1887 — Yellow Fever, May-Dec, esp. Key West (64) and Tampa (75-100), FL –169-196
Document created by Wayne Blanchard, Dec 2019, for website: Deadliest American Disasters and Large-Loss-Of-Life Events. https://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
Florida (169-196)
–169-196 Statewide Blanchard tally based on breakouts below.
— 7-8 Bradenton Wall. “Fever on Manatee River,” p. 73, USMHS Report.[1]
— >3 Camp Perry Cases noted by Guiteras, “Diagnosis of Yellow Fever.”[2]
— 3 Egmont Key NYT. “Yellow Fever in Florida.” 7-29-1887, p. 1.[3]
— 1 Interlachen Augustin. History of Yellow Fever, 1909, 455.
— 64 Key West, June 13-Sep[4] Augustin 1909, 455; USMHS 1896, p. 439.
—>1 “ May 23. NY Times. “Yellow Fever at Key West.” 5-24-1887, p. 1.[5]
— 1 “ May 29. NYT. “The Yellow Fever in Key West.” 5-30-1887, p. 1.
— 2 “ May 30-June 3. NYT. “Flying from Yellow Fever.” 6-5-1887, p. 5.
— 2 “ June 19. NYT. “The Yellow Fever at Key West.” 6-20-1887, p. 1.
–13 “ By June 19. NYT. “The Yellow Fever at Key West.” 6-20-1887, p. 1.
–18 “ By June 25. NYT. “Yellow Fever at Key West.” 6-27-1887, p. 1.
— 1 “ June 27. NYT. “The Yellow Fever at Key West.” 6-27-1887, p. 1.
–19 “ By June 27. NYT. “The Yellow Fever at Key West.” 6-20-1887, p. 1.
— 1 “ July 2. New York Times. “The Yellow Fever,” 7-3-1887, p. 3.
— 1 “ July 7. New York Times. “The Yellow Fever,” 7-8-1887, p. 5.
–27 “ By July 10. NYT. “The Yellow Fever in Key West.” 7-11-1887, p. 5.
— 1 “ July 12. NYT. “Yellow Fever in Key West,” 7-13-1887, p. 2.
— 1 “ July 19. NYT. “The Yellow Fever Record,” 7-20-1887, p. 1.
— 1 “ July 23 infant. NYT. “The Yellow Fever Scourge.” 7-24-1887, p. 2.
— 2 “ July 28. NYT. “Yellow Fever in Florida.” 7-29-1887, p. 1.
–43 “ By July 31. NYT. “The Yellow Fever Record.” 8-1-1887, p. 1.
— 1 “ Aug 3 infant. NYT. “The Yellow Fever.” 8-4-1887, p. 5.
— 1 “ Aug 7 NYT. “The Yellow Fever Record.” 8-8-1887, p. 1.
–45 “ By Aug 7 NYT. “The Yellow Fever Record.” 8-8-1887, p. 1.
–3 “ Aug 15 NYT. “The Yellow Fever.” 8-16-1887, p. 1.
–1 “ Aug 18 NYT. “The Yellow Fever Record.” 8-19-1887, p. 3.
–60 “ By Aug 29 NYT. “The Yellow Fever Record.” 8-29-1887, p. 1.
— ~3 Manatee Wall. “Fever on Manatee River,” p. 73, USMHS Report.[6]
— 1 Many Lakes Augustin. History of Yellow Fever, 1909, 456.
— 1 Palatka Augustin. History of Yellow Fever, 1909, 456.
— ? Palmetto Cases noted by Wall; cited in Barker.
— 1 Perkeso Augustin. History of Yellow Fever, 1909, 458.
— 1 Plant City, Nov 14. Wall. “Yellow Fever at Plant City,” p. 70, USMHS Report.
— 1-2 “ by Christmas Wall. “Yellow Fever at Plant City,” p. 70, USMHS Report.
— 8 Sanford Augustin. History of Yellow Fever, 1909, p. 458.[7]
–75-100 Tampa Blanchard range from sources noted below.
–~100 “ USF Libraries. “1887 Epidemic in Tampa.” 500 Years…
— 100 “ John P. Wall report on yellow fever in Tampa; in Barker.[8]
— 95 “ Last death Jan 11. Barker. “…Tampa’s Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1887-88.”[9]
— 75 “ (June 13-~Dec 9)[10] Augustin. History of Yellow Fever, 1909, p. 458.
— 4 By Oct 7 NYT. “A Panic in Tampa.” 10-8-1887, p. 1.
— 1 Oct 30 NYT. “The Yellow Fever in Tampa.” 10-31-1887, p. 1.
–34 By Oct 26 NYT. “The Yellow Fever Scare.” 11-1-1887, p. 3.)
Narrative Information
Barker: “….Yellow fever was a particularly feared disease…for it was a killer with horrible, painful symptoms. Since its cause was unknown, it became mysterious. The variety of symptoms and its unpredictable course added to its mystique. Not until 1901 were yellow fever’s secrets revealed with the discovery that it was transmitted by one species of mosquito, the Aedes Aegypti. The actual nature of the microorganism was not fully understood until the 1920s, but after 1901 it was clear that effective mosquito control could eliminate yellow fever in areas where it had been a frequent killer.[11] ….
“In May 1887, the news reached Tampa that fever had broken out at Key West. As the number of cases increased there, a panic enveloped Tampa. The city imposed a prohibitive quarantine against persons, baggage and freight, except for tobacco and the U.S. mail, originating in Key West and Havana. By June 9, the Hillsborough County board of health had set up a quarantine camp at Ballast Point. Passengers from Key West and Havana were detained there for fifteen days. The Plant Investment Company, in a progressive yet pragmatic, effort to protect both its extensive investment in the town’s future and its profitable steamship connections, paid for the tents, cots and provisions.[12] ….” (Barker, Eirlys. “‘A Sneaky, Cowardly Enemy’: Tampa’s Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1887-88.”)
USF Libraries: “Tampa was relatively free of Yellow Fever from 1871 to 1886, so the Tampans were lulled into the notion that another large outbreak would not happen in their city. However, in 1887 a man named Charlie Turk was the first known person in Tampa to die of Yellow Fever. He was a suspected fruit smuggler, who also managed a barbershop. His family believed that he had contracted the illness from a blanket that had belonged to an Italian fruit dealer named Pepe. While Turk’s illness was still running its course, another man fell ill with Yellow Fever. This man was also an Italian fruit dealer. Altogether, six Italian fruit dealers contracted Yellow Fever, along with a couple of their customers. These fruit dealers traded with citizens from Cuba. The cargoes of fruit from Cuba most likely were the carriers of the infected Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes. When the Cubans traded with the Italians, the infected mosquito was able to bite the Tampan man, which led to the subsequent epidemic. Turk died in late September; however physicians were hesitant to call it Yellow Fever. It was not until October 4th that the official declaration was made. This news incited panic in people which caused many to flee Tampa. Since a person who is infected with the illness does not immediately know they are sick, it was very easy for the illness to spread to other cities in Florida. While some people did flee the city, many others decided that it would be better to stay put. From the remaining Tampans, many of them kept diary entries of their experiences with Yellow Fever. In the diary of E.E. and E.B. Johnson, one can read about a man who loses his father to the disease coupled with the writer himself contracting the dreaded disease. Altogether, in the year 1887 it is estimated by Dr. John P. Wall that there were about 1000 cases of Yellow Fever in Tampa with about 100 deaths, however it is now thought that this number could be grossly underestimated.” (USF Libraries. “1887 Epidemic in Tampa.” 500 Years of Discovering Florida.)
Wall: “On the 21st day of May, 1887, the Board of Health of Key West officially announced to the country the presence of a suspected case of yellow fever in that city. Considerable excitement on the inland and at various points in south and east Florida was the immediate result. A few other cases rapidly following the first, by the 4th of June a wild panic was developed in Jacksonville which came down the line of railway from that city to Tampa with telegraphic rapidity. County and municipal quarantines were established with from fifteen to twenty days’ detention against Key West and all other points not quarantining against Key West. To Jacksonville belongs the doubtful honor of taking the lead in this quarantining business, which constrained all the other county and municipal authorities south of her to take similar action. As a result Tampa put on a prohibitory quarantine against persons, baggage, and freight, except tobacco and the United States mails from Key West and Havana. A senseless panic prevailed throughout south and east Florida, causing many people to leave their homes and seek safety in other States. Travel and transportation were seriously impeded and business interests greatly suffered on account of these local quarantines. It soon became obvious that the evils resulting from these local quarantines, incited by terror rather than the immediate presence of any real danger, were too great to be endured if it were possible to find a remedy. To this end a number of boards of health of some of the counties of south and east Florida held a convention of their representatives in Jacksonville in the latter part of June and organized the “Florida Health Protective Association,” which was to take charge of the coast quarantine and let the interior counties do away with their local quarantines….” [p. 60]
“…the fact is established beyond question or doubt that the first cases of the fever appeared in Tampa among fruit dealers and their intimates [they went to Cuba for the fruit where yellow fever existed]….it seems that cases of the fever occurred almost simultaneously about the middle of September in fruit dealers in both Ybor [Cuban quarter near “Tampa proper”] and the old town of Tampa. The first victim was an American named Turk, who died on the 22d of September. He was a fruit dealer at Ybor….” [p. 61]
“On the 26th of September I saw two cases of fever which were being treated for bilious remittent [fever]; on the 27th two more cases of fever, and on the 28th a third case. All of these cases were suspicious; but as it is a very serious thing to announce the presence of yellow fever, it was deemed prudent to await further developments. On the 2d of October two other cases presented themselves, but it was still deemed prudent to wait until I was positive. On the 3d the patient that I had seen on the 27th died with convulsions late in the afternoon….I was no longer in doubt as to the presence of yellow fever in Tampa, and on that night, the 4th of October, called the board of health together, and told them that yellow fever was in Tampa. My announcement was received, if not with incredulity, with many objections, on the part of the other members, on the ground that the city was very healthy, hardly anybody was sick, and that very few deaths had occurred, certainly not as many as might be expected in so large a population. The other members of the board (besides myself) present were not physicians, so that I felt that the whole responsibility devolved on me. The fever was not yet epidemic, and I knew that if the news should be put on the wires all opportunity for a great many people to get out would be cut off. I felt that it was my duty to depopulate the place by announcing the presence of the fever and urging the people to leave. To do this, and prevent the news being wired ahead of the fleeing refugees, I prevailed on the operator at the telegraph office to refuse to wire any message conveying the news of the presence of yellow fever. I telegraphed, however, for Dr. King Wylly, the president of the Florida Health Protective Association, who came promptly.
“After taking these precautions in the early morning of the 5th, I then gave out to the people in Tampa the unpleasant fact that yellow fever was here and advised them to get out….None of the local physicians agreed with me, but claimed the disease to be dengue fever….
“The fever continued to increase, and by the last of October had reached its culminating point. All of the local physicians except myself got sick, so that I asked for medical assistance…After the arrival of Dr. Porter, Surgeon-General Hamilton put him in charge of Government relief measures, which the governor had applied for. A Government hospital was erected, and soon filled with sick, mostly single men, who had no family connections to take care of them. By the end of November the disease had so far wanted as to justify the closing of the Government hospital and the withdrawal of the relief measures. The local physicians having recovered from the fever, the visiting physicians returned to their homes….” [pp. 63-64]
(Hall, John P., M.D., president, Hillsborough County Board of Health. “The Yellow Fever in Tampa, Plant City, Manatee, and Palmetto,” in Annual Report Supervising Surgeon General, U.S. Marine-Hospital Service, 1889.)
Newspapers
May 21, Key West: “Key West, Fla., May 21. – The Board of Health to-day officially announced the appearance of a case of yellow fever. The patient, who is a carpenter and has been keeping a restaurant here for a month past, has ben here since last December. He has been visited by experts, all of whom pronounce the case undoubtedly one of yellow fever. The patient was first taken sick on Wednesday, and, to-day being the third day, all the symptoms of the disease were fully developed. The city is full of strangers and an early exodus is expected.” (New York Times. “A Case of Yellow Fever.” 5-22-1887, p. 5.)
May 23, Key West: “Jacksonville, Fla., May 23. – The health authorities of this city were informed recently of the appearance of what was thought to be a sporadic case of yellow fever at Key West. The information is confirmed, and it is reported that two more persons have been taken with the disease. The first case was that of a man named Baker, who died to-day, and the other two persons are his wife and sister. Baker lived on the Florida mainland, but had been visiting in Key West. None of the persons attacked had been out of the State recently enough to have brought the seeds of the disease from abroad. Every possible precaution is being taken at Key West, and the authorities at Tampa, the nearest connecting point by sea, have established a strict quarantine. No danger is apprehended here.” (New York Times. “Yellow Fever at Key West.” 5-24-1887, p.1.)
May 24, Key West: “Washington, May 24. – Surgeon-General Hamilton, of the Marine Hospital Service, said to-day that he has received official notice of the existence of yellow fever at Key West, but that the situation is not sufficiently grave to call for action on the part of the Government. The health authorities at Key West, he said, are first-class men and have taken every precaution to prevent a spread of the disease. He thought the disease could be confined within its present limits and that there was as yet no cause for alarm.” (New York Times. “The Yellow Fever at Key West.” 5-25-1887, p. 5.)
May 29, Key West: “Key West. Fla., May 29. – Another death from yellow fever occurred this morning, but no new cases developed to-day. In anticipation of the spread of yellow fever, which is considered of a most malignant type, resembling that of the epidemic of 1868, the Board of Health has made application for the use of the hospital building at the United States Barracks. This building is situated in the outskirts of the town, provided with ample grounds, and has every convenience, and is more suitable than the small building in the heart of the town now temporarily in use.” (New York Times. “The Yellow Fever in Key West.” 5-30-2019, p. 1.)
June 1, Key West: “Key West, Fla., June 1. – Five new cases of yellow fever are reported to-day and the truth has now dawned upon us that we are in the first stages of an epidemic, the like of which we have not had for many years, but of which there is no hope of prevention till the disease has exhausted itself upon the thousands of unacclimated inhabitants of this unhappy island. The Board of Health are efficient and have made all arrangements, with Government aid, to avert the scourge at the worst. The doctors are plenty and competent yellow fever nurses are ready for the work.” (New York Times. “Yellow Fever at Key West.” 6-2-1887, p. 1.)
June 4, Key West: “KEY WEST, Fla., June 4.—Two new cases of yellow fever have occurred since yesterday, but no more deaths. The total number of cases to date is 15; convalescent, 3; now sick, 8; deaths, 4. A great number of strangers left in the steamer to-day for New-York, thus reducing the danger. There is no fear for our own people. The city authorities urge all unacclimated people to leave. Many mechanics flocked here after the great fire and have not saved enough to get away with….” (New York Times. “Flying from Yellow Fever.” 6-5-1887, p. 5.)
June 10, Key West: “Key West, Fla., June 10. – One new case of yellow fever has appeared since yesterday. One patient has been discharged from the hospital, the first since its establishment.” (New York Times. “Yellow Fever Under Control.” 6-11-1887, p. 1.)
June 13, Key West and Tampa: “June 13 – Yellow fever reported at Key West and Tampa, Fla.” (Evening Gazette, Cedar Rapids, IA. “One Year’s History….Deadly Diseases.” 12-31-1887, p. 6.)
June 16, Key West: “Key West, Fla., June 16…. There were three new cases reported to-day, but no deaths. These make 30 cases in all to date.” (New York Times. “The Yellow Fever at Key West.” 6-17-1887, p. 1.)
June 18, Key West: “Key West, Fla., June 18. – One new case of yellow fever has developed since yesterday, the victim being an unacclimated tailor. No other change in the fever status has occurred within the 24 hours.” (NYT, “One Victim of Yellow Fever.” 6-19-1887, p. 1.)
June 19, Key West: “Key West, Fla., June 19. – No new cases of yellow fever have appeared in the city since yesterday, but three sailors sick with the disease on board the British bark Brothers and Sisters have been removed to the hospital. There have been two deaths at the hospital since yesterday – Ed Dietrich and Fred Wornan. The record up to date stands as follows: Cases, 34; deaths, 13; discharged cured, 7; remaining sick, 14.” (New York Times. “The Yellow Fever at Key West.” 6-20-1887, p. 1.)
June 22, Key West: “Key West, Fla., June 22. – The Board of Health has taken up two new cases on its bulletin to-day, one of whom is a colored man who has been sick 12 days in a private house.”
(New York Times. “New Yellow Fever Cases.” 6-23-1887, p. 1.)
June 26, Key West: “KEY WEST, Fla., June 26.—There have been four new cases of fever since yesterday, but no deaths. The record now stands: Total cases to date, 42; total deaths, 18; sick now, 14; discharged cured, 10.” (New York Times. “Yellow Fever at Key West.” 6-27-1887, p. 1.)
June 27, Key West: “KEY WEST, Fla., June 27.—There has been one new case of fever since yesterday and one death. Mr. Harold, of Baltimore, died at the hospital.” (New York Times. “The Yellow Fever at Key West.” 6-20-1887, p. 1.)
June 30, Key West: “KEY WEST, Fla., June 30.—There have been three new cases of fever since yesterday, but no deaths.” (New York Times. “The Yellow Fever in Key West.” 7-1-1887, p. 5.)
July 2, Key West: “KEY WEST, Fla., July 2.—Four new cases of yellow fever have appeared since yesterday and one death from the disease.” (NY Times. “The Yellow Fever,” 7-3-1887, p. 3.)
July 3, Key West: “KEY WEST, Fla., July 3.—There have been five new cases of fever since yesterday, but no deaths. The record stands now: Total cases to date, 63; deaths, 20; discharged cured, 12; now sick, 30.” (New York Times. “Yellow Fever at Key West.” 7-4-1887, p. 1.)
July 6, Key West: “KEY WEST, Fla., July 6.—There have been five new cases of yellow fever since yesterday, but no deaths.” (New York Times. “The Yellow Fever at Key West.” 7-7-1887, 1.)
July 7, Key West: “KEY WEST, Fla., July 7.—There have been three new cases of yellow fever since yesterday, and one death.” (New York Times. “The Yellow Fever,” 7-8-1887, p. 5.)
July 9, Key West: “KEY WEST, Fla., July 9.—Two new cases of yellow fever have developed since yesterday, but no deaths have occurred.” (NYT. “The Yellow Fever Scourge.” 7-10-1887, 1.)
July 10, Key West: “KEY WEST, Fla., July 10.—There have been five new cases of fever since yesterday and two deaths. The record now stands: Total cases. 83; deaths, 27; sick at present 33; discharged cured, 23.” (New York Times. “The Yellow Fever in Key West.” 7-11-1887, p. 5.)
July 12, Key West: “KEY WEST, Fla., July 12.—There have been five new cases of fever since yesterday and one death. The schooner Minnie took eight unacclimated people to-day to the Government Quarantine Camp at Egmont Key.” (NYT. “Yellow Fever…Key West.” 7-13-1887, 2.)
July 15, Key West: “KEY WEST, Fla., July 15.—There have been seven new cases of fever since yesterday and no deaths. Nearly all the 27 new cases reported during the last three days have been children who are passing through an acclimating sickness without fatal results, and should not fairly be reported in a record of the epidemic without explanation.” (New York Times. “The Yellow Fever,” 7-16-1887, p. 1.)
July 19, Key West: “KEY WEST, Fla., July 19.—Three new cases of yellow fever have appeared since yesterday, and one death has occurred.” (NYT. “The Yellow Fever Record,” 7-20-1887, p.1.)
July 23, Key West: “KEY WEST, Fla., July 23.—Five new cases of yellow fever have developed since yesterday, and one death has occurred, the infant son of C. B. Pendleton. This child was sick only six hours, and his death is the first and only one among children. There are strong reasons for saying that this, like many others, was not yellow fever, although so reported.” (New York Times. “The Yellow Fever Scourge.” 7-24-1887, p. 2.)
July 26, Key West: “KEY WEST, Fla., July 26.—One new case of yellow fever developed to-day. No deaths occurred. The fever now exists only in the imagination of the members of the Board of Health, who seem to be determined to report every case of sickness as yellow fever with the apparent object of swelling the record and decreasing the percentage of deaths.” (New York Times. “Yellow Fever Decreasing.” 7-27-1887, p. 5.)
July 27, Key West: “KEY WEST, Fla., July 27.—Two new cases of yellow fever have developed since yesterday. No deaths have occurred.” (New York Times. “The Yellow Fever.” 7-28-1887, 2)
July 28, Key West and Egmont Key: “TAMPA, Fla., July 28.—Since the establishment of the refuge camp at Egmont Key by aides of the Surgeon-General of the Marino Hospital Service, the yellow fever has broken out at that point, and three deaths hate already occurred, one of them a Chinaman. Information from Key West is to the effect that owing to the excessive heat at that point 11 new cases were developed within the last 24 hours. Two deaths occurred today.” (New York Times. “Yellow Fever in Florida.” 7-29-1887, p. 1.)
July 31, Key West: “KEY WEST, Fla., July 31.—There have been four new cases since yesterday and no deaths. The record stands now: Total cases to date, 191; total deaths, 43; total discharged cured, 90; now sick, 58.” (New York Times. “The Yellow Fever Record.” 8-1-1887, p. 1.)
Aug 3, Key West: “KEY WEST, Fla., Aug. 3.—Four new cases of yellow fever have been reported by the Board of Health since yesterday and one death, that of an infant son of Mrs. McCook.” (New York Times. “The Yellow Fever.” 8-4-1887, p. 5.)
Aug 4, Key West: “Key West, Fla., Aug. 4.—Two new cases of yellow fever have been reported by the Board of Health since yesterday, but no deaths.” (NYT. “Yellow Fever.” 8-5-1887, p. 3.)
Aug 6, Egmont Key: “WASHINGTON, Aug. 6.—The Marine Hospital Bureau is informed that another case of yellow fever has been discovered at the refuge station, at Egmont Key, Fla.” (NYT. “More Cases of Yellow Fever.” 8-7-1887, p. 2.)
Aug 7, Key West: “KEY WEST, Fla., Aug. 7.—Six new cases of fever have been reported by the Board of Health since yesterday, and one death. The record stands: Total cases to date, 221; total deaths, 45; total cured, 43; still sick, 73.” (NYT. “The Yellow Fever Record.” 8-8-1887, p. 1.)
Aug 8, Key West: “KEY WEST, Fla., Aug. 8.—Nine new cases of fever have been reported by the Board of Health since yesterday. There have been no deaths. The last 150 cases have been nearly all children, with less than 2 per cent. of mortality, and unless this is understood the bulletins of the Board of Health convey a wrong impression.” (NYT. “Yellow Fever Scourge.” 8-9-1887, 2.)
Aug 9, Key West: “KEY WEST, Fla., Aug. 9.—The Board of Health reports one case of fever since yesterday. This was an infant 2 years old, and recovered almost before the board could catch his name. There have been no deaths.” (NYT. “The Yellow Fever,” 8-10-1887, p. 3.)
Aug 15, Key West: “KEY WEST, Fla., Aug. 15.—Two new cases of fever were reported by the Board of Health to-day and three deaths, one an adult and two Cuban children.” (New York Times. “The Yellow Fever.” 8-16-1887, p. 1.)
Aug 18, Key West: “KEY WEST, Fla., Aug. 18.—Two new cases of yellow fever have been reported by the Board of Health since yesterday, and one death—an infant.” (NYT. “The Yellow Fever Record.” 8-19-1887, p. 3.)
Aug 28, Key West: “KEY WEST, Fla., Aug. 28.–The record of yellow fever cases up to date, according to the reports of the Board of Health, is as follows: New cases. 1; deaths, 60; discharged cured, 171; still sick, 39.” (New York Times. “The Yellow Fever Record.” 8-29-1887, p. 1.)
Aug 31, Key West: “Key West, Fla., Aug. 31. – The Board of Health reports two new cases of yellow fever to-day.” (New York Times. “Yellow Fever at Key West.” 9-1-1887, p. 1.)
Oct 7, Tampa: “KEY WEST, Fla., Oct. 7.—Passengers by steamer to-night from Tampa confirm the reports already received of the appearance and spread of yellow fever at that place. Details show that the situation is grave and has not been exaggerated. Up to the steamer’s departure last night over 30 cases had broken out and four deaths had occurred. A physician en-route here from St. Louis, who was detained at Tampa several days, says the wildest excitement prevails, and a perfect panic has seized the inhabitants. The fever appears to have supplanted reason, no one seemingly knowing what treatment to adopt, and everybody, even physicians, seeking safety in flight. Log before the disease was officially pronounced yellow fever a hurried exodus occurred. The city is now virtually being deserted. Every train leaving is loaded with human freight, white and black, while carriages, wagons, boats, and every other means of conveyance are brought into requisition for transporting passengers to adjoining towns, while many are camping out in the woods. Stores, hotels, and all other places of business are closed, the proprietors having fled from the city. The panic was so great that in many instances thousands of dollars worth of property was left unprotected, and special police had to be sworn in to prevent depredations.
“A visit to several of those attacked with the disease showed it to be typical yellow jack of the most virulent character, the worst feature being that no efforts were made to prevents its spread, either by isolating patients or fumigating the premises. Mattresses and bedding of every description, covered with black vomit, were exposed in the streets.
“Should the scourge continue at Tampa strict quarantine will be established, which will necessitate a change in the transportation of the West India mail. Some point below Tampa, probably Punta Gordo, will be selected to connect with the steamers.” (NYT. “A Panic in Tampa.” 10-8-1887, p.1.)
Oct 10, Tampa: “New-Orleans, La., Oct. 10. – A dispatch from a committee of citizens of Tampa was received to-day by Dr. Holt, President of the Board of Health, asking that he send immediately an authorized representative to investigate the fever there. Dr. Holt replied that the authoritative diagnosis made by D. J. P. Will [Wall] that the disease was yellow fever precludes compliance with the request. This is in conflict with Dr. Holt’s course at Biloxi, Miss., a year ago, where, after the local physicians had pronounced the sickness there not yellow fever, he went over with his medical staff and, declaring the disease yellow fever, placed the town under rigid quarantine. A death by hemorrhagic malarial or Creole yellow fever was reported at Pointe Couple, in this State, last week.” (New York Times. “The Yellow Fever at Tampa.” 10-11-1887, p. 1.)
Oct 30, Tampa: JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Oct. 30.—Eleven new cases of yellow fever and one death are reported from Tampa to-day. The weather is cooler and the outlook more favorable.” (New York Times. “The Yellow Fever in Tampa.” 10-31-1887, p. 1.)
Oct 31, Tampa: “WASHINGTON, Oct. 31.—The official records, of the Marine Hospital Bureau show the continued existence of yellow fever at Tampa, Fla., but nowhere else in the state. Reports have been received that cases have appeared at different points in Pasco County. They are being investigated, but as yet have not been confirmed. Up to the 26th inst. There had been between 225 and 250 cases and 34 deaths from yellow fever at Tampa. The number of cases under treatment on that date was 80. During the 24 hours ended at 8 P.M. Oct. 28 there were 13 new cases, but no deaths. No information has been received from Tampa since Saturday morning….” (New York Times. “The Yellow Fever Scare.” 11-1-1887, p. 3.)
Nov 21, Tampa: “The people of Tampa, Fla., were on the 21st rejoicing over a cold snap which it was thought would completely stamp out the remaining yellow fever germs.” (Ackley Enterprise, IA. “Epitome of the Week.” 12-2-1887, p. 2.)
Nov 23, Tampa: “Two returned refugees and two children were attacked by yellow fever at Tampa, Fla., on the 23d. There was one death. Dr. Wall telegraphed warning refugees not to return until notified.” (Iola Register, KS. “The South.” 12-2-1887, p. 6.)
Nov 24, Tampa: “The doctors who announced some time ago that the epidemic of yellow fever at Tampa, Fla., was virtually at an end seem to have been too sanguine. There are now thirteen cases of the disease in the hospital there.” (Delphos Weekly Herald, OH. “The Southern States.” 11-24-1887, p. 1.)
Nov 24 Paper: “A committee of citizens from Jacksonville, Fla., has recommended that the resignation of a telegraph operator in that city be accepted, and that any pay due for services be withheld, because he told the female operator at Tallahassee that there were 850 cases of yellow fever in Jacksonville.” (Cedar Rapids Standard, IA. “Fact and Fancy.” 11-24-1887, p. 6.)
Nov 26, Tampa: “Refugees will not be permitted to return to Tampa, Fla., until yellow fever has entirely disappeared.” (The Sentinel, Le Mars, IA. “The News Briefly Told.” 12-2-1887, p. 4.)
Sources
Ackley Enterprise, IA. “Epitome of the Week.” 12-2-1887, p. 2. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=122736013&sterm=yellow+fever
Atlas Obsura. “Sanford, Florida. I-4 Dead Zone.” Accessed 12-14-2019 at: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/i-4-dead-zone
Augustin, George. History of Yellow Fever. New Orleans: Published for the Author by Search & Pfaff Ltd., 1909; General Books reprint, Memphis, TN, 2010. 1909 copy digitized at: http://archive.org/stream/historyofyellowf00auguuoft#page/n4/mode/1up
Barker, Eirlys. “‘A Sneaky, Cowardly Enemy’: Tampa’s Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1887-88.” Accessed 12-12-2019 at: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/e021/935173df335ce55211bd1ec2fd85dc2c6083.pdf
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Wall, John P. (President, Hillsborough County Board of Health, FL). “The Yellow Fever in Tampa, Plant City, Manatee, and Palmetto.” Pp. 60-76 in: Operations of the United States Marine-Hospital Service, 1889, in: Treasury Department, Marine-Hospital Service. Annual Report of the Supervising Surgeon-General of the Marine-Hospital Service of the United States for the Fiscal Year 1889. Washington: GPO, 1889. Accessed 12-12-2019 at: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nnc2.ark:/13960/t6vx12016&view=1up&seq=7
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[1] “The same kind of sickness, it appears, [this follows notation of several yellow fever deaths at Manatee] prevailed also more or less at Braidentown [sic] in October and November. From October till Christmas there were probably sixty or more cases, with some seven or eight deaths.”
[2] John Guiteras, Assistant Surgeon, U.S. Marine-Hospital Service, in U.S. Marine Hospital Service Annual Report 1889. Deaths at Camp Perry noted by Dr. C. Fagét, U.S. Marine-Hospital Service, District of the Gulf, “Treatment of Yellow Fever,” (p. 23) in U.S. Marine Hospital Service Annual Report 1889.
[3] Wall notes that the first death there was in consequence of the setting up in July of a refugee station at the Marine Hospital Bureau on Egmont Key at the mouth of Tampa Bay, where about thirty “unacclimated” persons from Key West were received. (Acclimated people were those who had been there for some time and supposedly had some resistance; new-comers seemed to come down with yellow fever at a more pronounced rate, effect and mortality.)
[4] June 13 beginning date is from the Cedar Rapids Evening Gazette, 12-31-1887.
[5] Notes that the death of a man named Baker was another death, thus there must have been one before Baker.
[6] “A little girl that went from Tampa to Manatee on the 4th of October, 1887, was taken sick a day or two after reaching Manatee. Other cases of sickness in the house where this girl had been sick soon followed, and in the course of a month there had been quite a number of cases in Manatee and several deaths.” For the purpose of contributing to a tally we translate “several” deaths into “approximately three.”
[7] Appears to be reference to St. Joseph’s Catholic Colony, developed by Henry Sanford, and settled by German immigrants. According to one account “A particularly devastating outbreak of Yellow Fever in 1887 sealed the fate of St Joseph’s, and the surviving settlers buried their dead in the woods and left the failed colony behind. The land changed hands several times, eventually becoming part of the city of Sanford.” (Atlas Obsura. “Sanford, Florida. I-4 Dead Zone.”)
[8] “Wall estimated that around one thousand cases and one hundred deaths occurred in Tampa and the immediate vicinity in 1887.”
[9] “The last fatality in the Relief Committee records occurred on January 11, 1888. In all, the committee recorded ninety-five deaths, but yellow fever had probably caused many other fatalities which were attributed to dengue in the first few weeks.”
[10] June 13 beginning date is from the Cedar Rapids Evening Gazette, 12-31-1887. The Dec 9 edition of the Shenango Valley News, Greenville, PA notes that from Florida papers “we learn that the yellow fever has disappeared at Tampa.” The original date of the announcement is not noted.
[11] Cites: George K. Strode, ed., Yellow Fever (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1951); Henry Rose Carter, Yellow Fever (Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins, 1931).
[12] Cites: John P. Wall, “The Yellow Fever in Tampa, Plant City, Manatee, and Palmetto,” U.S. Public Health Services Report of the Federal Security Agency (1889), 60.