1112, Philly –14,507

lornajarrettblanchard January 1, 1887

Document created by Wayne Blanchard Dec 2012; revised Dec 2019 for website: Deadliest American Disasters and Large-Loss-Of-Life Events. https://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–14,507 Blanchard tally based on State and local breakouts below.

Summary of State Breakouts Below

Illinois (1,405) Chicago (1,405)

Maryland ( 302) Baltimore ( 302)

Massachusetts (1,628) Boston ( 410)

Michigan ( 825) Statewide

Missouri (1,112) St. Louis (1,112)

New Hampshire ( 177) Statewide

New Jersey (1,527) Statewide

New York (6,490) New York City (4,509)

Ohio ( 2) Have not located source material.

Pennsylvania ( 874) Philadelphia ( 858)

Rhode Island ( 2)

Wisconsin ( 163) Milwaukee ( 154)

Total: 14,507

Breakout of 1887 Diphtheria Deaths by State and Locality (where we have see reporting):

Illinois (1,405) Chicago (1,405) Death rate 91.2 per 1000 deaths all causes.

–1,405 Chicago. Philadelphia Medical Jour. “Death-Rate from Diphtheria.” 2-18-1899, p. 386.

–~20 “ ~Jan 10-31. New York Times. “Diphtheria in Chicago.” 2-2-1887, p. 2.

Maryland ( 302) Baltimore (302) Death rate 36.0 per 1,000 deaths from all causes.

–302 Baltimore. Philadelphia Medical Jour. “Death-Rate from Diphtheria.” 2-18-1899, p. 385.

Massachusetts (1,628) Boston (410) Death rate 39.9 per 1000 from all causes.

–1,628 State. Philadelphia Medical Jour. “Death-Rate from Diphtheria.” 2-18-1899, 385.

–410 Boston. Philadelphia Med. Jour. “Death-Rate from Diphtheria.” 2-18-1899, p.385.

–316 “ Billington. Diphtheria, 1889, p. 140.^[1] Notes 1,049 cases & 30.12% death rate.

— 9 “ Dec 11-17. Daily Nevada State Journal, Reno. “News Items. 12-29-1887, 2.

–11 “ Dec 25-31. Boston Daily Globe. “Weekly Mortality.” 1-1-1888, p. 12.

— 8 New Bedford. New York Times. “Diphtheria in New-Bedford.” 9-17-1887, p. 5.

Michigan ( 825)

–825 Michigan State Board of Health. Sixteenth Annual Report… 1888, p. 225.[2]

— 26 Bay County. P. 224

— 27 Jackson County. “

— 41 Kent County. “

–239 Wayne County. “

Missouri (1,112) St. Louis Death rate 121.4 per 1000 deaths all causes.

–1,112 St. Louis. Philadelphia Medical Jour. “Death-Rate from Diphtheria.” 2-18-1899, p. 385.

New Hampshire (177)

–177 State of New Hampshire. Seventh Annual Report…Board of Health…1888. P. 204.

–61 Coos County. (34.46% of all NH diphtheria deaths.)

–51 Berlin.

–32 Hillsborough County.

–15 Merrimack County.

–14 Rockingham County.

New Jersey (1,527)

–1,527 NJ Board of Health. Thirty-First Annual Report of the Board of Health… 1908, p. 9.[3]

–5 Hackettstown, Oct 8-19. NYT. “Diphtheria in Hackettstown.” 10-23-1887, p. 2.

–? Newton. Cases reported in Sussex County Jail. NYT. “Diphtheria in a Jail.” 12-7-1887.

New York (6,490) New York City (4,509) State death rate 67.24 deaths all causes.

–6,490 State NY State Dept. of Health. Thirty-Eighth Annual Rpt. …1917 (V. 1). 1918, p. 541.

— 5 Cedar Pond. Newell children, aged 5-12, 5 days. NYT. “Victims of Diphtheria.” 12-17-1887, 9.

— ? Fishkill-on-the Hudson area. New York Times “Ravages of Diphtheria.” 2-26-1887, p.1.[4]

–4,509 NYC. NYC Dept. of Health. Summary of Vital Statistics 2009. Dec 2010.^[5]

–4,509 Rosner. Hives of Sickness: Public Health and Epidemics in [NYC]. 1995, 31.^[6]

–3,056 Annual Rpt. Dept. of Health…City of New York for Years 1911-1912., p. 231.

— 6 Oriskany. New York Times. “Victims of Diphtheria.” 11-2-1887, p. 3.

— 2 Otisville, June 30. Children of Henry L. Crans. NYT. “An Epidemic of Diphtheria.” P. 1.

— 28 Schoharie. New York Times. “Ravaged by Diphtheria.” 12-18-1887, p. 16.

— ? Troy. Cases reported. New York Times. “Diphtheria in Troy.” 11-2-1887, p. 1.

— >3 Westchester. “Several deaths have occurred within the last two weeks.”[7]

Ohio ( 2)

–1 Cleveland, Aug 9. Health Officer pronounced an alarming spread. NYT. 8-10-1887, p. 1.

–1 Marion, Dec. Marion Daily Star, OH. 12-31-1887, p. 4.

Pennsylvania ( 874) Philadelphia especially (858) Death rate 39.5 per 1000 deaths all causes.

— 13 Lockport, Aug 29-Sep 2. New York Times. “Dying of Diphtheria.” 9-3-1887, p. 1.[8]

–858 Philadelphia. Philadelphia Medical Jour. “Death-Rate from Diphtheria.” 2-18-1899, 385.

— 3 Shenandoah, Dec. Evening Herald, Syracuse, NY. “Victims of Diphtheria.” 12-31-1887, 1.^[9]

Rhode Island ( 2)

— 2 Woonsocket, Nov. Boston Daily Globe. “Scarlet Fever and Diphtheria.” 11-26-1887, p. 5.

Wisconsin ( 163) Milwaukee (154) Death rate 47.28 per 1000 deaths all causes.

— 5 Madison area, Jan 28. Five children of Peter Meyers. NYT. “Black Diphtheria Raging.” 7.

–154 Milwaukee. Philadelphia Medical Jour. “Death-Rate from Diphtheria.” 2-18-1899, 386.

— 3 Newark, Dec. Weekly Wisconsin, Milwaukee. “Diphtheria at Beloit.” 12-31-1887, 4.^[10]

— 1 Whitewater, Dec. Weekly Wisconsin, Milwaukee. “State News.” 12-31-1887, p. 9.

Illinois/Chicago

Feb 1: “Chicago, Feb. 1. – Diphtheria is epidemic in the neighborhood having Western-avenue and Van Buren streets as its centre. The disease has appeared in several families in its most malignant form and in one family alone, that of Capt. G. W. Flood, of No. 1,113 West Van Buren-street, three deaths have occurred in the last week. During the last three weeks about 20 persons have died from diphtheria within four blocks of the centre mentioned, and from a careful estimate of the cases under treatment by physicians in the neighborhood, something over 100 persons are now suffering from the disease. The neighborhood is but sparsely settled…” (New York Times. “Diphtheria in Chicago.” 2-2-1887, p. 2.)

Ohio:

Nov 14: “Dayton, O., Nov. 14. – In all the villages and through the farming districts of the Miami valley, as a result of the water famine, an epidemic of diphtheria and fevers prevails, and the further the investigation is extended the more appalling are the reports of the plague. At Lewisburg, where the death list is the greatest, schools are closed and the children are forbidden to go on the streets.” (Boston Daily Globe. “Diphtheria and Fevers Epidemic.” 11-15-1887, p. 1.)

“The Ohio State board of health reports new cases of diphtheria at New Petersburg, Broadway, Warren, Range, Five Mile, Hudson, Duncans Falls (6), Findlay (4), and Columbus (3).” (Massillon Independent, OH. 12-30-1887, p. 1.)

Sources

Billington, C. E., MD. Diphtheria: Its Nature and Treatment. And Joseph O’Dwyer, MD. Intubation in Croup. New York: William Wood and Co., 1889. Google preview accessed 5-29-2018 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=q98iAQAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Board of Health. Annual Report of the Board of Health of the Department of Health of The City of New York for the Year Ending December 31, 1912. NYC: 1913. Google preview accessed 11-26-2019: https://books.google.com/books?id=XqMGqwcyOp8C&ppis=_e&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q=1871&f=true

Boston Daily Globe. “Scarlet Fever and Diphtheria.” 11-26-1887, p. 5. Accessed 12-11-2012 at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com

Boston Daily Globe. “Weekly Mortality.” 1-1-1888, p. 12. Accessed 12-10-2012 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=161060072&sterm=diphtheria

Boston Medical and Surgical Journal, Vol. 117, 8-11-1887.

Daily Nevada State Journal, Reno. “News Items. 12-29-1887, p. 2. Accessed 12-10-2012 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=733500&sterm=diphtheria

Evening Herald, Syracuse, NY. “Victims of Diphtheria.” 12-31-1887, 1. Accessed 12-10-2012: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=51376307&sterm=diphtheria

Medical and Surgical Reporter. “News Items.” Vol. LVII, July-Dec 1887. p. 788. Philadelphia 1887. Accessed 12-12-2019 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=n1pWmjEejasC&ppis=_e&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=true

Michigan State Board of Health. Sixteenth Annual Report of the Secretary of the State Board of Health of the State of Michigan for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 1888. Lansing, Darius D. Thorp, State Printer, 1889. Google preview accessed 12-12-2019 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=T9RHAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=true

New Jersey Board of Health. Thirty-First Annual Report of the Board of Health of the State of New Jersey, 1907, and Annual Report of the Bureau of Vital Statistics. Trenton: John L. Murphy Publishing Co., 1908. Google digitized at: http://books.google.com/books?id=XDAcX3uIVssC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Summary of Vital Statistics 2009, The City of New York. December 2010. Accessed 12-4-2012: http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/downloads/pdf/vs/2009sum.pdf

New York State Department of Health. Thirty-Eighth Annual Report of the State Department of Health of New York For the Year Ending December 31, 1917 (Vol. 1). Albany: J. B. Lyon Co., 1918. Google preview accessed 6-3-2018 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=XE49AQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

New York Times. “An Epidemic of Diphtheria.” 7-2-1887, p. 1. Accessed 12-12-2019 at: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1887/07/02/100919778.html?pageNumber=1

New York Times. “Black Diphtheria Raging.” 1-30-1887, p. 7. Accessed 12-12-2019 at: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1887/01/30/103131901.html?pageNumber=7

New York Times. “Diphtheria in a Jail.” 12-7-1887, p. 9. Accessed 12-12-2019 at: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1887/12/07/103155641.html?pageNumber=9

New York Times. “Diphtheria in Chicago.” 2-2-1887, p. 2. Accessed 12-12-2019 at: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1887/02/02/103132212.html?pageNumber=2

New York Times. “Diphtheria in Cleveland.” 8-10-1887, p. 1. Accessed 12-12-2019 at: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1887/08/10/109788788.html?pageNumber=1

New York Times. “Diphthe4ria in Hackettstown.” 10-23-1887, p. 2. Accessed 12-12-2019 at: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1887/10/23/100937843.html?pageNumber=2

New York Times. “Diphtheria in New-Bedford.” 9-17-1887, p. 5. Accessed 12-12-2019 at: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1887/09/17/113300686.html?pageNumber=5

New York Times. “Diphtheria in Troy.” 11-2-1887, p. 1. Accessed 12-12-2019 at: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1887/11/02/103149883.html?pageNumber=1

New York Times. “Dying of Diphtheria.” 9-3-1887, p. 1. Accessed 12-12-2019 at: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1887/09/03/103451883.html?pageNumber=1

New York Times “Ravages of Diphtheria.” 2-26-1887, p. 1. Accessed 12-12-2019 at: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1887/02/26/104009422.html?pageNumber=1

New York Times. “Victims of Diphtheria.” 11-2-1887, p. 3. Accessed 12-12-2019 at: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1887/11/02/103149957.html?pageNumber=3

New York Times. “Victims of Diphtheria.” 12-17-1887, p. 9. Accessed 12-12-2019 at: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1887/12/17/106307000.html?pageNumber=9

Philadelphia Medical Journal. “Death-Rate from Diphtheria.” 2-18-1899, p. 385. Accessed 12-12-2019 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=4FYcAQAAMAAJ&ppis=_e&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Rosner, David (Ed.). Hives of Sickness: Public Health and Epidemics in New York City. Rutgers University Press, 1991, 236 pages. Partially digitized by Google. Accessed 3-29-2018 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=o34QxI6lHwAC&pg=PA70&dq=1916+Polio+Epidemic&ei=Cy5DSZWvMIXAMpqalOYN#PPP7,M1

State Board of Health of the State of New Hampshire. Seventh Annual Report of the State Board of Health of the State of New Hampshire for the Fiscal Year Ending April 30, 1888. Manchester: John B. Clarke, Public Printer, 1888. Accessed 12-12-2019 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=M9I2AQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=true

Weekly Wisconsin, Milwaukee. “Diphtheria at Beloit.” 12-31-1887, 4. Accessed 12-10-2012 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=120030619&sterm=diphtheria

Weekly Wisconsin, Milwaukee. “State News.” 12-31-1887, p. 9. Accessed 12-10-2012 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=120030624&sterm=diphtheria

[1] Credits Dr. John H. McCollom City Physician, Boston.

[2] In chapter entitled “Communicable Diseases in Michigan During the Year Ending December 31, 1887.”

[3] “Table 6. – Showing Number of Deaths in New Jersey from Certain Classified Diseases for Twenty-Eight Years, 1879-1906.”

[4] “Feb 25…There is widespread alarm in this section of the State for fear of another diphtheritic epidemic. Sporadic cases are reported almost daily, and the mortality among infants and children is frightful…”

[5] Chart entitled “The Conquest of Pestilence in New York City…As Shown by the Death Rate as Recorded in the Official Records of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene,” cover page of: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Summary of Vital Statistics 2009 The City of New York. December 2010.

[6] “Table 1: Years of Unusually Large Numbers of Deaths from Selected Epidemic Diseases, 1798 to 1918.”

[7] Medical and Surgical Reporter. “News Items.” Vol. LVII, July-Dec 1887. p. 788. Philadelphia 1887.

[8] “Pittsburg, Sept. 2. – An epidemic of black diphtheria is raging at Lockport, Penn., a small town of 200 inhabitants, situated on the Pennsylvania Railroad, about 60 miles east of this city. Nearly half of the population is reported down with the disease, and 13 deaths have occurred within the past five days.”

[9] “Dec 31. George Scott buried two children in one grave here yesterday. Two weeks ago he buried his youngest child. Two other children are also sick, while his wife is lying at death’s door. All are victims of diphtheria.”

[10] “Beloit, Wis., Dec. 28. Diphtheria is making a terrible ravage in the family of Joseph Marlott. of Newark, near Beloit. Three children have died within four days, two are fatally sick and two others are ill with the disease. The disease was brought from Chicago, where the family have been visiting.”