Yellow Fever

The Scourge of Yellow Fever Strikes the Mississippi Area ...

As the reconstruction era drew to a close, the coming decade of the 1870's seemed to offer hope for the recovering South. This optimism was short-lived, however, due to major epidemics of yellow fever in 1873, 1878 and 1879. The fever, unbeknownst to physicians of the period, was spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito. Low, swampy lands with shallow wells and open cesspools, provided an ideal breeding ground for these insects. There were terrible sanitary conditions especially in Memphis from the filthy streets and lack of sewage treatment facilities.

The disease was characterized by chills, fever, and body aches at the onset. Then, when the internal organs were attacked, the malfunctioning liver caused a yellowing of the skin. This stage was followed by blood oozing from the nose and mouth and the vomiting of black fluid. Attempted treatments of the disease included bleeding the patient, prescription of huge doses of purgatives and quinine, ice-water baths, hot foot baths and hot plasters but these measures were mostly ineffective.

In Memphis alone in 1873, 25,000 of the 40,000 inhabitants had fled the city; 5,000 of the 15,000 who remained became ill, and 2,000 of those people died. Finally, in late October, frost killed the mosquitoes ending the epidemic for that year!

1878 Epidemic was the worse...

The yellow fever epidemic would devastate the Mississippi Valley in 1878. Between the months of June and December, yellow fever spread to over two hundred communities across eight states, resulting in more than 100,000 cases and approximately 20,000 deaths.

Of all the cities that battled yellow fever during the summer of 1878, Memphis suffered the worst. Those who remained to witness the carnage were overwhelmed with the magnitude of the epidemic. Within days of yellow fever’s arrival, hundreds of Memphians were ill, leaving citizens in a state of panic while officials scrambled to organize medical relief. Of the 20,000 people who remained in the city, over 17,000 contracted yellow fever during the three-month crest of the epidemic. More than 5,000 of these perished.

The epidemic so decimated its population that Memphis became bankrupt in 1879, and was declared a Taxing District of Nashville.

On September 21, a telegram from Memphis was read aloud in Booth’s Theater in New York City. It surmised the damage thus far:

Deaths to date: 2,250; number sick now, about 3,000; average deaths, sixty per cent of the sick. We are feeding some 10,000 persons, sick and destitute, in camps and in the city. Our city is a hospital. Fifteen volunteer physicians have died; twenty others are sick. A great many nurses have died—many that had the fever before, and thought themselves proof. Fever abating some to-day, for want of material, perhaps, and things look a little more hopeful. We are praying for frost—it is our only hope.

Contributions to Cities and States Suffering from Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1878

Total relief equaled $4,548,672 for yellow fever sufferers. Of this amount, $1.2 million came from Northern states, $916,500 from Western states, $100,000 from the U.S. government, and $175,937 from foreign countries.

Northern contributions, therefore, nearly matched the $1.5 million dollars donated throughout the Southern states for yellow fever relief.

Dr. Samuel Lanier Raines sent his family away, but stayed with his neighborhood practice in Whitehaven, TN. When he heard that the local refugee camp, Camp Joe Williams, had lost a life there and an autopsy was being held, he dared to go, hoping to find out something of the causes of the disease. Instead, he contracted it and lost his own life on September 7, 1878. He was born at the Octagon House in 1847; he was only 31 years old.

This tribute article to Samuel Lanier Raines was written by one of his doctor associates.

After the death of Dr. Samuel Lanier Raines, his cousin came to take over his medical practice. Dr. Newton Ford Raines (see Pink Palace Exhibit on left) was the son of Samuel Lucas Raines, Brother of Dr. Nathaniel Raines, the first owner of the Octagon House. Dr. Newton Ford Raines was a typical family doctor who would go wherever and whenever he was called, to rich and poor, white or colored families - the only requirement being need of a doctor. At one time, there were as many as six Raines serving the public as medical doctors!

Colonel Green L. Blythe dies of Yellow Fever

Another casualty of the Yellow Fever epidemic. He would die in early October of 1878 at the age of 54. He had extensive land holdings in Northern Mississippi; before his estate could be settled, his daughter, Frostie Blythe (age 3 died) and his wife, Evaline, who was pregnant at the time of Colonel Green L. Blythe's yellow fever death lost the child she was carrying. Evaline Blythe would continue to live in the Octagon House until her death in 1890.

Learn More About Yellow Fever Epidemic Here

Yellow Fever Sufferers of 1878

Yellow Fever Memories - 1879

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