NARRATIVE OF THE CHOLER AEPIDEMIC OF 1873 IN THE UNITED STATES. 43D CONGRESS, 2d Session, House of Representatives. Ex.Doc.No.95 Images submitted by Deb Haines Transcribed by: Sherri Hall ************************************* USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free genealogical information on the Internet, data may be freely used for personal research and by non-commercial entities as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format or presentation by other organizations or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for profit or any form of presentation, must obtain the written consent of the file submitter, or his legal representative and then contact the listed USGENWEB archivist with proof of this consent. ************************************* Pages 320 through 325 of this disease these sanitary duties should be enforced in every household and throughout the entire district. * * * * * * * * * "From being the most feared and destructive pestilence, cholera now may be controlled and extinguished more quickly and completely than any other epidemic disease." Perhaps this last statement is a little too strong, yet we think we can scarcely urge with too much force the most rigid sanitary precautions. R.W. DUNLAP, M.D., President G.T. Erwin, M.D., Secretary. The trustees of the town of Danville cordially recommend the above paper from the Boyle county Medical Association, and would further advise that so long as there is an apprehension of an outbreak of this fearful epidemic in our midst, the people dispense with all large gatherings within the town or country; especially should they dispense with picnics, barbecues, and other gatherings where extensive dinners are prepared. Done at a meeting of the board of trustees held this 27th June, 1873. G.E. WISEMAN, Chairman. Attest: Wm. Goodloe, Clerk. This circular had the desired effect. It tended to remove, when the inevitable contact with the disease occurred, the dread which had been engendered by assertions of individuals in the public press, "that cholera was a disease of local origin, malarial in its source, against which disinfectants are unavailing, and that the individual stricken with the disease was beyond the aid of human skill." During the existence of the epidemic in the town of Lancaster, Garrard Coutny, but little communication took place between that town and Davnille. It has been shown that in Lancaster the disease was located in the portion of the town that was occupied by the lower class of negroes, and that the whites who were attacked were those that came directly in contact with the infection in or from that district. the better class of the inhabitants who abandoned the town after the occurrence of the disease, took refuge at the many watering-places of the State. Some took refuge at isolated positions on the Kentucky RIver, others on farms in the county. The negroes scattered through the county and in large numbers migrated to Lincoln County, where it has been shown that they inaugurated the epidemic, Few, if any, went into the Boyle County, or into the city of Danville. The people of Boyle, misled by the circular already referred to, as stating that no cholera had occurred at Lebanon that season, attended the Marion County fair, from the close of which the occurrence of the disease, as in the other "central counties" dates. August 30, Mr. B., a farmer in comfortable circumstances, residing some six miles from Danville, was attacked with the disease, and, after an illness of ninety-six hours, recovered. This gentleman having stock to exhibit, was anxious to visit Lebanon, but having some misgivings as to the safety of so doing, consulted his physician, to whom he submitted the "Lebanon circular". The doctor informed him, "From the names signed to this, the reports we have heard must be false." the next time the doctor and his patient met, the latter was in the second stage of cholera. August 31, a case occurred near North Fork Station, on the line of the Knoxville branch of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. September 1, a young lady, who had with other members of her family left her home in Marion County, on account of the disease, was attacked with cholera and made a slow recovery, and the same day three other cases occurred near North Fork Station. September 2, the father and brother of the case first recorded on the previous day were attacked; both recovered; and one recovery is reported at North Fork Station. September 3, a gentleman from Marion County was attacked at Oakland, five miles from Danville, and, after a severe illness, recovered. September 4, a young man seventeen years of age, a resident of Lebanon, but at this date entered as a student at Center College, Danville, was attacked with cholera while in his class-room. the attack was severe, but did not advance beyond the "blue stage", when reaction was established. In this case urine was suppressed for forty hours. September 5, a negro man was attacked with cholera at the house of a friend a few miles from Parksville, and died after an illness of eight hours. This man had been the servant of Colonel Miller, one of the victims of the Winfrey House, Columbia, epidemic. He had nursed his master through his illness, and had prepared his body for the grave, and after the funeral had started on foot for the house of his friends in Boyle county. The distance he had walked was over sixty miles. the day after his arrival he was attacked by the same disease. From the 3d to the 9th of September, five cholera-cases, with one death, are reported as occurring near North Fork. Each of the caes recorded, with the single exception of the negro who died on the 5th instant, had attended the Marion County fair. Each case had premonitory diarrhea from one to two days before the development of the disease. the line of treatment reported was morphia, hypodermically; calomel and quinine, exhibited internally; sinapisms and dry heat. Dr. J.D. Jackson reports favorably of the combi- nation of dilute sulphuric acid and morphia. Dr. J.M. Myer enveloped his patients in blankets wrung out of scalding water. dr. W.B. Harlan used successfully the dilute acid treatment. In every case the excreta were disinfected and buried, and every effort made to isolate the cae. THe only instance in which the attendants of cholera-sick in this county became infected with the disease, occurred in the person of Dr. W.O. Roberts, who reports the cases that occurred near North Fork Station. Dr. Roberts recovered, although he was the subject of a severe attack. CLINTON COUNTY. The history of the epidemic as it occurred in the county of Clinton is of great value, although the epidemic was confined to but two points in the county, and but a small number of individuals were subjected to the disease. at one point it is demonstrated that cholera may at times be introduced with impunity into a healthy community; and by the other dangers which may arise from such an importation, even at a point upon a mountain well drained and free from all malarial influences. A Mr. Frank Bryson, who was the proprietor of a store upon Wolf River, about eighteen miles from Burksville, KY., returned to his home from a trip to Nashville, where he had been purchasing goods. A few days after his return (early in the month of June) he was attacked with cholera and died after a few hours' illness. Although he was surrounded by his family and friends during his illness, no other case of the disease occurred. Every effort has been made to obrain an official report of this cae, but unsuccessfully. On the morning of Sunday, August 31, Maj. A.M. Adair, common- wealth attorney of the sixth judicial district of Kentucky, who had been attending the circuit court at Columbia, Adair County, when cholera was developed in that town, started on horseback for Albany, Clinton County, in company with Judge T.T. Alexander, for the purpose of opening court at the last-named place. During the previous night both Judge Alexander and Major Adair had remained in the room of a friend who was sick of cholera at the Winfrey Hotel. At this house both of these gentlemen had lived during the two preceding weeks, and they were present when the cholera-blow struck this locality. On the night preceding the journey they had taken turns in nursing their sick friend, one sleeping at a time, and they remained as long as permitted by their official duties. When a few miles from Columbia, Major Adair was taken with nausea, attended with more or less uncomfortable feelings of the abdomen. these symptoms became more and more severe until 4 o'clock p.m., when a violent vomiting came on, attended with symptoms of diarrhea. The party had ridden some fifteen miles since the first symptoms, being desirous to reach the house of a friend, but Major Adair was now obliged to dismount and yield to the desire to go to stool, when a violent purging began. A pallet was made of the saddle-blankets, and upon this Major Adair was placed. Within thirty minutes two teaspoonfuls of laudanum and several teaspoonfols of the extract of ginger were given to him. after some little time, being somewhat relieved, he managed to mount his horse with the assistance of Judge Alexander, but was unable to move. dismounted and laid down again, when the vomiting came on again attended with involuntary discharges from the bowels. The case becoming desperate, a place of shelter was obtained at the house of a Mr. Kelly living near by, and to this house Major Adair was carried and placed in bed. The doses of laudanum and ginger were repeated, and a horseman was dis- patched to Albany, eight miles distant, for a physician, who was unable to reach the bedside until midnight. Morphia was exhibited hypodermically and free doses of tinct, opii given internally. The patient retained consciousness until 3 o'clock a.m., when he went into a collapse. No reliable information of the case can now be obtained, until Friday, September 5, when Dr. Waggoner, of Bowling Green, a near relative, reached the house and took charge of the case. Dr. Waggoner's notes read as follows: "Respiration 12, sterorous; skin moist; pupils very much contracted; pulse 60, oppressed; military eruptions on various parts of the body; profound stupor; when partially aroused (could only be partially aroused) would pick at nose and scratch himself; hiccough; urine suppressed since Sunday night, five days and four nights. Was informed by his brother, Colonel Adair, who had reached the sick-room on the 3d instant, that the patient was taking sulphate of quinine, gr. x, every ten hours, with a teaspoonful each of fluid extract of buchu, tincture valerian, and spts. aetheris nit. every 'now and then'." The patient was at once placed upon the following line of treatment: B. Quinim sulph., gr. iss. Camphor, gum, gr. j. Bismuth Subuit., gr. iij. Potass. nitras, gr. ij. Ipecac pulv., gr. j. M. Ft. chart. no. j. To be repeated every hour for five hours. At 5 o'clock p.m. congestion relieved; hiccough less frequent; and the following was exhibited: B. Quinine sulphas. gr. ij. Bismuthi subuitras. gr. iij. Potass. nitras, gr. iij. Ipecacm pulv, gr, j. M. Ft. chart. no. j. To be repeated every two hours, while at each alternate hour the following was administered: R. Tinctura belladonnae, gtt. xx. Ext. buchu fluidum, 3j. M. For a dose. At 6 o'clock p.m. a hypodermic injection of fluid extract of buchu was exhibited. At 7 o'clock p.m. bowels acted well; passed about eighteen ounces of urine; hiccough diminishing; a little brandy given cautionsly. At 2 o'clock a.m. pulse 75, respirations 14, temperature normal; bowels and kidneys acting. The quinine powders continued, and every alternate hour the following was given: R. Tinct. belladonne, gtt. x. Tinct. valerianne, 3 i. Fluid ext. buchu, 3i. M. At a dose. Brandy at intervals of an hour or two. Calomel, gr. iij, were added to the last powder. At 7 o'clock a.m., bowels and kidneys acted; pupils dilated; respirations 16; temperature normal; hiccough ceased. The treatment, with the exception of diuretics, was continued. During this course of treatment flaggelations and occasional cold douches were applied. The patient can be roused to semi- consciousness. Quinine, brandy, and occasional small doses of belladonna were exhibited through the day, with a gradual improvement. At 7 o'clock a.m. on the 7th, respiration and temperature normal; bowels and kidneys acted twice during the night. Strychnine, sulph., gr. 1/22, was given every three hours during the day. At 12 o'cloc, m. of the same day passed blood in stool; pulse 116; feverish; complains of pains in lower bowels; had frequent bloody discharges; pulse became weak and thready. Refuses injections of starrch-water and tannin; was placed upon catechu, camphor, and acetate of lead. At 12 o'clock p.m. of the 8th the discharges were arrested. At this time his pulse was very weak and irregular; prostration complete. Was given the following every two hours: B. Ipecac, pulv., gr. 1. Bismuthl subuit., Rhatany ext., aa., gr. v. M. at a dose. There was a continued improvement during the day. Became rational on the 9th instant, and convalesced to complete recovery. We can only add the comment, "The forbearance of nature is more than wonderful." The house at which Major Adair was sick is situated on one of the spurs of the Cumberland Mountains, twenty-six miles southeast of Columbia, which was the nearest point infected with cholera. The position of this house was so isolated that the owner first learned that cholera was in the country by the arrival of Major Adair sick with the disease. No malaria cound be found to produce the disease, but the dejections of Major Adair were not treated with disinfectants, but were thrown out into the privy and upon the ground, with the following results: September 8, Mr. Kelly, the owner of the house was taken with cholera. The disease was fully developed, was collapsed for eight hours, when he reacted. Was treated by Dr. Waggoner by hypodermic injections of morphia, and ccups of the epigastruim. Hot fomentations to abdomen and legs. Later hypodermic infections of quinine. The case did well until the 12th instant, when the disease was redeveloped, and the case terminated fatally after a few hours' illness. September 10, a son of Mr. Kelly, eighteen years of age, was attacked with cholera, but reacted and safely recovered. September 12, a young daughter of Mr. Kelly was attacked with the same disease, and died about the same hour as her father. It is stated by persons living in the vicinity that a negro man who had waited upon Major Adair during his illness, died at the same time as Mr. Kelly and his daughter. As far as can be ascertained, no other cases occurred in the county. RUSSELL COUNTY. The inhabitants of Jamestown, the county-seat of Russell County, had been in constant communication with those of Columbia during the epidemic at the last-named town. The mail-carrier from Columbia, who remained every other night at Jamestown, had suffered severely from diarrhea, and a young man from Lebanon, who had left that twon after the cholera had become epidemic, was taken with the disease, near Jamestown, and made a tedious recover. September 9, Mrs. James Fields, a lady sixty-two years of age, residing in Jamestown, was attacked with cholera, and died after a few hours' illness. In rapid succession, a gentleman who resided in the adjoining house, a negro woman who had nursed Mrs. Fields, a gentleman who was a constant visitor of the Fields family, Mr. Fields, and a negro child, ten months of age, the last living on the same premises, were attacked with cholera, and all died. Subsequently five other persons, members of the Fields family, or immediate neighbors, were attacked with the disease, but recovered. October 1, a Mr. Long, who resided on Wolf's Creek, after a visit to Jamestown, was taken with cholera and died. October 3, Miss Long, who had assiduously nursed her brother, died of the same disease. The well from which all the persons who were attacked with cholera, with the exception of Miss Long, had obtained drinking- water, was found to be contaminated by drainage from a dirty cellar, which was half full of water, and beneath the house at which the mail-rider from Columbia had slept during the period of his diarrheal sickness. The use of this well was prohibited, and the disease disappeared. MERCER COUNTY. At Harrodsburgh, Mercer County, five cases of cholera are reported by Dr. C.H. Spilman. The individuals affected were all negroes; two males, and three females. All were adults. But one fatal case occurred, that on September 9. Dr. Spilman states that it is impossible to trace the connection between these people and the infection; but when the roving character of the negro is taken into consideration, and the fact that they are utterly unreliable in their statements as to where they have been, and what they have been doing, after their nocturnal excursions, it is not safe to assert that these cases could not have come in contact with the cholera infection. End of KY Section Original scanned images are at at http://www.usgwarchives.net/ky/state/cholera.