Report upon yellow fever in Louisiana in 1878 and subsequently / by S.M. Bemiss.

  • Bemiss, S. M. (Samuel Merrifield), 1821-1884.
Date:
1883
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report upon yellow fever in Louisiana in 1878 and subsequently / by S.M. Bemiss. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    formed a camp near the river above the city. Dr. S. L. Henry gives the following description of them : They were not camped in the strict sense of the word, a*s with few exceptions they occupied vacant dwellings along the Mississippi river, to the extent of about four miles, and some distance back on the Metairie ridge, which is about one mile from the river, with a low, boggy swamp intervening. The houses were crowded, often to overflow- ing, until the disease attacked some of them ; then they scattered and sought new places of abode, in some in- stances abandoning the sick to death. Everything considered, the mortality among them was not great, being about 15 per cent. They exercised no discretion in diet, eating all kinds of green fruit in all stages of the disease. They seldom died but from impru- dence. Their therapeutical armamentarium was confined to oleum ricini and orange leaf decoction ad Ilhltmn. In a few instances they camped under some of the live oaks on Metairie ridge for a short time while the weather was dry. Those in houses had no bedsteads, sleeping on the floor. With few exceptions, they aired their bedding daily, when the weather was suitable, and seldom remained in doors when they were able to be about. The disease attacked those of middle age mostly, next the young, seldom the old. The fatality was^ greatest among the first named class, not because of the disease alone, but because of their uncontrollable dispositions. According to the best information I can obtain, from one-third to one-fourth of their number suffered attacks of 3'ellow fever. I do not consider it proper to enter at this point upon any discussion of the different theories held respecting the indigenous, or imported origin of the epidemic of 1878- Relying upon the facts, herein stated, the various mem- bers of the commission joined me in the opinion that the in- fection was iriiported through passengers, or parties arriv- ing in New Orleans in vessels, saihng from foreign infected ports. Touching the spread of the disease after its introduction ; personal intercourse, and occupancy of contiguous localities were the only strongly marked factors.