FULTON COUNTY, GA - HISTORY - Cholera Epidemic of 1873 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Deb Haines marshallcoms@earthlink.net Table of Contents page: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/crawford.htm Georgia Table of Contents: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm Cholera Epidemic of 1873 in the United States Washington Government Printing Office 1875 by John M. Woodworth, M.D. submitted to Congress. Dates of Cases Atlanta, Fulton County July 2 Dalton, Whitfield County, July 3 During the epidemic of 1873, in the United States, but two authenticated cases of cholera occurred within the limits of the State of Georgia, so fare as can be ascertained. In both instances the subjects were residents of, and refugees from the city of Chattanooga, Tenn. In neither instance did the subject leave Chattanooga until after the disease had become epidemic, and one individual at least came from a cholera-infected house. ........... Of the two cases..one occurred at the city of Atlanta, Fulton Co. This is one of the most important of the southern cities, having a population of over 22,000 inhabitants, a railroad-center of considerable importance, which brings the city into constant connection with all sectionf of the country. On the 2d of July, 1873, Mrs. S. a lady 33 yrs of age, healthy, but never robust, childless, living in easy circumstances, was attacked with cholera and died, after an illness of about 12 hrs in a healthy location of the city. The case was in the charge of Dr. John M. Boring and was visited in consultation by Drs. James B. Baird and William S. Armstrong..... Mrs. S. arrived at Atlanta from an infected district of the city of Chattanooga, Tenn, accompanied by her husband on Sunday afternoon, June 29 and went immediately to the residence of her mother, in a thickly-settled portion of the city. On Monday (the 30th) she was attacked with diarrhea, which yielded to the adminsitration of some domestic remedy. On Tuesday (July 1) the diarrhea recurred with greater severity; again domestice aid partially relieved the disorder, but during the succeeding night it returned and she was obliged to make frequent use of the water-closet. On Wed (July 2) Mrs. S dressed herself and was present with the family at breakfast, but complained of great prostration. During the early hours of the day the diaahea had increased in severity, and when first seen by Dr. Boring she was vomiting and cramping violently and verging on collapse. At 2 o'clock pm Dr. Armstrong saw the case in consultation, found the patient in complete collapse, pulseless, skin blue, cold and shriveled, eyes sunken, voice husky, her mind clear and intelligence not imparied. At 6 o'clock p.m. Dr. Baird saw the case with Drs. Boring and Armstrong. The collapse deepening. The surface of the body icy cold. Thirst was excessive and the patient complained of great heat, requiring to be constantly fanned, declaring that she was "burning up". The dejections were constant, involuntary,colorless and odorless. The physiognomy was that of an aged woman. The case terminated fatally at 10:30pm. .......no other case occurred in the city. The treatment adopted was the application of sinapisms and dry heat, and the application of camphor, capsicum, laudanum and tincture of rhei combined. But little opportunity was presented for treatment, the disease being fully developed before the patient was first seen by Dr. Boring. The second case, to which attention is asked, occurred at the town of Dalton, the county town of Whitfield county. this town is southern terminus of the East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia Railroad and has a population of about 5,000 inhabitants. Dr. J.R. McAfee of Dalton, GA reports the case of Robert Linzy, who died at that city of cholera on the 3d day of July 1873. On the 2nd of July this man arrived at Dalton on the morning train from Chattanooga, Tenn at which city several members of his immediate family had died of cholera. At 12 o'clock m of Thursday, July 3, Linzy was attacked with the same disease and died at 9 o'clock pm the same day. The treatment adopted was the exhibition of stimulants and astringents, but no good results were obtained....and although a number of persons were exposed to the disease no other cases occurred.