–26 Wardsborough (Wardsboro), Windham County. Blanchard tally based on breakouts below.

–23 Gallup. Sketches of Epidemic Diseases in the State of Vermont. 1815, p. 79.

— 3 End of May (one family). Allen. “Memoir of an Epidemic Fever…at Wardsborough…” 1815.

— 7 June, from among first 200 cases treated by Dr’s Allen and Wheeler. Gallup, 1815, p. 78.

— 6 Under “unfavourable circumstances;” apparently not under care or untreatable. Gallup, 78-79.

–10 Under the “treatment of a noted quack.” Gallup, 1815, p. 79.

Narrative Information

Allen: “In the winter and spring preceding the epidemic, the diseases of this place were similar to those which occasionally occurred, at the time, in other parts of the country. They varied little or none from the disorders of 1812-13….

“Typhus mitior[1] appeared in several instances. None proved fatal. Several cases put on very alarming symptoms. Hemorrhages were common. Blood was discharged by the mouth, nose, and per anum et uterum….

“The bloom of May was marked by a change of diseases. Typhus gravior[2] in a few instances appeared. Three cases terminated fatally in one house….

“At the termination of the two last cases, which happened within a few hours of each other, the weather was unusually humid and warm. The corpses suddenly run into the putrefactive process, and most unfortunately as it was, they were not deposited in sufficiently close coffins. The effluvium evolved from the diseased was very offensive to the people who attended the funeral ceremonies. Here were sown the first seeds of the epidemic. Nearly all those who were exposed to those septic gases had an attack of the disease; and from the sick it was communicated to their attendants throughout the season, except instances in which much caution was used. The interim of time from exposure to an attack, was from ten to twenty-one days. In some instances the attack was sudden; in others, the person would be lingering a number of days.

“The disorder commenced with a stiffness and pain in the nape of the neck, severe pain in the head, especially over the orbits; pains wandering and acute in different parts of the body, resembling rheumatism or membranous inflammation; chills, rigours, anxiety, cold, and hot paroxysms quickly alternating; numbness and coldness of the extremities; the palpebrae[3] swollen and tunica adnata of the eyes suffused with tears; a wild, vacant stare with the eyes, and the head always preternaturally hot; the pulse somewhat increased in frequency, and generally soft and small in the extremities….The tongue was commonly covered with a yellowish coat, except in some cases, of a very disagreeable nature, in which last it was smooth, red, and dry. In these cases hemorrhages were to be expected.

“There was always nausea at the stomach, and very disagreeable bitter taste in the mouth….The breath was very offensive and hot, though in the first stages of the disease, there was seldom apparently any disease in the chest. The skin communicated to the hand a burning sensation, essentially different from common inflammation.

“In almost every instance, the functions of the animal organs were deranged. This was characterized by impaired sensation and volition. In some instances perception from external impulses was almost obliterated; in others, the most exquisite sensibility prevailed, and occasionally these extremes would alternate. Delirium and stupor were common symptoms; either denoted a high degree of diseased excitement, but did not always portend death….

“As the summer season advanced, bilious symptoms became more predominant. The typhoid nature of the complaint increased. A sinking diarrhoea more generally ushered in the disease, which continued more or less troublesome during the disorder. The skin assumed a more sallow hue; but yet the disease retained the distinctive characteristics of the epidemic at its commencement….” (pp. 228-231.)

Gallup: “By the politeness of Dr. Jonathan A Allen, I am favoured with an account of the severe sickness in Wardsborough, in Windham county. This town is situated about twenty miles west of Connecticut river, and east of the high lands….Many springs of pure water; no swamps or meadows of any size; no stagnant waters; land moist and a dark loam soil….” (p. 77.) [next several paragraphs are similar to Dr. Allen’s narrative above.]

“The number of those who have had regular fevers, after the first of June, was about two hundred, and about as many more had the disease arrested by bleeding, emetics, cathartics, &c. The account is dated Sept. 27^th. It appears, the disease had not left the place at the time of writing. Our correspondent was confined eight weeks himself by the disease, and part of the statement was furnished by Dr. Wheeler, his partner in business. The treatment seemed to consist of a mixed kind, varying according to the circumstances of the case. Of the two hundred cases submitted to these gentlemen’s directions, seven died. Six others also died under unfavorable circumstances; one, for instance, bled to death at the nose; one was unmanageable; one died of cynanche maligna;[4] one not seen by any physician; two under adverse circumstances.

“Also ten others died under the treatment of a noted quack, who used hot rooms, copious sweating, rum, ether, &c. But a very few recovered by this method. The whole number of deaths was twenty-three….” (Gallup. .Sketches of Epidemic Diseases in the State of Vermont; From its First Settlement to the year 1815… 1815, pp. 77-79.)

Blanchard note: According to the 1800 U.S. Census the population of the North District of Wardsboro was 868. That of the South District was 612. The total comes to 1,481.

Sources

Allen, Jonathan A. M.D. “Memoir of an Epidemic Fever which prevailed at Wardsborough, Vermont, and its vicinity, during the summer and autumn of 1814, together with some Observations relating to its Remote Causes and Mode of Treatment.” New-England Journal of Medicine and Surgery (Boston: Bradford and Read), Vol. IV, No. 5, July 1815, pp. 228-234. Google preview accessed 2-18-2018 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=8jskj3DgeEUC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Gallup, Joseph A., M.D. Sketches of Epidemic Diseases in the State of Vermont; From its First Settlement to the year 1815, with a Consideration of their Causes, Phenomena, and Treatment. Boston: T. B. Wait & Sons, 1815. Accessed 2-7-2018 at: https://collections.nlm.nih.gov/bookviewer?PID=nlm:nlmuid-2555005R-bk

United States Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce and Labor. (Second Census, 1800). Return of the Whole Number of Persons within the Several Districts of the United States. “Schedule of the whole number of Persons in the District of Vermont.” Washington, DC: Printed by order of the House of Representatives. Accessed 2-12-2018 at: https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1800-return-whole-number-of-persons.pdf

[1] “A mild or abortive typhus.” Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary. 2012.

[2] “Epidemic Typhus. A severe species of typhus {Hooper 1822.}” English Glossary of Causes of Death and other Archaic Medical Terms.

[3] “Elevating muscle of upper eyelid. Wikipedia. “Levator palpebrae superioris muscle.” 2-11-2018 edit.

[4] Fatal sore throat. (“English Glossary of Causes of Death and other Archaic Medical Terms.” Antiquusmorbus.com)

1814 — Summer-Fall, Epidemic Fever (referred to as Typhus), Wardsborough, VT –23-26