A history of the yellow fever : 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: A history of the yellow fever : 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 the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    went to his work and discharged it faithfully. After midnight, Dr. Burchman and Dr. Tuerk came to my bedside, on the first day of my sickness, and ren- dered professional services. May his grave he kept green by some friendly hand in the Mississippi Valley. Dr. Tuerk was a graduate of Heidelberg, Ger- many. I do not know any thing of his previous history. However, I will say that he was one of the hardest workers in the First Ward. 1 valued his friendship, and never will I forget his memory. Dr. McFarland, Savannah, Ga., Hon. Milo Oliu, Augusta, Ga., Dr. T. Grange Simmons, Charleston, Dr. Carswell, Americus, Ga., and Dr. De Graffenreid deserve special notice, and, in fact, a large number of the Southern Howard physicians will tell you what I do. Dr. Carswell indorsed the foregoing. Major Pollard Trezevant, died September 25th, of fever, after an illness of only a few days. Since the epidemic began he had been working as a Howard, never thinking of himself, and only intent upon the good he might do. Major Trezevant, before and during the Avar, held high official positions, but since lias been engaged in the real estate business. A member of one of our most honored families, he owed nothing to that fact. He made himself all that he was by his own efforts, and died, as he lived, an honest man. Mr. Charles G. Fisher, chairman of the Citizens Relief Committee, died and was buried yesterday (September 26, 1878), says the Appeal of the 27th. He had been sick of the fever only a few days, but having overtaxed him- self in his efforts to keep up with all the demands upon his time, he had but little of his native vigor left with which to contend with so violent an enemy. His death was not any more the result of the yellow fever than of overwork. The position he occupied was one of more than ordinary care and responsibility, which, under brighter auspices, would task a very strong man to the utter- most, He might be said literally to be on duty every hour of the twenty-four, for though he had office hours, much of his business was transacted upon the streets, at his home, by the sick-bed, perhaps, of a friend, or wherever else the needy or the friends of the sick might find him. Kind and gentle, lie was also firm and unswerving in the performance of his duty. He felt that to him and his associates the people of the whole country had given a sacred trust, the administration of which required more than ordinary care. He, therefore, scanned narrowly all claims for relief, and impressed on all about him the duty of so apportioning the money and food sent to us by the good people of all the States as to make their charity a beneficence and not a means of encouraging- idleness. In this he succeeded only partially, but failure was due to circum- stances he could not overcome, and which the citizens, though they have re- solved time and again, have not yet been able to overcome. He Avas faithful to his trust, amd zealous in the discharge of his duties. He was also energetic in behalf of the sick as Avell as suffering. His house was a home for many who Avere there nursed safely through the fever, and some Avho died, notwithstand- ing the greatest care. To them all he Avas full of consideration and kindness. He gave them Avhat he could of his time, and nursed them to the neglect of himself. He Avas always equal to the occasion, equal to the demands made upon him, and proved himself throughout the epidemic a hero of heroic mold. Mr. Fisher Avas a member of one of our principal cotton firms, and had, with his partner, Mr. William Gage, built up a business Avithin the past ten years that ranked second to that of no other house in the city. He was popular with the people, and was elected to represent the sixth ward in the Board of Councilmen for several terms. He was a native of Tipton County, a son of Dr. Fisher, of Covington, and served throughout the Avar in the Confederate army, making for himself a name as a brave soldier only second to that which he made within the past few weeks for a moral heroism and courage that crowned his life Avith martyrdom.