1810-11 — “Canker Rash” (Diphtheria or Scarlet Fever), children, Winchendon, MA– 59

–59 Marvin. History of the Town of Winchendon. 1868, p. 360.
–45 children. May 29-Dec 30, 1810.
–14 children. Feb 17-Dec 10, 1811.
–54 Hyde. History of the Town of Winchendon. 1849, p. 60.

Narrative Information

Hyde: “Seasons of great Mortality, Sudden Deaths, &c…. In 1810, the canker-rash prevailed here: the whole number of deaths that year, was 54; 45 of which were of children.” (Hyde. History of the Town of Winchendon. 1849, p. 60.)

Marvin: “In 1810-11, there was a fearful malady among the children. From May 29, 1810, to December 30, forty-five children fell victims, nearly all of whom died of the same disease. In the Church records kept by Mr. Pillsbury, ‘Quinsy,’ or ‘Canker,’ is written against their names. It is thought by aged persons, who remember this sickness, that it was the same form as that now known by the name of ‘diptheria [sic].’ Between February 17, 1811, and December 10, of the same year, fourteen children died, mostly of the same complaint, making fifty-nine deaths of children in about twenty months. Some families lost all their children. In August, 1810, seven died; in September, twelve; in October, fourteen. The sickness prevailed in different parts of the town, but raged with special virulence in the south part, extending from Capt. Whitcomb’s, on the south-east, to Mr. Thos. Wyman’s on the west, nearly four miles. The former lost two, and the latter four children. Capt. Stoddard lost three; Mr. Gideon Balcom, three; Mr. James McElwain, three. The seventh district lost more than half of the children within its limits. In other districts, Lieut. Isaac Morse lost two; Mr. Hapgood, four; Mr. Seth Tucker, Sen., two, and Mr. Jacob Hale, two. There has been no year since when so many children have died, although the population has been more than doubled. Nor has there been a year when so large a proportion of persons of all ages have died; not even during the late war. Indeed there has been no prevailing sickness since, unless perhaps in one year. In 1849 there were eight cases of death by scarlet fever….” (Marvin. History of the Town of Winchendon. 1868, p. 360.)

Sources

Hyde, Ezra. History of the Town of Winchendon, from the Grant of the Township by the Legislature of Massachusetts in 1735, to the Present Time. Worcester: Henry J. Howland, 1849. Google preview accessed 2-1-2018 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=-WJZAAAAcAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Marvin, Abijah Perkins (Rev.). History of the Town of Winchendon (Worcester County, Mass.,) From the Grant of Ipswich Canada in 1735, to the Present Time. Winchendon: By author, 1868. Google preview accessed 2-27-2018 at: https://books.google.com/books?id=v2CuIDaPtaIC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false