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Subject: Re: [TGF] Social Commentary from beyond the grave
Date: Tue, 25 May 2010 06:08:14 -0500 (CDT)
Susan,
Thanks for responding.
Actually, the "spotted fever" I am referring to was in southern Indiana in
the 1850s, 1860s, and 1870s. It would take out entire families within
hours or days of each other, as evidenced by the burials in various
cemeteries, where one can see the dates on the stones. The children seemed
to be most effected, though adults died of it too.
I have a copy of a death notice where one young man seemed well enough to go
to work that morning and was dead by evening. However, I dodn't have proof
that he died of "spotted fever."
His death notice in the Corydon Democrat reads: "DIED. At the residence of
his father in this place, on Friday morning, March 22nd, of spotted fever,
William Mowrer, son of Ephraim and Mary J. Mowrer, aged 15 years, 5 months
and 19 days. The deceased who had been employed in the Democrat [newspaper]
office for about two years, was at his usual post of duty on Wednesday
morning, but feeling indisposed, engaged a printer to fill his place, and
returned home, but spent most of the day reading. In the evening he became
worse, when medical aid was summoned, and all was done that medical skill
could do to arrest the progress of this most dangerous disease. He continued
to sink rapidly until Friday morning, when death relieved him of his
suffering, and all that was immortal of that dutiful son, and promising,
industrious young man."
William's funeral was conducted Saturday at the M.E. Church at 4 o'clock
p.m. I gather this was a public funeral.
His surviving brother Frank was one of several children. Only Frank and his
younger brother, Giles, survived the terrible outbreak of "spotted fever".
Frank later wrote a letter in the 1940s telling another relative that he
suffered a long illness of the disease [spotted fever] as a child and
remained crippled from it the remainder of his life. As he got older he was
a patient in the Little Sisters of the Poor home operated by the Catholic
Church in Louisville, Kentucky. He hadn't been taken out of doors in
years. He was in such poor health.
My son had viral menengitis several years ago and it was scarey to watch him
with his fever that would spike. It took him a while to recover. So now I
am curious, why they would call this disease "spotted fever".
Susan, you have given me something to think about and I will want to
research this. Thank you for your comments.
Cheryl Proctor
Old Capitol Research Genealogical and Historical Services
www.oldcapitolresearch.com
May 25, 2010 03:23:39 AM,
wrote:
Message: 1
Date: Mon, 24 May 2010 07:06:16 -0700
From: "Susan G. Johnston"
Subject: Re: [TGF] Social Commentary from beyond the grave,
Cheryl,
>Assuming the "spotted fever" you ask about refers to the disease that
caused so many deaths in New England in 1812 and 1813, etc., it was more
formally known as "epidemic cerebro-spinal meningitis". Googling that term
will bring up several old medical journals and some modern ones that discuss
the disease.
Regards,
Susan Johnston
>> Has anyone heard of "spotted fever"? Not to be confused with Rocky
Mountain Spotted fever. A doctor once told me this was a former name
for small pox. Anyone know for sure?
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