Report upon yellow fever in Louisiana in 1878 and subsequently / by S.M. Bemiss.

  • Bemiss, S. M. (Samuel Merrifield), 1821-1884.
Date:
1883
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report upon yellow fever in Louisiana in 1878 and subsequently / by S.M. Bemiss. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    time of the transfer until the 12th July, involving the entiix period of the return trip of the Commonwealth to St. Louis, young O'Bannon, who was only sixteen years of age, was romping and playing among the hogsheads of suoar, which were on the main deck of the Commonwealth, with his sister and his cousin, neither of whom were subse- quently affected. He arrived in St. Louis on the night of Thursday, Jul}' 11, 1878, and seemed perfectl}^ well on the Sunday following, being seen on that day by Dr. Sankford on a visit to the family. The next day (Monday) he com- plained of inappetence, and of sliglit chilly sensations. About 5, P. M., he was found by his mother, after a pro- longed search, under the piano in the parlor, in high fever, and a jirofound sleep, from which it was very difficult to arouse him. Dr. Sankford being called, saw him at i, P.M., on July i6th. The stupor continued, and the fever did not abate ; the tongue was inclined to be dry, and the skin devoid of moisture. The bowels had been constipated, urine scanty and high colored. There was, as yet, no nervous irrita- bility of the stomach, but mvich thirst. These symptoms inci-eased in intensity, the patient became delirious in the night, and the fever was observed to be of a continuous character. Some irritability of the stomach had now appeared. At a consultation with Dr. J. K. Banduy next day (Thursday), the fever was noted as still continuous; there was frequent voiniting, and about 8, P. M., ejection of unmistakable black vomit, which had begun some five hours previously, the dejections were also very dark. There was no very marked icterus until the morning after this, when suppression of the urine was also determined. The patient died on Friday, 19th July, 1878, at about i, P. M., the fifth day of his disease. At this date there was no declared yellow fever in the United States except the cases on board the Emily B. Souder, none as yet reported in New Orleans or elsewhere. At the consultation on the i8th July, the case was declared to be one of yellow fever, and the diagnosis was thoroughly verified at the autopsy, Drs. Sankford, Banduy and P. G. Robinson being present. See statements of Drs. Banduy and Robinson. In further support of a probability that yellow fever in- fection was introduced into New Orleans, through other vessels than the Souder, I call attention to the following