1879 — mid June-Dec, Yellow Fever, Forest City, AR, Louisiana, MS, Memphis TN-682-786

1879 — mid June-Dec, Yellow Fever, Forest City, AR, Louisiana, MS, Memphis TN-682-786

–682-786 Blanchard tally based on numbers below.

Summary of State Breakouts Below

Arkansas ( 13-15) Oct 2-Nov 28
Louisiana ( 163) June-Dec 2
Mississippi ( 20)
Ohio ( 1)
Tennessee (485-587) July-Nov

Breakout of 1879 Yellow Fever Deaths by State and Locality

Arkansas ( 13-15) Oct 2-Nov 28
–15 Forest City Oct 2-Nov 28. Augustin. History of Yellow Fever, 1909, 448.
–13 “ by Oct 20 Gann. “Yellow Fever.” Encyclopedia of Ark. Hist.

Louisiana ( 163) June-Dec 2
–163 Statewide Blanchard tally from locality breakouts below.
–162 Statewide. Annual Report of the National Board of Health, 1879. 1879, p. 19.
–162 “ Carrigan. The Saffron Scourge. 1961. p. 186.
— 3 Ancoin house Annual Report of the National Board of Health, 1879. 1879, p. 19.
— 3 Arseneau Place Annual Report of the National Board of Health, 1879. 1879, p. 19.
— 18 Attakapas Canal An. Rpt…National Board of Health. 1879, 19; Augustin 1909, 475.
— 21 Bayou Boeuf Sep 5-Nov 10 Nat. Board…Health. 1879, 19; Augustin 1909, 475.
— 16 Berwick Sep 8-Dec 1. Nat. Board…Health. 1879, 19; Augustin 1909, 476.
— 1 Blanchard Place Nat. Board…Health. 1879, 19;
— 14 Centreville Sep 21-Dec 24 Nat. Board…Health. 1879, 19; Augustin 1909, 477.
— 9 Cypre-mort Oct 17-Nov 2 Nat. Board…Health. 1879, 19; Augustin 1909, 477.
— 1 Deslonde Place Sep 22 Nat. Board…Health. 1879, 19; Augustin 1909, 477.
— 2 Foley Place Oct 10 start Nat. Board…Health. 1879, 19; Augustin 1909, 478.
— 1 Franklin Augustin. History of Yellow Fever, 1909, 478.
— 5 French Settlement Nov 19-Dec Nat. Board…Health. 1879, 19; Augustin 1909, 478.
— 1 Frizaux Place Nat. Board…Health. 1879, 19.
— 9 La Fourche Crossing Nat. Board…Health. 1879, 19.
— 7 Lower Texas Place Nat. Board…Health. 1879, 19; Augustin 1909, 480.
— 3 Mary Plantation Oct 10-Dec Nat. Board…Health. 1879, 19; Augustin 1909, 481.
— 25 Morgan City July 25-Dec 4 Nat. Board…Health. 1879, 19; Augustin 1909, 481.
— 19 New Orleans June-Dec 2 Nat. Board…Health. 1879, 19; Augustin 1909, 491.
–19 “ Carrigan. The Saffron Scourge. 1961. p. 186.
–19 “ New Orleans Pub. Library. Yellow Fever Deaths….
— 5 Pharr Place Nov 10-Dec 2 Nat. Board…Health. 1879, 19; Augustin 1909, 501.

Mississippi ( 20)
–20 (out of 77 cases) Harden, et al. Mosquito News. March 1967, p. 60.

Ohio ( 1)
–1 Cincinnati (a refugee) NYT. “The Scourge in the West…Yellow Fever.” 9-17-1879.

Tennessee (485-587) July-Nov
–600 Memphis HistoricMemphis.com. “Yellow Fever…the Plague of Memphis.”
–587 Memphis Annual Report of the National Board of Health, 1879. 1879, p. 18.
–583 Memphis Watts. Epidemics and History: Disease, Power, Imperialism, p245.
–485 “ Sternberg 1908, p. 720; Thornton 1879, p. 120.
“ Month White deaths Black deaths Total
July 52 5 57
Aug 134 43 177
Sep 116 43 159
Oct 65 15 80
Nov 12 — 12
Total 379 106 485
Sampling of Memphis and vicinity deaths by date:
— 1 “(1st death) July 8 Thornton. “The Yellow Fever Epidemic in Memphis, 1879.” 112.
— 3 “ July 9 From six new cases reported to Board of Health.
— 3 “ July 26 Dubuque Herald, IA. “The Grim Spectre.” 7-27-1879, p. 1.
— 34 “ July 20-26 Stevens Point Daily Journal, WI. “The Fever Scourge,” 8-2-1879, 1
— 4 “ July 29 Decatur Daily Republican, IL. “Fever Items.” 7-30-1879, 2.
— 48 “ Aug 10-16 Iowa Liberal, Lemars, IA. 8-27-1879, p. 6.
— 7 “ Aug 16 Iowa Liberal, Lemars, IA. 8-27-1879, p. 6
— 4 “ Aug 19 Oshkosh Northwestern, WI. “Yellow Fever,” 8-19-1879.
— 9 “ Sep 16 NYT. “The Scourge in the West…Yellow Fever.” 9-17-1879.
— 1 “ Oct 15 Burlington Daily Hawk-Eye. “The Yellow Fever,” 10-17-1879, 1.

Illinois

“Cairo, July 29. – The Cairo quarantine as yet only prohibits the landing of steamers that touched at or near an infected port. The health of the city is good. Quarantine is being made more effective by the health officers and the president of the board of Health. To-day instructions were issued to the managers and conductors of all railroads, all owners and officers of steamboats arriving at and departing from the city of Louisville to allow no baggage to pass into or out of the city until the same shall have been inspected and disinfected. Persons leaving the city no matter in what direction they may go, they will be compelled to have their baggage checked by one of the quarantine officers before the same will be allowed to leave the depot at this point.” (Decatur Daily Republican, IL. “Fever Items.” 7-30-1879, 2.)

Louisiana

National Board of Health: “…the first case in New Orleans probably occurred about the middle of June. In immediate connection with these first cases was an outbreak at Mississippi City in the early part of July.” (Annual Report of the National Board of Health, 1879. 1879, p. 19.)

July 29: “New Orleans, July 29. — No new cases have been reported in the city today. The little child at 105 Bourbon street, which was brought here sick Sunday night from Morgan City, has the black vomit and will die. The Morgan City authorities sent the child and its parents to this city. The work of disinfecting the city is going on vigorously. In the Fourth District every place has been disinfected from the river to Camp street, and from Seventh to Jackson. Similar work is progressing rapidly in the First and Second District.” (Decatur Daily Republican, IL. “Fever Items.” 7-30-1879, 2.)

Missouri — St. Louis

“St. Louis, July 26. – Health Commissioner John H. Rouch, of Illinois, and C. W. Francis, of St. Louis, have been in consultation here to-day, trying to arrange for the disposition of Memphis refugees, it being the feeling of both that it will not be safe to let any more of these people scatter through the city or through Illinois towns in this vicinity. The proposition most favored since the government has refused o provide tents and rations for the camp, is to charter steamboats and maintain a floating quarantine for Memphians who come up the river after this date.

“Health Commissioner Travers reports that of the half dozen sick at quarantine, only one case is regarded as suspicious or likely to develop into yellow fever. The boats which brought up Memphis freight and passengers remain at quarantine, and the mayor refuses positively to allow them to come up to the city.” (Dubuque Herald, IA. “The Grim Spectre.” 7-27-1879, p. 1.)

Tennessee — Memphis

Thornton: “…The estimated population of Memphis at the commencement of the epidemic, according to the reports of Colonel Cameron, Superintendent of Camps, was 38,400. My estimate was that it was rather over 40,000 than under. There were in the several camps adjacent to the city, within five to ten miles, 24,800. According to his report the population was reduced by depopulation to 13,600, about two thirds of which were blacks…” Goes on to note 1,532 cases (853 white, 679 black). (Thornton. “Yellow Fever Epidemic in Memphis, 1879,” 119-120.)

U.S. Board of Health: “…the existence of yellow fever was announced at Memphis and New Orleans, in the early part of July…” (Annual Rpt. National Board of Health, 1879. 1879, p. 13)

“The first case of yellow fever reported to the board during the year and verified by postmortem was that of Thomas Mulbrandon in Memphis, who was taken sick July 6, had black vomit on the 7th, and died of convulsions on the 9th. Simultaneous with this, cases were reported in the Tobin and Ray family in widely different quarters of the city. Prior to this, however, according to information furnished by Dr. W. L. Coleman, one of the inspectors of the National Board of Health, who was immediately sent to Memphis for duty upon the report of the outbreak, a case of the fever had occurred in the latter part of May in the person of John Butler, aged 21 residing with the Doriac family in South Memphis. On the 20th of May, Butler assisted Mrs. Doriac to clean up a very dirty house near the corner of Fifth and Jackson streets. All the family, five in number, occupying this house during the previous year were sick with yellow fever and the head of the family died. The house had not been thoroughly cleansed until Butler and Mrs. Doriac removed the old carpets and straw left on the floor, cleared out the rubbish and dirt and took away the mattress upon which the previous occupant had died. On the 23d of May Butler was taken sick, and on the 26th he died with suppression of urine and black vomit. A few days after Butler’s death, Mrs. Doriac was taken with violent fever, which was thought to be bilious fever by the attending physician.

“One or two other doubtful cases occurred in the latter part of June, but the main outbreak was from the 4th to the 9th of July as above indicated, hi view of the simultaneous appearance of the disease in the several parts of the city during a period of high temperature, and also in view of the sanitary condition of the place, it was deemed most prudent to recommend the depopulation of the city. This was effected to a large extent during the month of July. The population of the city at the outbreak of the epidemic was estimated at 40,000. Hon. John Johnson, a member of the State board of health of Tennessee, resident in Memphis, estimates that there left by the river, 2,218; by railroads, 15,708; went to camps about the city, 2,254; went out by dirt roads and other ways, 2,500; total number, 22,080. There were remaining on the 29th of July, as per census taken, 46,119, to which he adds 10 per cent, for those omitted in the census. A system of inspections, transfer stations, and of disinfection of persons and baggage, was immediately inaugurated under the direction of the State board of health of Tennessee….” (Annual Report of the National Board of Health, 1879. 1879, pp. 17-18.)

“The experience of the summer in regard to yellow fever, and the possibility of restricting its spread has been instructive, and, to a very considerable extent, satisfactory. When the outbreak at Memphis was announced there was great uncertainty as to the possibility of confining the disease to that city without establishing total non-intercourse, and a panic at once occurred along the river and the lines of railroad connected with Memphis, leading to the establishment of local quarantines, which, to a great extent, prevented any communication with the infected city.” (Annual Report of the National Board of Health, 1879. 1879, p. 19.)

Watts: “In 1878 yellow fever raced up the Mississippi from New Orleans to Memphis and beyond, spreading through 200 towns in eight states and claiming a total of 20,000 lives [see 1878]. In Memphis….After autumn frosts put an end to the slaughter, 5,150 Memphians were known to have died of yellow fever….

“According to one report [not citied], in the course of this second epidemic [in 1879], 2,000 Memphians took sick and 583 died….” (Watts, Sheldon. Epidemics and History: Disease, Power and Imperialism. 1997, p. 245.)

Newspapers

July 26: “Memphis, July 26. — At a meeting of citizens held this morning, a committee of safety was appointed from whose members the following executive committee was chosen: D. F. Porter, president and ex-officio chairman, Dr. R. W. Mitchell, John Johnson, A. S. Livermore, W. W. Thacher, J. S. Prestige, W. E. Boggs and N. W. Speers. On motion of R. W. Mitchell it was resolved to take the census of the city as a basis to calculate the necessities and wants of those remaining. The petition from citizens of Wilbur Station, on the Paducah railroad, at which point it is proposed to erect the camp, protesting against the scheme was read and referred to the executive committee.

“One new case was reported to-day. Two deaths have occurred: Miss Lizzie Meath and Ed. Flahley…
Additional Cases.

“Memphis, July 26, — Thirteen cases in all were reported to the board of health today. One additional death occurred this afternoon, Joe Adams, at 73 Clay street.

“It was thought the board of health, this afternoon, would declare the fever epidemic, but after a careful revision of the reports from all the undertakers, the results showed that out of 71 deaths reported for the week, but 34 had died of yellow fever….” (Dubuque Herald, IA. “The Grim Spectre.” 7-27-1879, p. 1.)

July 26: “There were seventy-one deaths at Memphis, Tenn., for the week ending July 26, thirty-four being from yellow fever. The city is nearly deserted, camps having been established outside the limits.” (Stevens Point Daily Journal (WI). “The Fever Scourge,” August 2, 1879, p. 1.)

“The situation at Memphis hourly becomes more critical. New obstacles have arisen which threaten to thwart the scheme of the authorities to depopulate the city. The tents forwarded by the government have arrived, and a site for the establishment of a camp has been selected. The point chosen is seven miles due north, on the Paducah railroad. The issue at stake, however, is the means of transportation, the superintendent of the Paducah railroad having peremptorily refused to furnish cars. The people residing near the site are also so hostile to the movement that it is likely the track will be torn up to prevent the passage of trains. Then, again, the colored people are not in favor of the proposed camp scheme. They do not like the idea of being removed from the city.” (Stevens Point Daily Journal, WI. “A Grave Outlook,” 8-2-1879, p. 1.)

July 29: “Memphis, July 29. — …. Col. Cameron with his detail of colored soldiers took quiet possession of the grounds selected for the establishment of a camp, and by six o’clock this morning had 125 tents erected. The first train of refugees will leave this afternoon. The policy of the authorities to furnish rations only to those who are in camp will be strictly observed.

“All mail matter leaving this city is thoroughly disinfected under the personal supervision of the inspecting officer of the national board of health.” (Decatur Daily Republican, IL. “Fever Items.” 7-30-1879, 2.)

Aug 27: “Forty-six deaths from yellow fever occurred in Memphis during the week ending on the 16th. The new cases reported during the same time numbered 183–112 of which were colored. There were twenty-one new cases reported on the 16th (fourteen colored) and seven deaths (six whites). On the 17th the now cases numbered twenty-five (twelve white and thirteen colored), and four deaths (all white)…. Thirteen new cases were reported in Memphis on the 18th (seven white and six colored, and the deaths numbered seven (six white). A plan had been set on foot to isolate the densely-populated and fearfully-infected district lying in th e southern portion of the city.” (Iowa Liberal, Lemars, IA. 8-27-1879, p. 6.)

Washington, DC

“Discretionless Valor. Washington, July 26. – Surgeons Walter K. Schofield and Thomas Hiland, of the United States navy, have volunteered for the yellow fever service and will be sent to Havana or the West Indies to inspect vessels leaving for the United Sates.

“Will Not Grant Tents. Washington, July 26. – The secretary of war cannot grant St. Louis tents for yellow fever refugees.” (Dubuque Herald, IA. “The Grim Spectre.” 7-27-1879, p. 1.)

Sources

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

Burlington Daily Hawk-Eye, IA. “The Yellow Fever,” 10-17-1879, 1, co. 7. Accessed 5-11-2018 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/burlington-daily-hawkeye/1879-10-17

Carrigan, Jo Ann. The Saffron Scourge: A History of Yellow Fever in Louisiana, 1796-1905 (Doctoral Dissertation). Louisiana State University, LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses, 1961. Accessed 3-11-2018 at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1665&context=gradschool_disstheses

Decatur Daily Republican, IL. “Fever Items.” 7-30-1879, 2. Accessed 11-27-2012 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/decatur-daily-republican/1879-07-30

Dubuque Herald, IA. “The Grim Spectre.” 7-27-1879, p. 1. At: http://newspaperarchive.com

Gann, Josh. “Yellow Fever.” Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture. 3-1-2011 update. Accessed 5-11-2018 at: http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=3078

Harden, F. W., H. R. Hepburn and B. J. Ethridge. “A History of Mosquitoes and Mosquito-Borne Diseases in Mississippi 1699-1965, Mosquito News, Vol. 27, No. 1, March 1967, pp. 60-66. Accessed 5-8-2018 at: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/content/part/JAMCA/MN_V27_N1_P060-066.pdf

Iowa Liberal, Lemars, IA. August 27, 1879, p. 6. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=147813508

National Board of Health, United States. Annual Report of the National Board of Health, 1879. Washington, DC: GPO, 1879. Google preview accessed 4-15-2018 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=0SsgAQAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

New Orleans Public Library, Louisiana Division. Yellow Fever Deaths in New Orleans, 1817-1905. Accessed 3-7-2010 at: http://nutrias.org/facts/feverdeaths.htm

New York Times. “The Scourge in the West. Work of the Yellow Fever.” 9-17-1879. Accessed 5-11-2018 at: https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1879/09/17/80696468.pdf

Oshkosh Daily Northwestern, WI. “Yellow Fever” [Memphis], Aug 19, 1879, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=6704911

Quinn, Rev. D. A. Heroes and Heroines of Memphis, or Reminiscences of the Yellow Fever Epidemics that Afflicted the City of Memphis During th Autumn Months of 1873, 1878, and 1879… Providence, RI: E. L. Freeman & Son, State Printers, 1887. Google digitized at: http://books.google.com/books?id=Xu80AQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Sternberg, George M. (US Public Health Service, US Marine Hospital Service). “Yellow Fever: History and Geographic Distribution.” Pages 715-722 in Stedman, Thomas L., M.D. (Ed.) Appendix to the Reference Handbook of the Medical Sciences. NY: William Wood & Co., 1908. Google preview accessed 3-18-2018 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=3ezqX415M5wC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_atb#v=onepage&q&f=false

Stevens Point Daily Journal, WI. “The Fever Scourge,” August 2, 1879, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=7396255

Thornton, G. B., MD. “The Yellow Fever Epidemic in Memphis, 1879.” Boston Medical and Surgical Journal, Vol. CI, No. 23, pp. 787-797, 12-4-1879. Paper read at the Seventh Annual Meeting, November 20, 1879. Accessed 5-11-2018 at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2272172/pdf/pubhealthpap00024-0167.pdf

Watts, Sheldon. Epidemics and History: Disease, Power and Imperialism. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1997.