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

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

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CHAP.  III – First alarm in Philadelphia.  Flight of the citizens.  Guardians of 
the poor borne down with labour.

	IT was some time before the disorder attracted public notice.  It had in 
the mean while swept off many persons.  The first death that was a subject of 
general conversation was that of Peter Aston on the 19th of August, after a few 
days illness.  Mrs. Lemaigre’s on the day following, and Thomas Miller’s on the 
25th, with those of some others, after  a short sickness, spread an universal 
terror.

	The removals from Philadelphia began about the 25th or 26th of this month: 
and so great was the general terror, that, for some weeks, carts, waggons, 
coachees, and chairs, were almost constantly transporting (Page 17) families and 
furniture to the country in every direction.  Many people shut up their houses 
wholly; others left servants to take care of them.  Business then became 
extremely dull.  Mechanics and artists were unemployed; and the streets wore the 
appearance of gloom and melancholy.

	The first official notice taken of the disorder, was on the 22d of August, 
on which day the mayor of Philadelphia, Matthew Clarkson, Esq.  Wrote to the 
city commissioners, and after  acquainting them with the state of the city, gave 
them the most peremptory orders, to have the streets properly cleansed and 
purified by the scavengers, and all the filth immediately hawled away.  These 
orders were repeated on the 27th, and similar ones given to the clerks of the 
market.

	The 26th of the same month, the college of physicians had a meeting, at 
which they took into consideration the nature of the disorder, and the means of 
prevention and of cure.  They published an address to the citizens, signed by 
the president and secretary, recommending to avoid all unnecessary intercourse 
with the infected; to place marks on the doors or windows where they were; to 
pay great attention to cleanliness and airing the rooms of the sick; to provide 
a large and airy hospital in the neighbourhood of the city for their reception; 
to put a stop to the tolling of the bells; to bury those who died of the 
disorder in carriages, and as privately as possible; to keep the streets and 
wharves clean; to avoid all fatigue of body and mind, and standing or sitting in 
the sun, or in the open air; to accommodate the dress to the weather, and to 
exceed rather in warm than in cool clothing; and to avoid intemperance; but to 
use fermented liquors, such as wine, beer and cider, with moderation.  They 
likewise declared their opinion, that fires in the streets were very dangerous, 
if not ineffectual means of stopping the progress of the fever, and that they 
placed more dependence on the burning of gunpowder.  The benefits of vinegar and 
camphor, they added, were confined chiefly to infected rooms; and they could not 
be too often (Page 18) used on handkerchiefs, or in smelling bottles, by persons 
who attended the sick.

	In consequence of this address, the bells were immediately stopped from 
tolling.  The expedience of this measure was obvious; as they had before been 
constantly ringing almost the whole day, so as to terrify those in health, and 
drive the sick, as far as the influence of imagination could produce that 
effect, to their graves.  An idea had gone abroad, that the burning of fires in 
the streets, would have a tendency to purify the air, and arrest the progress of 
the disorder.  The people had, therefore, almost every night, large fires 
lighted at the corners of the streets.  The 29th, the mayor, conformably with 
the opinion of the college of physicians, published a proclamation, forbidding 
this practice.  As a substitute, many had recourse to the firing of guns, which 
they imagined was a certain preventative of the disorder.  This was carried so 
far, and attended with such danger, that it was forbidden by an ordinance of the 
mayor.

	The 29th, the governor of the state wrote a letter to the mayor, strongly 
enforcing the necessity of the most vigorous and decisive exertions to prevent 
the extension of, and to destroy, the evil.  He desired that the various 
directions given by the college of physicians, should be carried into effect.  
The same day, in his address to the legislature, he acquainted them, that a 
contagious disorder existed in the city; and that he had taken every proper 
measure to ascertain the origin, nature, and extent of it.  He likewise assured 
them that the health-officer and physician of the port, would take every 
precaution to allay and remove the public inquietude.

	The number of the infected daily increasing, and the existence of an order 
against the admission of persons labouring under infectious diseases into the 
almshouse, precluding them from a refuge there , some (Page 19) temporary place 
was requisite; and three of the guardians of the poor, about the 26th of August, 
took possession of the circus, in which Mr. Ricketts had lately exhibited his 
equestrian seats, being the only place that could be then procured for the 
purpose.  Thither they sent seven persons afflicted with the malignant fever, 
where they lay in the open air for some time, and without any assistance.   Of 
these, one crawled out on the commons, where he died at a distance from the 
houses.  Two died in the circus, one of whom was seasonably removed; the other 
lay in a state of putrefaction for above forty eight hours, owing to the 
difficulty of procuring any person to remove him.  On this occasion occurred an 
instance of courage in a servant girl, of which at that time few men were 
capable.  The carter, who finally undertook to remove the corpse, having no 
assistant, and being unable alone to put it into the coffin, was on the point of 
relinquishing his design, and quitting the place.  The girl perceived him, and 
understanding the difficulty he laboured under, offered her services, provided 
he would not inform the family with whom she lived.   She accordingly helped him 
to put the body into the coffin, tho’ it was, by that time, crawling with 
maggots, and in the most loathsome state of putrefaction.  It gives me pleasure 
to add, that she still lives, notwithstanding her very hazardous exploit.

	The inhabitants of the neighbourhood of the circus took the alarm, and 
threatened to burn or destroy it, unless the sick were removed; and it is 
believed they would have actually carried their threats into execution, had 
compliance been delayed a day longer.  The 19th, seven of the guardians of the 
poor had a conference with some of the city magistrates on the (Page 20) subject 
of the fever, at which it was agreed to be indispensably necessary, that a 
suitable house, as an hospital, should be provided near the city, for the 
reception of the infected poor.

	In consequence, in the evening of the same day, the guardians of the poor 
agreed to sundry resolutions, viz.  To use their utmost exertions to procure a 
house, of the above description, for an hospital, (out of town, and as near 
thereto as might be practicable, consistent with the safety of the inhabitants,) 
for the poor who were or might be afflicted with contagious disorders, and be 
destitute of the means of providing necessary assistance otherwise; to engage 
physicians, nurses, attendants, and all necessaries for their relief in that 
house; to appoint proper persons in each district, to enquire after such poor as 
might be afflicted; to administer assistance to them in their own houses, and, 
if necessary, to remove them to the hospital.  They reserved to themselves, at 
the same time, the liberty of drawing on the mayor for such sums as might be 
necessary to carry their plans into effect.

	Conformably with these resolves, a committee of the guardians was 
appointed, to make enquiry for a suitable place; and on due examination, they 
judged that a building adjacent to Bushhill, the mansion house of William 
Hamilton, Esq.  Was the best calculated for the purpose.  That gentleman was 
then absent, and had no agent in the city; and the great urgency of the case 
admitting no delay, eight of the guardians, accompanied by Hilary Baker, Esq.  
One of the city aldermen, with the concurrence of the governor, proceeded, on 
the 31st of August, to the building they had fixed upon; and meeting with some 
opposition from a tenant who occupied it, they took possession of the mansion-
house itself, to which, on the same evening, they sent the four  patients who 
remained at the circus.

	Shortly after this, the guardians of the poor for the city, except James 
Wilson, Jacob Tomkins, Jr., and William Sansom, ceased the performance of their 
duties, nearly the whole of them having  (Page 21) removed out of the city.  
Before this virtual vacation of office, they passed a resolve against the 
admission of any paupers whatever into the alms-house during the prevalence of 
the disorder.   The whole care of the poor of the city, the providing for 
Bushhill, sending the sick there, and burying the dead, devolved, therefore on 
the above three guardians.