The yellow fever epidemic of 1878, in Memphis, Tenn. : Embracing a complete list of the dead, the names of the doctors and nurses employed, names of all who contributed money or means, and the names and history of the Howards, together with other data, and lists of the dead elsewhere / By J.M. Keating.

  • Keating, John McLeod, 1830-1906
Date:
1879
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The yellow fever epidemic of 1878, in Memphis, Tenn. : Embracing a complete list of the dead, the names of the doctors and nurses employed, names of all who contributed money or means, and the names and history of the Howards, together with other data, and lists of the dead elsewhere / By J.M. Keating. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

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    The oommittoe agreed to meet every morninn;. Also, tliat good nnd Riiffieient bonds be given b}' the treasurer, to the amount of iS]0,000, the seeretary :i(;2,500, and tlie super- intendent $1,000. The bonds were given and approved. Bros. Marcus Jone.s, P. G., G. \V. L. Crook, P. G., and T. N, Johnston, V. G., were appointed an executive committee. It was ordered that they should act in conjunction with the Masonic Belief Committee as far as advisable. The duties of your committee were defined and agreed to, which was to provide foi' the sick, the dying, and the dead, employ nurses, buy and furnish supplies, receive and disburse any donations, and order all authenticated accounts to be paid. At the commencement of the fever, the funds in the hands of the treasurer—the balance of the epidemic fund of 1873—was ,$7,544 37. With the first acts of your committee, there was one donating the sum of $'H}6 to our suffering brothers of Gren'ada, where_ the fever was raging with unheard-of malignity. On the 23d of August, tbe great increase of the fever over the city generally induced the Board of Health to pro- claim the fever had become epidemic, and urged and advised the citizens to leave the city. The daily press also urged every person to do so. Many new cases of sickness were reported this day among the members and families of our Order, and it was be- coming worse daily, but your committee, with sad hearts, continued to perform their duties with hope and courage. On motion, it was agreed that your committee be con- stituted a burial one, with authority to call upon any member of our Order to accom- pany them to funerals, if possible; it was further agreed, that a competent physician ♦ should be employed, and Dr. John Gordon be empl«yed to attend to all eases of sick- ness when ordered to do so by the Board. On the 2(ith day of August Bro. Wm. Henry, secretary, tendered his resignation as Rucli, which was accepted by the committee. Bro. L. S. Burr, P. G., was nominated and elected to fill the ofKce of secretary in his place, and gave his bond for $2,500, which was accepted, and he assumed the duties of the oflice. Bro. J. E. Russell, superintendent of nurses, was taken sick with the fever on the 25th day of August, and Bro. John Linkhauer, in addition to the duties of his oflice, assumed the duties of the superintendent. From tlie first organization of your committee to tliis time, August SOtli, they have been in receipt of daily communications offering material aid and kind Rynipatliy for our sufferers, whicli were answered with thanks, declining the proffered aid ; but in view of the magnitude of the scourge, and the certain exJiaustion of all means at their com- mand in a very short time, your committee decided to accept such offers of aid as might be tendered. After due notice had been given by the Grand Master of this State at this time, Bro. C. M. Carroll, your committee soon commenced to receive funds from most every section of the country. From this time, iSeptember 1st, for .many weeks, tlie fever raged with fearful mortality, and took all the energy and courage of those who escaped it to perform their duty. On the 31st day of August Bro. Jos. Russell died, being the first one of your com- mittee that fell at the post of duty. lie was a good man, and an efficient worker. Bro. E. F. Risk, .Jr., was elected assistant secretary, and Bro. A. Ji. Leroy as assistant superin- tendent of nurses. This was necessitated by the daily increase of the fever. Bro. Geo. W. L. Crook, of your committee, was reported sick with the scourge on the 1st day of September, also Bro. E. F. Risk, Jr., who in a few days followed Bro. Russell to his everlasting home. He was an efficient young man, and his death regretted by all who knew him. On the 2d of September, at a meeting of your committee, Ero. .John Jjinkhauer resigned his position as president of the Board, and was elected general sujjerintendent of nurses. Bro. Marcus Jones was then elected to the position of president of the Board. On motion it was ordered that a notice calling a meeting of brothers should be inserted in the morning papers, which was accordingly done, as follows: 1.0.0. F.—All mend^ers of the different Lodges now in the city are most earnestly requested to meet at the Lodge room this (Tuesday) morning, 3d inst., at 10 o'clock, on important business. Brothers, your services are needed in behalf of the sick and dying. There was no response to this call for help, and your committee considered it their duty to procure help, if j^ossible, from persons not connected with our Order, when im- peratively needed. Bro. II. M. Gage tendered his resignation as vice-president of your committee, as his duties as president of the Knights of Honor required all his time. Bro. Geo. W. L. Crook, P. G., of your committee, died on the 5th day of September. He, too, was an active, energetic worker, and fell doing his duty for the benefit of his fellow-man. Bro. John P. Hoffman having left the city, there was but four of your original committee now on duty. Bro. Rev. E. C. Slater was appointed one of the Executive Committee, vacated by the death of Bro. Crook.