1764 — Jan 20-30, “Nervous Pleuritic Disorder” (respiratory infection), Newport, RI– 14

–14  Duffy. Epidemics in Colonial America. 1979 edition, p. 199.

 

Narrative Information

 

Caulfield: “There was…an occasional localized outbreak of probable influenza such as the fairly severe one in Newport during January, 1764, which Ezra Stiles called ‘a nervous pleuratic disorder.’”  (“The Pursuit of a Pestilence.”)

 

Duffy: “In the latter part of January, 1764, Newport, Rhode Island was affected by some sort of respiratory infection that continued ‘from January 20 to 30 inclusive 1764…;’ during this period ’14 persons {died}, of which 6 were buried Feb/ry 1. A nervous pleuritic Disorder being epidemic.’[1] The account gives no indication of the exact nature of the infection nor of the case mortality, although the use of the adjective ‘nervous’ may point to influenza.” (Duffy. Epidemics in Colonial America. 1979 edition, p. 199.)

 

Sources

 

Caulfield, Ernest. “The Pursuit of a Pestilence.” Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society, April 1950, pp. 21-52. Accessed 1-17-2018 at: http://www.americanantiquarian.org/proceedings/44807204.pdf

 

Duffy, John. Epidemics in Colonial America. Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana State University Press, 1953, reprinted 1979.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1] Cites, in footnote 32, page 199: “Births and Deaths in Newport, R.I., 1760-1764,” LXIII (1909), p. 51.