History of the epidemic yellow fever, at New Orleans, La., in 1853 / by E.D. Fenner.

  • Fenner, E. D. (Erasmus Darwin), 1807-1866.
Date:
1854
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: History of the epidemic yellow fever, at New Orleans, La., in 1853 / by E.D. Fenner. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    CITY PRISON, PARISH JAIL AND LUNATIC ASYLUM, AND BOYS' HOUSE OF REFUGE. Dr. E. Sabatier is the city physician for the Second and Third Districts, and has charge of all these establishments. On account of recent bad health, Dr. S. cannot at this time furnish a full and minute account of the Yellow Fever at these places, but has kindly given me a few notes, which I deem worthy of insertion. There was more Yellow Fever in the City Jail and Parish Prison this year than was ever known before. The first case occurred about the last of July, in a man who had been in the prison about three months, and had been treated for intermittent fever about two months previously. At the time above stated, he was taken out to court for trial, or something of the kind. Whilst there he was attacked with Yellow Fever, and had to be taken back to the prison. His attack proved a severe one, attended with hemorrhage and yellowness, but he finally re- covered. About a week afterwards another case occurred, in a man who had not nursed, or been about the first case. From this time cases continued to multiply till they reached the number of 30, of which 5 died. There were about 300 prisoners in the jail at this time, and there was free intercommunication amongst them : in short, they were kept together within very narrow limits. There were two rooms set apart for the hospital, in one of which the Yellow Fever patients were kept to themselves. Before this was done, however, several were attacked with Yellow Fever, who had been placed in hospital for other complaints. If the disease were really infectious, it appears strange that only 30 out of 300 should have taken it under such favorable circumstances for communi- cation. The Lunatic Asylum is a department of the Parish Prison, and is used chiefly as a temporary resort for lunatics previous to their being sent up to the State Asylum at Jackson. There were from 30 to 40 inmates during the summer, much crowded, no separate apartment for the sick. There were 9 cases of Yellow Fever amongst them, and no death. The first two cases occurred on the same day, (August 6th,) in persons who had been in only a few days. The next case occurred on the 10th of August, in a man who nursed the two first. There was then a lapse of nineteen days be-