, 1794-’97, 1800-‘5.
Epidemic yellow fever
has traversed in
Europe nearly 46
degrees north latitude, as in Rochefort, (45- 40) in the year 1664; and in
America nearly 47 degrees, (46-50) in Quebec in 1805.
Several instances,
within the last few years, show that it is readily communicated to persons
at the North by contact with those who have carried it from the West Indies;
and we should feel almost as apprehensive that it would break out at
Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York Boston, as in Galveston, were it not for
the happy exemption of the former cities for the last half century.
Source: Daily
Ranchero,
August 11, 1867, p. 1, col. 4
THE FEVER AT CORPUS
Several persons
arrived here from
Corpus Christi on
Sunday evening. They report the fever bad enough, but could not tell us much
that was definite about the matter. They say, however, that five deaths
occurred there in one day. The editor of the Corpus Christi Advertiser,
“Brother Bill,” had recovered from an attack; but there was some question
about his having had an attack of the yellow fever. We hope it was yellow
fever, and that he has been reconstructed on a sound footing.
The gentlemen who came
in are, Messrs. Wm. and John McMahan, and Maj. Hogan, formerly of the 114th
U. S. Volunteers. They were up before the city council, on the question of
health, but it was decided, that a trip of one hundred and seventy miles
across the
Texas prairies on horseback was a sufficient disinfectant against yellow
fever, without resort to more purifying measures.
Source: Daily
Ranchero,
August 13, 1867, p. 2, col. 2
THE FEVER AT CORPUS
We have still later
news from
Corpus Christi regarding the work of yellow fever at that place. The fever
is bad enough, and we are told that seven or eight deaths have occurred
there in a days. Mr. Frank Stillman, a young man of ability and great
promise, relapsed and died. The fever appeared to be no respect of
persons, but had made a pretty general attack. At first it was mild but
grew more and more virulent with each succeeding day.
Corpus Christi
proclaimed and maintained non-intercourse through three epidemics on the
coast, but neglecting to do so this year, is paying the fearful penalty.
The price of life, as well as liberty, is eternal vigilance.
Source: Daily
Ranchero,
August 14, 1867
CONCLUSIVE
The fearful epidemic
prevailing at
Corpus Christi proves conclusively that that place is just as subject to
yellow fever as any other place on the coast. All that is needed in any
Gulf town, no matter how healthy the place, is the introduction of the
disease to bring on an epidemic. This is demonstrated in the case of
Corpus Christi.
That place had declared non-intercourse with ports infected with yellow
fever during three epidemics on the coast, and each time escaped a single
case of the disease. Twice Corpus Christi neglected to prevent the
introduction of the fever, and dearly has her people already paid for the
neglect.
Corpus Christi is
naturally the healthiest place on the coast, but her reputation and prestige
has gone through neglect to enforce non-intercourse with infected parts. We
consider the experience of that healthy city conclusive evidence that
non-intercourse with infected ports can prevent the transmission of yellow
fever from place to place.
Now let us stop and
consider the fact that but once in from five to eight years does the fever
visit our coast; and the further fact that non-intercourse for two months,
once in five or eight years, would render the
Texas
Coast
towns a paradise of health. By dividing two months into six or seven parts,
we have eleven days non-intercourse each year. The solution of which is
that , to secure permanent health to the Gulf towns, and entire freedom from
yellow fever, penance would have to be done eleven days each year on the
average. Eleven days of non-intercourse per year, or two months of
non-intercourse with infected ports once in six years, guards us against
yellow fever.
We assert as a fact
that a case of yellow fever never occurred on the
Texas
coast that was not traced directly to an infected port. It was introduced
in Indianola from Vera Cruz; and from Indianola it was carried to
Galveston. The clerk of a Baltimore tobacco house contracted the disease at
the former place; was taken off the steamer sick at Galveston and there
died. That one case inoculated
Galveston.
Non-intercourse with Indianola was declared by Gen. Griffin; but the order
came forth too late; the disease had been planted.
A Mr. Snyder carried
the fever from Indianola to
Corpus Christi, where
he died on the 2nd of July, and planted the disease now so fearfully raging
in that place. We assert as a fact that the fever cannot be transmitted
through the atmosphere a single mile, and we shall continue to so assert
until evidence to the contrary is furnished. If mail bags can carry it, we
say stop the mails; for a letter is not worth a human life. We say stop the
mails; nobody will die for news in sixty days. We as newspaper men can stand
it. We say stop the mails a year if necessary to save five hundred human
lives. Spare our people from the fearful visitation of death upon Corpus
Christi.
We repeat as a fact,
that yellow fever has never visited any place on the
Texas
coast that could not be traced to an infected port.
THE FEVER AT CORPUS
We give today the
names of those who died from yellow fever up to the 11th inclusive, at
Corpus
Christi. Mr. Geo. Noessel furnishes us the list, which, we make no doubt,
is substantially correct. On the 12th eleven died, making the
number of deaths seventy.
The number attacked
was less than three hundred, which shows that the mortality has been one to
four. Mr. Milas Polk writes on the 13th, that twenty of those then sick,
would die in the succeeding thirty-six hours.
Among the deaths are
many of the old residents of the place. Mrs. Mary Grace Maltby, wife of
Wm. H. Marltby, editor of the Advertiser, and her unmarried sister, Miss
Jobena Swift, died of the fever, and Mr. Maltby, who had recovered, took a
relapse and was expected to live.
Should Mr. Polk’s
statement that twenty of those sick on the 18th would die in the next day or
two, the mortality would reach thirty-three per cent of those attacked. In
addition, Mr. Polk says, that nearly all of those now being attacked, die.
Nurses are scarce and fabulous sums are offered for a night watcher. One
physician, Dr. Johnson had died, and Dr. Merriman was not expected to
recover. Two physicians from Indianola were in Corpus, doing all they could
to save life. Mr. Nossel says that the two Indianola physicians are the
only ones in Corpus and that medicines are scarce. He also says that the
fever is extending up the
Nueces.
Mr. U. Lott writes on
the 19th, announcing the death of Mr. Cromer. In conclusion he says: “This
is my fourteenth day of the fever, and I am now able to sit up though still
confined to my room. We are having dreadful times here, people dying like
sheep; scarcely a house in town that has not a piece of crape on the door.
All the business house have been closed for ten days, the streets have the
appearance of continual Sabbath, the quiet broken only by the passage of a
funeral train bearing some poor soul to his last resting place. I tell you
gentlemen it is a sad time.”
Never have we felt
more deeply sad than, upon being made fully aware of the situation in
Corpus Christi.
Nearly all the deceased had been for a number of years our intimate
associates, and many of them we have helped, and seen, grow up. The fever
visitation upon Corpus is certainly appalling to contemplate, and the end is
not yet.
Source: Daily
Ranchero,
August 16, 1867, p. 1, col. 1-2
LIST OF DEATH FROM
YELLOW FEVER IN CORPUS CHRISTI
OFFICIAL
Corpus Christi, Aug.
11, 1867
Editors Ranchero:--the
Advertiser not making its appearance on account of sickness and death in the
editor’s family, I enclose you a list of those who have died in the place
since July 1st. Comments from me on the situation are unnecessary. God
only know when the epidemic may case. Dr. Merriman is not expected to
live. Dr. Kearney and a German Doctor from Indianola are the only ones
here. Nurses not to be had for love nor money. Medicine scarce. The
sickness is also extending up the
Nueces.
Yours,
Geo. Nossel
Persons who died in
Corpus Christi,
since July 1.
July 2, Mr.
Snyder, from Powderhorn,
25, Mr.
Drinkard,
26, Mr.
McFales,
27, Mrs.
Sohrn,
28, Mr.
Perez,
28 Mr.
Stern,
Aug. 1, Rev.
Wm. Mitchell,
4,
Alvin Palmer
5,
Child of Mr. Larkin, aged 7 years,
5,
Samuel Clymer,
7,
Clayton,
7,
Smith, firm of Smith & Jackson
7,
Patrick Dunn,
7,
Mrs. McClanehan,
7,
Daniel Cahill, age 12 years
7,
Maximillian soldier,
7,
Miss Jane Marsh,
7,
Miss Jobena Swift, age 17,
8, Mr.
John Scott,
Mrs. Clark,
Child of Mr. Hughes,
Mrs. Christopher Dunn,
Mr.
Cromer,
Mr.
Christopher Dunn,
Mrs. Clark,
Child of Mr. Hughes,
Child of Mr. Hughes,
Mrs. Christopher Dunn,
Mr.
Cromer,
Mr.
Christopher Dunn,
Mr.
James Rankin,
Mr.
Frank Stillman,
Mr.
Fisher,
Mr.
Theodore Lawrence,
9, Mr.
James Gibbs,
Mr.
Benjamin Gibbs,
Alex McFarland,
Mrs. Dan,
Mrs. Gregory Headen,
Mr.
Frederick Ridder,
Owen Clymer,
Mrs. Hughes,
10,
Maximillan soldier,
Maximillan soldier,
Miss Carrie Sims, aged 15 or 16
Mr.
Henry Sinclair
John Kelley;, aged 18 months
Mrs. John Kelley
Dr.
Floyd Johnson
Mr.
Chas. Fields
Mrs. Mary Grace Maltby
George Meuly, aged 4 years
Joseph Almond
James Cahill, aged 14
11. Mrs.
Wiedemiller
Mr.
Geo. Robertson
Miss Agnes Rankin
Mr.
John Pollan
Stone
Mexican at hospital
Miss Louisa Dryer, Aged 16
Miss Lizzie Riggs
Total number of deaths
59
John Dix
County Judge of Nueces County.
Selected items from
same page:
DEATH OF F. J. CROMER
But a few days since
we chronicled the death of that sterling you man, Mr. J. G. Cromer, who
died of yellow fever at Indianola. It is now our painful duty to report the
death of his father, Mr. F. J. Cromer, of the same disease at
Corpus Christi. Mr.
F. J. Cromer, the father, remained in our city but a short time in business
with his son. Together they went to Corpus Christi to carry on the grocery
business. Both were highly esteemed and admired for their manly virtues by
all who knew them. They were from
Dubuque,
Iowa, where
their family still reside.
THE EPIDEMIC—the
number of deaths in
Galveston since the
appearance of yellow fever, amount to one hundred and fifteen. One the 8th
inst. There were fifteen burials; on the 9th, thirteen, and on the 10th
twenty four.
Mr. J. F. Stackhouse
has recovered. The above deaths are from yellow fever.
It has been with
feelings of the deepest sorrow that we have been compelled to announce the
death of Mrs. Mary Grace Maltby and her sister, Miss Jobena Swift, by the
fatal epidemic at
Corpus Christi. No
less painful is the intelligence that Mr. Wm. H. Maltby, the gifted editor
of the Advertiser, is probably numbered among the dead. His devotion to his
family brought on a relapse, from which it was thought he could not recover.
PETITION
We understand that a
petition, numerously signed, when up to Gen. Reynolds yesterday, requesting
him to declare non-intercourse with infected ports. We are assured that the
General had acted before the petition reached him, but was glad to heave our
citizens second his efforts to save life. If the determination has not been
made too late, we are safe from the epidemic, raging so furiously all along
the coast.
Source: Daily
Ranchero,
August 16, 1867
THE FEVER
Mr. William Headen, a
merchant in
Corpus Christi, wrote a letter on the 5th of August to the Indianola
Bulletin, denying the statement made in that paper, that yellow fever
existed at Corpus Christi. What could have been Mr. Merchant Headen’s
object in writing such a letter, we know not, as the record shows that
thirteen deaths from yellow fever had occurred in Corpus Christi up to that
time.
Mr. Henry Seeligson,
merchant at Indianola, wrote several letters to his brother in
Galveston,
denying that there was yellow fever in Indianola; which letters found their
way into print. These letters tended to lull the apprehension felt in
Galveston, and doubtless prevented the authorities form cutting off
communication with the infected port. Had those letters told the truth, the
Galveston
military authorities would not have waited until the fever was introduced
before declaring non-intercourse with Indianola.
It is no great stretch
of the imagination to suppose that all persons who have died or may die of
yellow fever at
Galveston, Houston and
Corpus Christi were murdered at the hands of the lying letter writers at
Indianola. Had Mr. Seeligson who of course had had the yellow fever, stated
the truth, Corpus Christi and Galveston would have cut off communication
with the infected port, and thereby have saved the lives of one or two
thousand people. The military at Galveston declared non-intercourse, but is
was done too late, as the fever had been introduced into Galveston when the
fact became known that the disease at Indianola was yellow fever—sure enough
yellow fever.
Through the Indianola
letter writers the
Galveston and Corpus
Christi publics were thrown off their guard, and continued their intercourse
with the infected town. As soon as Gen. Griffin ascertained that yellow
fever was at Indianola, he acted promptly and suspended communication with
that place. But Gen. Griffin was too late: he had been deceived by bold
denials of the existence of fever at Indianola. As a consequence persons
went into Galveston from Indianola, and were taken down with the fever, and
planted the disease in that Island City.
It is remarkable that
Brownsville has
thus far escaped the terrible scourge; but had our communication with
Indianola been as free as was that of Galveston and Corpus Christi, we
should now be in the embrace of a fearful epidemic and death. We warn lying
letter writers to be on their guard, for if the laws cannot reach them the
people may take the law into their own hands.
Source: Daily
Ranchero,
August 22, 1867, p. 2, col. 1
CORPUS CHRISTI
From an extra of the
Advertiser we copy the following record of deaths which is in addition those
already published by us. Aug. 11—Mr. Stone, a Mexican, Mrs. Vetter, Mrs.
Geo. A. Ludewig. Aug. 12—Dr. E. T. Merriman, A. DeRyee, Mrs. Schultz, J. M.
Sims Aug. 13—Mrs. Matthew Headen; Mrs. Gibbbs, Mrs. John Dunn, Mrs. F.
Riddir, Joseph Dunn, J. M. Myers, George Adolphe Ludewig, Infant fo Dr. G.
f. Johnson, Michael Whelan, Mrs. Michael Whelan Aug. 14—John Gallahnan
Rinaldo Allen.
P. S. 7 more deaths as
we go to press, at
5 p.m.—Total to date,
83. August 17, 2 p.m. 23 more deaths have occurred since the above date, 22
of fever. Number of interments to date, 106. We cannot furnish a full list
of names, 6 new cases yesterday; 1 reported today. We are informed that
many old cases do not yield readily to treatment.
To the attention of
Mr. Geo. Noessel, we are enabled to give the following names of persons who
died after the above date. August Holthause, Wm. Norris, Mrs. Evans and
Mrs. Gallahan.
Rev. J. P. Perham,
President of the Howard Association, and Mr. Gus Moore were down with the
fever.
Source: Daily
Ranchero,
August 23, 1867,
p. 2, col 4
THE EPIDEMIC
From the extra of the
Corpus Christi Advertiser of the 27th instant, we publish the following
names of those who have died in that place of Yellow Fever, which have not
before been published by us: Aug. 14—child of Wm Ashton, John Whelan Aug.
15—Mr. Vetter, Mrs. Doorlay, Wm Norris, August Holthaus, Nascerio Morales,
Dora Cody, Jos. Egan. Aug. 16—Mrs. Garner, Matthew Lewis, Sarah Lewis, F.
Attion, John Henry Moore, John Kelley. Aug. 17—Jos. Hagan, of Brooklyn, N.
Y., Mr. Howard, Mrs. Helen Evans, Mr. Toomy, Henry Armstrong, of Cincinnati,
Ohio. Aug. 18—Beatris Calderon, John Ludewig. Aug. 19—Mrs. Smith, Augustus
Moore. Aug. 20—Son of Mrs. Meuly, (2d) Bridget Fernise, Child of Mr. Beauley,
Rev’d J. P. Perham, A. Weir. Aug. 21—Antonio Salasar, A German, (unknown)
Ralph Gregory. Aug. 23—Frank Clark. Total to date, 109
A private letter
informs us that on the 24th Mr. W. W. Worrell, and on the 25th Susan Headen,
died. The fever was abating for want of material. The same letter states
that there are some fifteen deaths not reported in the above list. Another
letter states that the total number of deaths, 25th inst., amounted to one
hundred and thirty one, one seventh of the population of that place. Corpus
in her sore distress has not been without her shylocks, who have exacted the
pound of flesh nearest her heart…
Source: Daily
Ranchero,
August 30, 1867, p. 2, col. 4
DR. F. E. HUGES ON
YELLOW FEVER—HOW IT IS INTRODUCED.
(From the Indianola
bulletin, Aug. 22)
Now that we have
passed through one of the most direful scourges to which our little city has
ever been subjected, it behoves us as a people, to take notes, and if
possible , let us arrive at the true cause which originated this dreadful
disease. The first question, the, “Is yellow fever suigeneris, and if so,
it indigenous to our locality?” I contend, that it is not either, but
that it is an exotic and most be imported. As well may you tell me that
small pox, measles and scarlet fever can be generated. Thirty years since,
and the physician who had openly announced that Itch was propagated and
kept alive by an animal, would have been hooted, it was then thought to be
filth, but the microscope has developed a distinct living animal. I don’t
care if a child is allowed to wallow in a pig-sty and fatten with the pigs,
as long as you keep him from coming in contact with a living scabies, he
will have no itch; then if cleanliness is neglected the disease will spread
rapidly, and without proper cleanliness he never will recover. The medical
profession are fast becoming a unit, that Asiatic cholera is propagated by
means of a living thing, whether that be animal, or vegetable life, they are
as yet undecided. All of our most recent writers have classed yellow fever
with cholera as a fatal disease, and communicable from one person to another
through the excretions of the infected party the marked difference in the
two, being that the yellow fever prision is strictly a tropical plant or
animal, and cannot , if exposed to a temperature of 22 degrees, survive. You
may, however, for weeks keep them alive, thought the thermometer may go to
zero, if carefully enclosed in woolen blankets, yet they have a certain time
to die, and if not allowed to reproduce in the human body, they become
extinct. They will not survive a period of four months, and if once dead, I
would as soon expect, should the entire cane crop of the
United States be
destroyed y a freeze, to reproduce it by artificial means. No, sir, we must
first go where the cane crop is a perennial to get the see; and if you like
upon the vessel, you may import a new crop of yellow fever.
I now propose to trace
the origin of yellow fever, since and during residence at this place and Old
Indianola—During the winter of ’49 and ’50, I located at Old Indianola,
three miles above. We had no yellow fever until the later part of ’52. On
the morning of the 20th I was sent for to visit a Mr. Jackson then at
Sloan’s Hotel, who had, the day previous arrived per steamer from
New Orleans.
I found him with all the characteristics symptoms of a well marked case of
yellow fever. Mark you, there was not another case of sickness in the
town. It was “distressingly” healthy. In a few days Mr. Jackson recovered,
and I was congratulating, the inmates of the Hotel, under the belief that
this case would be the last; but we were doomed to disappointment. In less
than twelve days nine of the ten members of Mr. Sloan’s family were down. A
German girl who worked in the hose left sick. From her it spread among the
German families, and from the family of Mr. Sloan, it was easily traceable.
In 1853 I had removed to Powder Horn Wharf. During the latter part of July,
the vessels plying direct to
New Orleans,
where the fever was then raging, landed their entire cargoes at the T head.
The first case that occurred was one of the wharf hands. There were but few
houses within a mile of the wharf, and they three and four hundred yards
apart; all other houses having been destroyed a month previous by fire, and
every citizen, who had not before had the disease, was a victim, with one
single exception. So far the unacclimated citizens of Indianola (by
unacclimated I mean those who have not had yellow fever) kept aloof; but
gaining confidence by its seeming disappearance, they came down and soon the
disease raged with fury what is now called Old Indianola. As for a local
cause, there were only four houses, and they distant fro each other. The
clean shell beach was covered with a dense, woody growth, with the exception
of the shell road, the sites of the four houses and the burnt district, yet
covered with ashes.
The next epidemic was
in 1858. Of this I know nothing personally; but J. M. Reuss, who has had
perhaps, more experience with this disease than any other physician on our
coast, west of Galveston, furnishes me with the following statement.
“During the month of
September, 1858, I took the first case of yellow fever that occurred, on
this bay to the
City Hospital from one
of the steamers plying to New Orleans.
In the afternoon of the same day, I took my children out riding in the same
buggy. Four days after, both of my children were simultaneously attacked
with yellow fever. Twenty days after this the disease became general.”
In 1862 we had it
again. This time the disease ran the blockade on board the steamers
California and Gen.
Rusk. The first case was one of the crew of the Rusk whom I called on to
see with Dr. Davis, of Victoria. From him it spread.
Now we come to
consider how the present epidemic of 1857 made its advent. —On the 11th of
May, the schooner Margarita, an American vessel, with some twenty passengers
set sail for this port. She came to anchor in our harbor on the 21st of the
same month. She was boarded by Mr. C. R. Prouty, Deputy Collector and
thoroughly examined. Nineteen days after Mr. Prouty was attacked wit yellow
fever. On board this schooner, was one Mr. Dechort, wife and three
children, besides other stock and plunder. This Mr. Dechort had a lot of
second-hand blankets which he wished to dispose of at auction. A drayman by
the name of Hunter was engaged to haul them, and a lad by the name of Cook
assisted in loading them. These two were the first save one other a
carpenter recently from the North, who fell victims to the disease.
—Another, and among the first cases was Mr. DeMurguiendo, who arrived direct
from Baltimore, and was put in the same room that Mr. Dechort and family had
occupied. In six days eh had the disease. The second-hand blankets were
exposed and sold at auction, and soon the disease became general, striking
down our citizens by twenties and fifties.
The facts herein
stated, I hold myself ready to prove.
F. E. Hughes, M.
D.
Certificate
I, Wm. Andrews do
hereby certify that I, in company with Thomas duke, did on or about the 25th
day of May examine a certain lot of blankets, offered for sale at Messrs.
Murdock & Milby’s auction room, Indianola. Said blankets were left with
Merssr. Murdock & Milby by a person who came from Vera Cruz on or about the
20th day of May, on the schooner Margarita. Three days subsequent I left
Indianola for my home on
Hynes Bay and in the
evening of the same day I was attacked with yellow fever. My companion Mr.
Duke, was attacked on the 4th day with the same disease and died a few days
afterward. A Negro woman who attended upon Mr. Duke was attacked on the
14th day and died four or five days afterwards.
Witnesses: Wm.
Andrews, G. Seelingson, F. Hunt.
Source: Daily
Ranchero,
September 1, 1867
FLOOD AND FEVER
We learn that the
fever had abated at
Corpus Christi for
want of material. The number of deaths will reach about 150—one-sixth of
the people who remained and went through or died during the epidemic.
The country this side
of Corpus
Christi is completely under water. The Auga Dulce country has been
completely submerged, and in addition to destroying large flocks of sheep,
numbering thousands, drove the people from their houses and destroyed
everything left behind, A number of Corpus Christi families were camping on
the Agua Dulce, who lost all they had with them.
Source: Daily
Ranchero,
September 13, 1867, p. 2, col. 3
THE EPIDEMIC
The yellow fever
scourge is over at
Corpus Christi and
Indianola, but to every other place on the coast it is raging furiously.
At every little town within fifty or one hundred miles of the coast the
disease has found its way. At Galveston the fever has raged with a fury
previously unknown. The number of deaths in Galveston up to the 30th ult.,
from the fever, was six hundred and seventy-seven. A Galveston telegram to
the New Orleans press says the fever is unabating; from which we have to
conclude that the number of deaths up to the 4th reached one thousand. This
mortality is appalling to contemplate.
In
new Orleans
the fever has been kept down to thirty per day but there is no doubt that it
will soon run up to from one to two hundred per day. We heard a physician
express the opinion yesterday that by the 1st of October the mortuary
reports in New
Orleans would
show two hundred deaths per day.
The cities of
Brownsville and
Matamoros continue perfectly healthy but
we can hardly hope to
escape.
Source: Daily
Ranchero,
September 15, 1867, p, 2, col. 3
SOME GENTLEMEN WRITING
to the Picayune from
Corpus Christi, on
whose medical judgment the editor speaks in the highest terms, denies that
the disease, recently so prevalent and fatal at
Corpus Christi
was yellow fever. The writer says it was bilious fever. Yes, it must have
billious d—d billious; about the most billious fever we ever heard of.
Really if that disease was bilious fever, what would have become of Corpus
Christi had it been yellow fever? There is really nothing in a name, but a
more terrible and heart-rending scourge than that experienced at Corpus
Christi, never before visited any place on the Mexican Gulf.
Source: Daily
Ranchero,
September 22, 1867, p. 2, col. 6
DISTRESS AT CORPUS CHRISTI
In a letter from
King’s Rancho, written by Reuben Holbein, Esq., occurred the following
sentence: “The sickness in
Corpus Christi has
been very severe for the population, and the distress among the surviving
widows and orphans is beyond my power to describe. Could not your good
people relieve them little, in the event your city escapes the dreadful
scourge, which god grant, it may. Any funds remitted to me, will be
thankfully received, strictly accounted for and faithfully applied.”
In response to the
above we can say that matters are moving, and donations for the relief of
the Corpus
Christi sufferers, are being liberally made. Yes, something is being done.
Judges Cummings and Downey are soliciting aid.
Source: Daily
Ranchero,
September 22, 1867, p. 3, col. 4
Research by: Msgr.
Michael A. Howell
Transcription by:
Geraldine D. McGloin, Nueces County Historical Commission
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