Short Account of Malignant Fever in Philadelphia – Chapter XI (1793), 
Philadelphia County, PA

Contributed to the PAGenWeb Archives by Marjorie B. Winter [marjw@cox.net]

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CHAP.  XI   Proceedings at Havre de Grace—At Hagerstown -- Alexandria—at 
Winchester—At Boston—at Newburyport—In Rhode Island—At New Bern—At Charlestown—
In Georgia. – Fasting and Prayer.

	THE 25th of September, the inhabitants of Havre de Grace resolved that no 
person should be allowed to cross the Susquehannah river at that town, who did 
not bring a certificate of his not having lately come from Philadelphia, or any 
other infected place and that the citizens of Havre would embody themselves to 
prevent any one from crossing without such a certificate.  

	At Hagerstown, on the 3d of October, it was resolved, that no citizen 
should receive into his house any person coming from Philadelphia, supposed to 
he infected with the malignant fever, until he or she produced a certificate 
from a health officer; that should any citizen contravene the above resolution, 
he should be proscribed from all society with his fellow citizens; that the 
clothing sent to the troops then in that town, should not be received there, nor 
suffered to come within seven miles thereof; that if any person from 
Philadelphia, or other infected place, should arrive there, he should be 
required instantly to depart, and in case of refusal or neglect, be compelled to 
go without delay; that no merchant, or other person, should be suffered to bring 
into the town, or open therein, any goods brought from Philadelphia, or other 
infected place, until permitted by their committee; and that the citizens of the 
town, and its vicinity, should enrol themselves as a guard, and patrole such 
roads and passes as the committee should direct.

	The governor of Virginia, on the 17th of September, issued a proclamation, 
ordering all vessels from Philadelphia, the Grenades, and the island of Tobago, 
to perform a quarantine of twenty days, at the anchorage (Page 54) ground, off 
Craney island, near the mouth of Elizabeth river.

	The corporation of Alexandria stationed a look-out boat, to prevent all 
vessels bound to that port, from approaching nearer than one mile, until after 
examination by the health 
officer.

	The people of Winchester placed guards at every avenue of the town leading 
from the Patowmac to stop all suspected persons, packages, etc. coming from 
Philadelphia, till the health officers should inspect them, and either forbid or 
allow them to pass.

	The legislature of Massachusetts were in session, at the time the alarm 
spread; and they accordingly passed an express act for guarding against the 
impending danger.  This act authorized the selectmen in the different towns to 
stop and examine any persons, baggage, merchandize, or effects, coming or 
supposed to be coming into the towns respectively, from Philadelphia, or other 
place infected, or supposed to be infected; and should it appear to them, or to 
any officers whom they should appoint, that any danger of infection was to be 
apprehended from such persons, effects, baggage, or merchandize, they were 
empowered to detain or remove the same to such places as they might see proper, 
in order that they might be purified from infection; or to place any persons so 
coming, in such places, and under such regulations as they might judge necessary 
for the public safety.  In pursuance of this act, the governor issued a 
proclamation to carry it into effect, the 21st of September.

	The selectmen of Boston, on the 24th, published their regulations of 
quarantine, which ordered, that on the arrival of any vessel from Philadelphia, 
she should be detained at, or near Rainsford’s Island, to perform a quarantine 
not exceeding thirty days, during which time she should be cleansed with 
vinegar, and the explosion of gunpowder between the decks and in the cabin, even 
though there were no sick persons on board; that in case there were, they should 
be removed to an hospital, where they should be detained till they recovered or 
were long enough (Page 55) to ascertain that they had not the infection; that 
every vessel, performing quarantine, should be deprived of its boat, and no boat 
suffered to approach it, but by special permission; that if any person should 
escape from vessels performing quarantine, he should be instantly advertised, in 
order that he might be apprehended; that any persons coming by land from 
Philadelphia, should not be allowed to enter Boston, until twenty one days after 
their arrival, and their effects, baggage, and merchandize should be opened, 
washed with vinegar, and fumigated with repeated explosions of gunpowder.  In 
the conclusion, the selectmen called upon the inhabitants  “to use their utmost 
vigilance and activity to bring to condign punishment, any person who should be 
so daring and lost to every idea of humanity, as to come into the town from any 
place supposed to be infected, thereby endangering the lives of his fellow men.

	The 23d of September, the selectmen of Newburyport notified the pilots not 
to bring any vessels from Philadelphia, higher up Merrimack river, than the 
black rocks, until they should be examined by the health officer, and a 
certificate be obtained from him, of their being free from infection.

	The governor of Rhode Island, the 21st of September, issued a 
proclamation, directing the town councils and other officers, to use their 
utmost vigilance to cause the law to prevent the spreading of contagious 
disorders to be most strictly executed, more especially with respect to all 
vessels which should arrive in that state, from the West Indies, Philadelphia, 
and New-York; the extension to the latter place was owing to the danger 
apprehended from the intercourse between it and Philadelphia.

	The 28th of September, the governor of North Carolina published his 
proclamation; requiring the commissioners of navigation in the different ports 
of the said state, to appoint certain places, where all vessels from the port of 
Philadelphia, or any other place in which the malignant fever might prevail, 
(Page 56) should perform quarantine for such number of days as they might think 
proper.

	The commissioners of New Bern, on the 30th of September, ordered that 
until full liberty should be given, vessels arriving from Philadelphia, or any 
other place in which an infectious disorder might be, should, under a penalty of 
five hundred pounds, stop and come to anchor at least one mile below the town, 
and there perform a quarantine or at least ten days, unless their captains 
should produce from inspectors appointed for the purpose, a certificate that in 
their opinion the vessels might, with safety to the inhabitants proceed to the 
town or harbour, and there land their passengers or cargo.  The 18th of October, 
they ordered, that if any free man should go on board any vessel from 
Philadelphia, etc.  or should bring from on board such vessel, any goods or 
merchandize, before she was permitted to land her cargo or passengers, he 
should, for every offence forfeit, five pounds; and if any slave should offend 
as above, he should be liable to be whipped not exceeding fifty lashes, and his 
master to pay five pounds.

	The governor of S. Carolina, published a proclamation, subjecting 
Philadelphia vessels to quarantine, the date of which I cannot ascertain.  The 
inhabitants of Charleston, on the 8th of October, had a meeting, at which they 
resolved, that no vessel from the river Delaware, either directly or after 
having touched at any other port of the United States, should be permitted to 
pass Charleston bar, till the citizens had again assembled, and declared 
themselves satisfied that the disorder had ceased in Philadelphia.  If any 
vessel, contrary thereto, should cross the bar, the governor should be requested 
to compel it to quit the port, and return to sea.

	The governor of Georgia, on the 4th of October, published a proclamation, 
ordering all vessels from Philadelphia, which should arrive in Savannah river, 
to remain in Tybee creek, or in other parts like distant from the town, until 
the health officer of the port should, on examination, certify, that no 
malignant or contagious disease was on board.  All persons (Page 57) 
contravening this proclamation, were to be prosecuted, and subjected to the 
pains and penalties by law pointed out.

	The people of Augusta, in that state, were as active and vigilant as their 
northern neighbours, to guard against the threatening danger.

	The inhabitants of Reading, in Pennsylvania, had a meeting the 4th of 
September, and passed sundry resolutions, viz., that no dry goods should be 
imported into that borough from Philadelphia, or any other place infected with a 
malignant fever, until the expiration of one month from that date, unless 
permission was had from the inhabitants convened at a town-meeting; that no 
person from Philadelphia, or any other infected place, should be allowed to 
enter, until they should have undergone the examination of a physician, and 
obtained his opinion of their being free from infection; that no stage-waggon 
should be permitted to bring passengers from Philadelphia, or other place 
infected, into the borough; and that all communication, by stages, should be 
discontinued for one month, unless sooner permitted by the inhabitants.

	At Bethlehem, a meeting was held on the 26th of September; at which it was 
resolved, that persons from Philadelphia, should perform a quarantine of twelve 
days, before their entrance into the town.  A similar resolve was soon after 
entered into at Nazareth.  But at neither place was it observed with any 
strictness.  No guard was appointed.  And the assertion of any decent traveller, 
apparently in health, with respect to the time of his absence from Philadelphia, 
was considered as sufficient to be relied on, without resorting to formal proof.

	Various precautions were observed in other places; but I am not able to 
give a statement of them, not having procured an account of their resolves or 
proceedings.

	The calamity of Philadelphia, while it roused the circumspection of the 
timid in various places, excited the pious to offer up their prayers to Almighty 
God for our relief, comfort, and support.  Various days were appointed for 
humiliation, fasting, and prayer (Page 58) for this purpose.  In New York, the 
20th of September; in Boston, September 26th; in Albany, the 1st of October; in 
Baltimore the 3d; in Richmond, the 9th, in Providence, the same day; the synod 
of Philadelphia fixed on the 24th of October; the protestant episcopal churches 
in Virginia, November 6; the Dutch synod of New York, November 13; the synod of 
New York and New Jersey, November 20.  At Hartford, daily prayers were offered 
up for our relief for some time.