Title: Report of the committee appointed to investigate the causes and extent of the late extraordinary sickness and mortality in the town of Mobile
Author: Sickness, Extent of the Late Extraordinary, Causes, Committee on, Town, Mortality in the
Language: English
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                                 REPORT
                                   OF
                             THE COMMITTEE
APPOINTED TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSES AND EXTENT OF THE LATE EXTRAORDINARY
                         SICKNESS AND MORTALITY
                                 IN THE
                            TOWN OF MOBILE.


                             PHILADELPHIA:
                     PUBLISHED BY S. POTTER AND CO.
                        NO. 55, CHESNUT-STREET.

                                 1820.



                                                    B. MIFFLIN, PRINTER.

------------------------------------------------------------------------



                                REPORT.


  _The Committee appointed to investigate the causes and extent of the
    late extraordinary sickness and mortality in this town_,

  REPORT:

That they have carefully attended to the duties assigned them, and have
examined all the wharves, the docks, and vessels, the buildings and lots
near the river, as well as in other parts of the town, and find in their
examination numerous local causes, which, under the co-operating
influence of the late season, might, in their opinion, have produced the
fever, independent of the supposition of its foreign importation.

Some of the most prominent we will mention, and first, the condition of
the wharves, built with hewn timber, closely laid, confining the water
within the outward dimensions of the wharves, and filled up with rotten
logs, bushes, shavings, and other vegetable matter, covered lightly with
swamp mud of earth, presenting to view an immense mass, in the most
noxious state of decay. Two of these wharves, about 450 feet in length,
and 30 to 40 in breadth, were commenced in the spring, and the work of
filling them up with logs, mud, and bushes, was carried on during the
summer, till the storm on the 28th July, and the sickness of the workmen
put a stop to it. They were, however, nearly filled up to the length and
breadth mentioned, and to the depth of four to ten feet, and the surface
of about a third part covered with pieces of swamp marsh, cut in
convenient sizes for the purpose, and marsh mud. When the committee
viewed these wharves, the sight was most disgusting, and the smell so
offensive, that they felt their health endangered by delaying about
them.

The other wharves, five in number, also deserve a more particular
notice. Three of them appear to be built upon the plan of the former;
and with like materials, two are partly built upon piers, giving a more
wholesome circulation to the water. One was built during the spring and
summer, but chiefly destroyed by the storm of July, the others from one
to four years since, each of them, affording a mass of decaying
vegetable matter, from 200 to 400 feet in length, 25 to 30 in breadth,
and 3 to 10 in depth, covered with a thin layer of earth, or mud. Such a
quantity of noxious materials collected together in a state of decay,
must necessarily produce miasmata, and mortal disease.

Water street is also observed to be filled up with the same kind of
materials, in many places to the depth of from 4 to 6 feet, and computed
together might afford a mass of such matter, several hundred feet in
length, and fifty in breadth, thinly covered with earth. The lots
adjoining this street, on one side, are found to have been chiefly
filled up with rotten logs, green pine saplings, and pine tops, with a
thin layer of earth, and might comprise more than an acre of ground,
thus filled from one to two feet; and on the water side, the docks are
observed to have been much clogged up with timber, drift logs, and old
boats, which during the low summer tides, and north wind, collected
together in the docks, great quantities of sea-weed, and other filthy
matter, in a state of decay, particularly under the stores standing over
the water. The prevalent north wind, and low tide, during the months of
September and October, left the docks, and a large extent of marsh mud
about them, exposed to the heat of the sun, and the water, variously
obstructed about the docks and wharves, became itself stagnant and
offensive.

The committee also observe that many old boats, or barges, damaged
during the storm on the 28th July, were suffered to remain filled with
water, as well as the schooners Sally and Piper, at the wharves south of
the fort, during the months of August, September, and October, even to
the time the committee visited them. The water in these boats and
vessels, we scarcely need to add, was in a most putrid and offensive
state. Several lots upon Water street were suffered to remain covered
with stagnant water, filled up with old rotten logs, old casks, bushes,
and, in short, seem to have been receptacles for refuse and offal
substances of every kind.

The badly constructed foundations of the stores and buildings near the
river, retaining beneath them much unwholesome matter, or stagnant
water, affecting the inhabitants with their deleterious damps and
effluvia, must have proved a fertile source of disease, under the
influence of the late season.

To these causes we must add, the general condition of the back yards and
enclosures in the town. All the prudential measures of an effective
police seem to have been totally abandoned, and the committee are
compelled to say, that every part of the town presented a striking proof
of the extreme neglect of a large portion of our citizens to the
ordinary duty they owe themselves and their neighbours—that of keeping
their yards and possessions clear from every species of filth, which may
be injurious to health. Ponds of water in various parts of the town were
suffered to remain, undrained after the rains, and became stagnant, thus
affecting the air with poisonous exhalations. Dead animals, heaps of
oyster shells, and other offensive matter, were commonly observed
through the town. Weeds were cut down, and suffered to decay without
removal. A store upon one of the new wharves contained a large quantity
of hides during the months of August and September, and the greater part
of October, in a most offensive state—such an outrage against the health
of the inhabitants is scarcely credible.

In this general state of the town, succeeded the violent hurricane of
the 28th and 29th of July, from the S. and S. E. which raised the water
to an uncommon height, overflowing all the wharves, and the foundations
of the buildings on Water Street, even to the height of several inches
in many store rooms; leaving, as the water subsided, a vast quantity of
logs, drift wood, sea-weed, and other vegetable matter in the streets
and lots, much of which was there suffered to decay and infect the air.
The docks were clogged up with like materials, and damaged barges and
vessels. No attention whatever seems to have been paid to cleaning the
docks after the storm, to give a free circulation to the water, too much
confined before by the mode of building wharves.

The committee feel much regret that they are compelled, in discharge of
the duty assigned them, to present such a view of the town anterior to,
and immediately after the storm in July; but the facts were obvious to
all, whether citizens or strangers, and evince an almost unparalleled
indifference in regard to our own health. In such a state of our town,
the most strenuous advocates for foreign importation of the yellow
fever, will surely admit that there existed abundant causes for less
malignant fever.

But we have to add to the causes enumerated, the potent influence of a
most unprecedented season. The last winter was generally moderate, very
dry, and less severe than usual. The rivers Alabama and Tombecbe
scarcely reached the height of their banks; during the winter, not more
than half the quantity of rain fell. The spring was cool and chilly; in
March, a severe frost, which killed the early garden beans, corn, and
other tender plants.—April, May, and the earlier part of June, afforded
light falls of rain, very seasonable for vegetation: winds generally S.
and S. West. June and July were uniformly hot, greatest heat 92 degrees.
The storm of July 28, terminated a long drought, and deluged the whole
country around; all the lesser rivers and creeks overflowed their banks
to the height of winter floods. From the 28th of July to the 11th of
September it rained without a day’s intermission: and often descended in
torrents. All the neighbouring swamps, and low grounds about the town,
were filled with water to a height unexampled at that season of the
year. The sun at times burst forth with sultry, suffocating heat. The
brick walls, houses, furniture, books, and clothing, all became mouldy,
and the latter required frequent sunning to preserve them from
destruction.

On the evening of the 10th September, it cleared off, wind N. W. with
hot sun, and so continued for 66 days, to November 16th, the wind
varying from N. W. to N. and N. E.—during the whole of this period,
there was scarcely rain sufficient to lay the dust in the streets: in
November, however, the wind was occasionally S. and S. W.—The effect of
such an unexampled series of weather, such an excessive drought
following a flood of rain, in the month of August, with the influence of
the combined causes afore-mentioned, upon the human constitution, as
exhibited in this town, the committee will carefully relate. During the
previous winter, spring, and summer, to the first of July, the town was
healthy, and no unusual sickness appeared. In the latter part of July, a
number of violent cases of bilious fever occurred among persons
unaccustomed to the climate, and some of a more questionable character.
Several persons employed as workmen, in filling up one of the new
wharves, were taken violently ill, and died after a short illness of two
or three days. About the same time two persons, usually employed about
Dauphin street wharf, were taken in like manner, and died, after a short
illness. A number of carpenters and sailors employed about the wharf
south of the fort, and were much on board the schooner Sally, filled
with stagnant water, and the steam saw-mill, where there was a pond of
like offensive water, were taken with violent fevers, and several of
them died; but as the physicians who attended all the persons alluded
to, are dead, the particular symptoms of the fever cannot be well
ascertained. It is, however, known, that Dr. Lawton, one of the
attending physicians, spoke of these cases as malignant fever. Soon
after these cases occurred, Snyder, an engineer, at work on a
steam-boat, at the same wharf, died with violent symptoms of fever,
after an illness of five days. Plank, who attended Snyder, and employed
at the same place, and a Dutch servant boy, who lived in the house where
Snyder died, were a few days after taken with like symptoms of fever,
and died on the third or fourth day. All these cases, were, by the
attending physicians, (now dead) declared cases of yellow fever, and it
is in evidence to the committee that they died with _black vomit_.
Snyder died on the 7th August, and Plank on the 9th, several other cases
occurred about the same time among the workmen, at one of the new
wharves, and terminated fatally, after a short illness. At the two
wharves mentioned, the first unequivocal cases of the yellow fever made
their appearance, and about the same time, other cases occurred, which
terminated fatally, with persons usually about the stores, near the
wharves and river, about the same period. A young man of the name of
Carson died on the 26th August, after an illness of 48 hours, with
unequivocal symptoms of yellow fever, he occupied a store near the river
and the wharves. Ellsworth died on the 5th September, after an illness
of about 48 hours, and 17 days after the arrival of the sloop Patriot,
from the Havanna, in which he came passenger from that place. He also
occupied a store near the river and wharves.

But as there are persons who strenuously maintain an opinion that the
fever was imported into this town from the Havanna, in the above named
vessel, the committee have given the subject diligent attention, and
have examined a number of persons, and taken their examinations in
writing, particularly the officer of the customs, who first visited the
vessel, and a sailor, who was on board the vessel during the voyage. The
vessel arrived at the wharf, direct from sea, on the 19th of August,
after a passage of 15 days from Havanna. The officer states that “he was
the first person on board the Patriot after her arrival—that he examined
her cabin, hold, and cargo—that the cabin and hold of the vessel
appeared, from any thing he could discover, in a pure and wholesome
state. Sixteen bags of coffee, however, were wet, and considerably
damaged, and some fruit rotten; the rest of the cargo in good order—that
he attended the unlading of the cargo three days: the master,
passengers, and crew appeared to be in good health, excepting Graham, a
seaman, and the cook, who appeared to have had a fever—Graham was able
to do duty on board—the cook not much unwell—that the vessels which
arrived at Mobile during the months of June, July, and August, were
generally healthy—no vessel, except the Patriot, arrived from a West
Indian port. The schooner M’Donough arrived the 17th of July, from
Nassau, N. P.” He further states that “he took care of Snyder and Plank
during their illness, and assisted in burying them—that the attending
physicians, Lawton and Robinson, pronounced their disease _yellow
fever_, both before and after their deaths—that they both died with
_black vomit_ on the third or fourth day.”

Graham, the seaman, states that “he shipped on board said sloop at
New-Orleans, and was on board when she sailed from Mobile—nine persons
were on board outward, four of which were passengers, one passenger died
at the Havanna three days after he arrived—had seven passengers on board
when the vessel left Havanna—no person unwell when they left there, or
during the voyage, excepting the cook and himself—the cook was sick all
the time he was on board—was himself sick at Havanna, and went on board
unwell—thinks he had not a malignant fever—took no medicine—had none on
board—and that the passengers knew his situation when they came on
board.”

From the most diligent enquiry in regard to the state of the town, and
the cases of fever, which had existed before the arrival of the Patriot,
the condition of that vessel, the passengers and crew, as well as the
vessels which arrived from New Orleans and elsewhere, the committee are
constrained to express their decided conviction, that the malignant
fever which so recently afflicted our town, originated in the numerous
causes they have mentioned, favoured by the destructive effects of the
storm and the subsequent season. The effects of the change of weather on
the 10th of September, were very obvious to all. In a few days after the
wind changed to the northward, with a clear sky and hot sun, the fever
made its appearance in different parts of the town in all its fearful,
deadly type. On the 16th, 17th, and 18th, _thirty_ persons are reported
to have died. Alarm spread through the town, and those who could
conveniently, left it. Many, however, remained, and those of the poorer
class of people, who either lived in small, crowded, filthy dwellings,
or even without any, frequenting the grog-shops near the wharves,
lodging under the market-house, or other places exposed to the damps and
vapours of the night. In addition to these circumstances, many of them
were intemperate. Among this class of people, which embraces nearly all
those who arrived in town from the public works on Mobile bay, the fever
was observed to be dreadfully mortal—almost all of them died. Of more
than a hundred discharged at those works, who came to Mobile, it is
believed that very few are alive. At certain places in town, there was a
continual succession of these people arriving, and passing to the grave.
Regardless, through intemperance, of all the usual cautions for the
preservation of health—they were often crowded into rooms with the dying
and the dead, till they became themselves the victims of their temerity.
We cannot doubt that this class of people greatly increased and spread
the disease. The old cloaths, bedding, and such like articles, belonging
to them were, after their death, thrown into the streets, or back yards,
and there suffered to remain to infect the air with their poisonous
effluvia.

The want of proper attention, nursing, and nourishment, to the sick
(which could by no means be had) was a cause, ever to be lamented, of
the great mortality attending the disease.

Medical aid, also, was often neglected till the disease had made a
mortal progress beyond the power of medicine. In many cases medical aid
could not be obtained when desired. Several of the physicians themselves
were sick, and the others unable to attend the numerous calls for their
assistance—hence, many perished without medicine, or physician.

The building used for a hospital for the poor was in the centre of the
town, and probably contributed to spread wider the disease, and increase
its malignity. _Fear_ in many instances was observed to produce most
unfortunate effects upon the patient, and defeated the intended
operations of medicine.—Some, in dreadful apprehension of the disease,
seemed to abandon hope of life, and sunk in death.

With all these causes for the increased prevalence and mortality of the
fever, it plainly exhibited in its progress and various symptoms, the
most malignant character. The number of those who recovered from an
attack, between the 15th September, and 10th October, the period of its
greatest prevalence, was small; though the number cannot be ascertained.
After the latter period, as cooler weather advanced, the disease assumed
a milder character, and more frequently yielded to the powers of
medicine.

In its type and symptoms it seems to have exhibited no peculiar
characteristic marks or effects to distinguish it from the yellow fever
of other seasons and places, as described by physicians; unless it be
the greater mortality which attended it, and that is believed to be
justly attributed to the causes already mentioned. Patients died
commonly in one, three, or five days after taken, with all the symptoms
of decided yellow fever. In the character of the disease, all the
physicians agreed, but different methods of treating it were practised.

The committee find difficulty in ascertaining “the extent of the
sickness and mortality” with arithmetical exactness; although four of
their number were continually in town, during the prevalence of the
fever, and two others a considerable portion of the time. For a while
the disease seemed to be mostly confined to those employed about the
river and wharves, but in a few days after the prevalence of north wind,
and clear, hot sun, (September 10th,) it spread rapidly thro’ the whole
town, and from that date seems to have affected the Creole inhabitants,
people of colour, and even slaves. It is also noticed to have been
equally mortal with the female, as the male population; though the
former might be supposed less exposed to the influence of the general
causes of the disease, but they were, perhaps, oftentimes more exposed
to the fever in their immediate attendance on the sick. The number of
deaths from the first August to the tenth September, embracing every
description of people, was estimated by the physician who attended the
hospital, and the greatest number of the poor, and was probably better
informed on the subject than any other person, at an average of one a
day—forty souls. This may be nearly correct: and of this number it is
ascertained that only nine were inhabitants of the town, or embraced in
any estimate of our population. These persons are known to have died of
various diseases incident to the climate, excepting five or six—who are
supposed to have died of yellow fever. After the above period, the fever
assumed the predominant type, and spread death and dismay. From the
tenth of September to the termination of the fever in November, 113
died, (four not of fever;) making the number of our inhabitants, who
probably died of the malignant fever, 115. From July first to December
first, the total number of deaths, including those who died out of town,
and those who died by casualties, was 137. The number of boatmen,
sailors, and workmen discharged from the public works, and transient
persons, who died at Mobile, during the latter period named, is
supposed, from the best information that can be obtained, to have
equalled that of the inhabitants, giving a total of 274.

But to give an adequate idea of “the extent of the sickness and
mortality,” it seems necessary to notice the population of the town at
different periods of its prevalence; and here we must necessarily resort
to conjectural estimates. In the month of July, the resident population
of the town is estimated at 1,300 souls, and on the tenth September,
800, which were, in a few days after the known prevalence of yellow
fever, reduced to 500, and it is to be remarked that a considerable
portion of these were in the suburbs of the town, where the fever did
not prevail.

But in a proportional view of the mortality to the population, exposed
to the disease, the number of our citizens who died of other diseases
antecedent to the prevalence of the fever, boatmen, sailors, and other
transient persons are to be deducted, which would shew the loss of our
inhabitants by the recent fever to be 115: and affords a proof of its
dreadful malignity.

It was observed that the suburbs of the town, at no greater distance
than one mile from the river, were as healthy, during the prevalence of
the fever, as more distant parts of the country; and it is not known
that the disease was communicated, in any instance, to persons out of
the town, by the removal and attendance of the sick. Hence we infer that
the disease is only communicable in the atmosphere where it originated;
and even there, some pre-disposing causes appear to have been
necessarily existing, as a number of persons frequently in rooms with
the sick, the dying and the dead, in circumstances of the greatest
exposure, never took the fever.

Some remarks upon the general state of the country around, in regard to
sickness or health, being intimately connected with this subject, as
influenced by general and common causes, may not be deemed improper. At
New-Orleans, Baton-Rouge, Natchez, and perhaps, generally upon the
Mississippi, as high as the latter place, the same species of fever
seems to have prevailed with great mortality. Natchez and New-Orleans,
it is understood, have suffered beyond any former examples; and in fact,
almost all our cities upon the sea coast, from Maine to Louisiana,
appear to have suffered in a greater or less degree from the same
species of fever; though they were favoured by a long established and
well regulated police.

In the interior of the country, upon the waters of the Tombecbe and
Alabama, the sickness and mortality was greater than was ever known
before. At St. Stephens, Jackson, Fort Claiborne, and other places on
those rivers, bilious fevers, of the worst grade prevailed; and in many
instances we are warranted in saying, that in type and symptoms it
differed little from the fever, which prevailed in this town.

The season has been a very uncommon one, and has produced as uncommon
effects; and wherever it has operated upon local causes, it appears to
have produced malignant fevers. In the town of Mobile,[1] art and labour
could scarcely have combined a more destructive mass, for the production
of malignant fever, under the operation of such a season, than is found
to have been laboriously collected together in filling up lots, streets,
and wharves: and the committee would do injustice to their own feelings,
and their sense of the duty they owe their fellow-citizens, were they to
suppress a warning voice of the danger that yet awaits them: if they be
not zealous and active in removal of the numerous causes of disease,
daily trodden under their feet, daily presented to their view. While
they walk the streets, disease will assail them in every quarter, while
they slumber in their beds, they will breathe the poison of death, until
the yards and enclosures are cleansed—until the streets and wharves are
radically reformed; and then, by the blessing of God, we shall prosper
in health.

                   JACOB LUDLOW,      }
                   DAVID RUST,        }
                   H. V. CHAMBERLAIN, }
                   ADDIN LEWIS,       } _Committee._
                   DR. MAJOR,         }
                   EDWARD HALL,       }
                   PHILIP M’LOSKEY.   }

Footnote 1:

  Limits of the town—three miles in circumference.

------------------------------------------------------------------------



                          TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES


 1. Silently corrected typographical errors and variations in spelling.
 2. Archaic, non-standard, and uncertain spellings retained as printed.
 3. Enclosed italics font in _underscores_.





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