Rensselaer Union, Volume 11, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 August 1879 — The Epidemic in Memphis. [ARTICLE]

The Epidemic in Memphis.

The Memphis Board of Health made the following official announcement on the 10th relative to the yellow fever in that city: The Board of Health beine: Informed that there is a disposition manifested on the part of some absentees from Memphis to return sooner than it would be advisable, and, as this disposition may be Increased, it deems best to submit the following statement In regard to the prevalence and spread of yellow fever in the city. Thouah the death rate from yellow fever up to August 2, the date of the last reguiar weekly report, exceeded the deaths from all other causes by a few, but being less than that of the week previous the Board of Health was encouraged to believe that It would not exceed this number for any week during the prevalence of the disease, and as no practical good. It was thought, would result from the formal announcement of the epidemic, It declined to make such announcement. At that time, August 2, It prevailed mostly In the neighborhood where the first cases occurred In Jnly, In the southern portion of the city, in the Fifth and in a portion of the Seventh and Tenth Wards, and in the northeastern portion of the city,' in the Eighth Ward, and could not be considered epidemic beyond those limits. During the last ten days it has extended beyond these limits, where it was hoped to be confined, and cases have been reported. Deaths have occurred In so man; different localities of the city that it Is now impossible to sa; what portion is not Infected. Therefore the Board of Health makes formal declaration of a general epidemic. ,The death-rate Is small In proportion to the number of cases reported, and there are good reasons to hope that It will not exceed, If it again' reaches, the present week's mortality during the prevalence of the disease. These reasons are: Some escape In every epidemic, not being liable to disease, from what cause we do not know. Many of those who remain are protected by previous attack, and it is reasonable to assume that many who contract the disease will recover; that a large proportion of our population who are liable to diseases have left the city, and the work of depopulation is still in progress, which should be, no doubt will be, continued, unless free subsistence is supplied in the city, which would not only have the effect to prevent some from getting into camps, where snch provision is made, but would induce others to come into the city, and thereby become the means of spreading the disease to localities now free from infection. Therefore, in view of these facta, we are induced to believe, although the disease is liable to be here until /root, the rate of mortality will not exceed, if It equals, its present number for any one week in the future. Every practicable means of disinfection' and local sanitation calculated to arrest the disease has been, and is now being, practiced. In this work the Board of Health has the active cooperation of both the National and L,ate Boards of Health, through their respective representatives, Dr. R W. Mitchell, of the former, and the Hon. John Johnson, of the latter. Following Is the number of deaths fromveilow fever since its appearance, as reported to this office: For the week ending July 12, 3; for the week ending July 19, 6;' for the week ending July 26, 34; for the weekending August 2, 25; for the week ending August 9,29. Total number of deaths to date, 97. As Is customary, ths Roafd of Health will announce officially through the papers when it Is thought safe lor absentees to return. <J. B. Thornton, M. D* President of the BoarJ of Health. asa . —iiigßri i,i ei ■ ,

All the toes and bucksaws found in the ruins of Pompeii are of light make, as if constructed for women’s use. Those old ancients knew their little busing. —Exchange.