Ohio History Journal

OHIO MEDICAL HISTORY--PRE-CIVIL WAR

PERIOD

 

THE FIRST YEAR OF THE SECOND EPIDEMIC OF

ASIATIC CHOLERA IN COLUMBUS, OHIO--1849

 

By JONATHAN FORMAN

 

Cholera, because of its sudden appearance, its high mortality

and the frightfulness of its dead, has always been a dramatic

character in the history of the human race.

Some years ago the writer told the story of the first cholera

epidemic in Columbus, that of 1833.1 This was the great epidemic

surpassing any pestilence that ever afflicted this city. At that

time, the epidemic was traced from Bengal (1817) on the Ganges

over Asia through Russia, across Europe to Ireland, thence to

Quebec in 1832; from lower Canada to upper Canada; from Buf-

falo with the soldiers of the Black Hawk War to Ft. Dearborn

via Detroit and so down the Mississippi; from New York down

the coast and around to New Orleans; in fact, all over the United

States and Canada except Central Ohio. The next summer, how-

ever, it entered Columbus where it struck with unusual violence

and "continued considerably longer than it ... [had] usually done

in towns similarly situated and comparing with it in population."

In the issue of October 12, 1833, the Ohio State Journal2 an-

nounced correctly that "Columbus may now be considered en-

tirely free from disease, and as healthy as in the most favorable

seasons." During the next few years no cases of cholera occurred

in Columbus. Though the town had received a serious set-back.

the epidemic, however, was soon forgotten.

The completion of the National Highway and the great suc-

cess of the Ohio Canal gave great impetus to the growth of the

1 Jonathan Forman, "The First Cholera Epidemic in Columbus, Ohio (1833)."

The Annals of Medical History (1934), n. s. VI, No. 5, pp. 410-26.

2 The files of the Ohio State Journal make up the real source material used in the

preparation of this paper.

303

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304   OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

city. These improvements were shortly followed by the appear-

ance of the railroads. By I849, an epoch of general prosperity

had developed, not previously equalled or since surpassed. More

buildings were demanded than there were workingmen to build

them. Houses sprang up in all parts of the city and were rented

or sold as fast as they could be built.

Among the larger structures erected were the Starling Medi-

cal College and the Gwynne Block on Town Street. In 1846, an

act of the legislature had authorized resumption of work on the

State House and, by the summer of 1849, the edifice was some

eight or ten feet high and some of the lower arches had been set.

In 1840, the population of Columbus numbered 6,048, but

with the revival of business the growth was rapid and in 1848

an enumeration of the population was made and recorded as

12,804.  Of these, 1,007 were colored people. In 1850, the

national census revealed a city of 17,811 with 19 churches.3

The appearance of cholera again in New York City com-

pelled the Columbus City Council in February, 1848, to re-

establish its Board of Health.   This board was composed of

Doctors Robert Thompson, John B. Thompson, R. L. Howard,

Samuel M. Smith and S. Z. Seltzer, Isaac Cool, John L. Gill,

Alexander E. Glenn. James Cherry and Uriah Stotts. The council

in its ordinance of creation gave the Board these powers:

to take the most prompt and efficient measurce to prevent the introduction

of contagious, malignant, dangerous and infectious diseases into the city and

for the immediate and safe removal of any person or persons who may be

found therein infected with any such disease.

Just as during the previous epidemic of cholera in 1833, the

Board set out at once to clean up the city. It appealed to the

citizens by saying, "There is scarcely a street, lane or alley in

the city but needs more or less cleaning. Many lots and grounds

attached to dwellings are in a filthy condition, and calculated at all

times to excite disease."

It was the same story as 16 years earlier. In January, 1840.

200 persons had died of cholera in New Orleans and already there

had been 11 deaths in Cincinnati, but the people of Columbus

 

3 Franklin  County, Historical Record of Its Development, Resources, Industries.

Institutions and Inhabitants (Columbus, Ohio, 1901).

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OHIO MEDICAL HISTORY--PRE-CIVIL WAR       305

 

were apathetic to their danger. The offal of the slaughter houses

and other kinds of filth were dumped on the ground and allowed

to putrify until the nearby inhabitants were "greatly incommoded"

--a nice phrase used by one of the local newspapers of the day.

The Ohio State Journal affirmed that the alley between State and

Town streets "has piles of manure etc., in every part of it".

People in the south end of the city have apparently always had

the problem  of enduring the system    of sewage disposal. A

contributor to the State Journal of June 27, 1849, aroused, no

doubt by the arrival a few days before that date of the dreaded

cholera, wrote:

Several thousands of dollars have lately been appropriated to build a

fine sewer down Broad Street (From Washington) to carry the filth from

the Lunatic Asylum and deposit in the river with that which comes from

the Neil House, the American Hotel and several other places around the

city.

This nauseous matter is lodged at the foot of town by the Feeder

dam, and we who live in that part of Columbus are almost driven from

our homes by the offensive miasma which rises from the stagnant matter.

Almost every case of cholera that has occurred in town has originated in

this neighborhood.

As was customary with newspapermen in those days, a bitter

feud went on between the editor of the Statesman and that of the

Ohio State Journal. The editor of the Statesman had come out

boldly for a radical cleaning up of all the streets and alleys.

Whereupon the editor of The Ohio State Journal made a careful

survey of the city and in the reports made to his readers on June

28 stated that the Jewett property where the epidemic began and

to which most people pointed the finger of suspicion was clean

and in good order and had been occupied by clean and decent

citizens. He, apparently, however, was quite surprised to find

that the filthiest place in town was in the alley as it passed The

Statesman's office.

The editor of The Ohio State Journal, early in the epidemic,

warned the people against the excessive use of chloride and lime,

which had been highly advertised as the proper chemical to use

during the first epidemic. In an editorial on June 30, he wrote:

"Next to the actual presence of the epidemic of cholera itself, the

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306  OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

most dangerous influence to which persons are likely to be ex-

posed, rises from the intemperate use of those agents which are

commonly supposed to be antidotes. The use of quicklime in

dwellings and confined situations is to be condemned."

As was true in the first epidemic, the papers of the time

soon began to carry advertisements for remedies, and nostrums of

all kinds. Early in January when there was news of the ravages

of cholera in New Orleans and up the Mississippi, John Bull's

Fluid Extract of Sarsaparilla was given a prominent display

under the bold headlines "Cholera! Cholera! Purify the System !"

Later came Dr. Charles D. Foote's "Cholera Specific". One of

the advertisements that seized the opportunity was by the H. Coles

and Company, of 131 High Street, who offered a house of good

size in the town of Worthington under the bold heading of "Pre-

vention of Cholera." They pointed out in their advertisement that

not one case of cholera occurred in Worthington, when it visited

Columbus in 1833. They ventured the assertion that anyone liv-

ing in Worthington during the coming summer would be safe.

The citizens of Columbus were quite credulous. They bought

amulets, nostrums, patronized the steam doctors and the botanics,

even more freely than they patronized the regular medical pro-

fession. They didn't, however, fall for this one--The advertise-

ment was carried from January 13 until late in July in each issue

of the Ohio State Journal.

As in the last epidemic, J. H. Riley and Company and other

local book dealers continued to advertise Professor C. B. Cov-

entry's new work on cholera as well as all of the other current

volumes on the subject.

The newspapers of the day continued to carry warnings

against "fresh fruit and green vegetables which still abound in

the markets and find ready purchase." As a proof of the wisdom

of these warnings, the incidents cited one where proper ladies

of the city passing by a hovel at the corner of Third and Town

Streets severely chided some seven or eight little Negroes who

were indulging themselves in the questionable pastime of eating

green apples. Within a few days, five of these ignorant children

were dead of the cholera. Although the town of Circleville itself

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OHIO MEDICAL HISTORY--PRE-CIVIL WAR  307

 

remained practically free of the disease, the nearby Renick farms

had some 74 hired men, of whom nearly half died. During his

own convalescence, the owner made a careful study of the situa-

tion, with the aid of his farm manager, the doctor from Lock-

bourne who was in attendance and others of his friends. A

report of their investigations was published in the newspapers,

and in this they stated that the contagion came from the potatoes

which the men had eaten.

The papers made much of the fine cool weather and the

health of Columbus citizens, all intended, no doubt, to allay fear.

Though the local weather annals of 1849 are meager, the record

shows that until the beginning of January, the weather had been

mild. A heavy snowfall accompanied by freezing took place on

April 17 and the month of May was gentle and showery. The

first three weeks in June were cool, requiring a little blaze to

warm the houses.

On May 27, Allen W. Turner, who arrived by stagecoach

a couple of days before, from Cincinnati, died of cholera con-

tracted in that city. This was the first case of this epidemic for

Columbus. But Asiatic cholera really began on the twenty-first

of June, 1849, about the time when it had started its ravages in

1833. Its first victims were four members of the family of

George B. Smith who lived in the Jewett Block.

Many citizens soon fled from the city. Panic reigned. The

newspapers and civic leaders did all they could to shame or

coax the citizens to stay and face the danger. Apparently the

Board of Health appointed the year before, had not continued in

the diligent paths in which it began its work. Whether this was

due to professional jealousies, the writer has not been able to

ascertain. At any rate, an editorial appears in the Ohio State

Journal for July 25 which says, "The Board of Health, as a body,

is now defunct. Tis well. Let a new one be organized and

differently constructed. It were better there were no physician

on the Board. Unless there shall be more occasion, than at pres-

ent exists, the whole Board may well be dispensed with." Never-

theless, two days later, a new Health Board was established, its

members being George B. Harvey, Isaac Dalton. W. W. Pollard.

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308  OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL

 

N. W. Smith and James Cherry. The Board made daily reports

until September 6 and were diligent in their attempts to control

the disease.

As it did in   1833, the second visitation of this scourge

promptly invaded the Ohio Penitentiary, only it was more severe

this time.  On the morning of June 30, 1849, the first case was

reported among the prisoners. Dr. H. Lathrop, the regular prison

physician being out of the city, Dr. William Trevitt was called

in. Dr. Lathrop returned that afternoon, but asked Dr. Trevitt

to stay and help him. In the first nine days that cholera raged

in the prison, 396 inmates were prescribed for by these two

physicians and there had been 21 deaths.

On the twelfth of July, 12 more victims died and the Di-

rectors, in their alarm, sent out for more physicians. The most

prominent and skillful responded.      Drs. B. F. Gard, Robert

Thompson, J. B. Thompson, J. Morrison and Norman Gay (whom

our older citizens still remember)--A number of medical students

and citizen volunteers were engaged to act as nurses. All work

of the prisoners was stopped on the State House and in the work-

shops. The hospitals were depressingly overcrowded with the

sick, the dying and ghastly bodies of the dead.     Panic reigned.

The idle workshops were promptly converted into hospital wards.

To add to the difficulty of the situation, many of the guards also

became panic-stricken and deserted. The situation has been most

dramatically portrayed in the 1901 history of Columbus.

From the pressure of necessity, the erstwhile strict discipline of the

prison was relaxed, the prisoners being allowed almost unrestrained inter-

course. Thus, every opportunity was afforded them to reveal their true

characters. Some exhibited manly heroism or stoical indifference, while

others displayed the most timid, nervous and striking agitation. The im-

pulse to flee was checked by frowning prison walls, while sore distress and

death reigned on every hand. To pass through the prison yard at this time

was a severe trial, both of heart and nerve, and it was impossible, without

emotions deep and soul-stirring, to meet the eager, over-wrought throng that

crowded about one at every step and hear their pitiful pleadings--"In God's

name, sir, can we not have our pardons?" "Will not the Governor come

and have mercy upon us?"  "Must we be kept here to die? "I plead for

my liberty and my life."

The scene can be better imagined than described. It was gruesome

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OHIO MEDICAL HISTORY---- PRE-CIVIL WAR

 

enough, from any standpoint.    Many of the prisoners entreated earnestly,

importunately, not to be locked up in their cells, promising the best behavior

in return for such indulgence. The Warden, persuaded that a relaxation of

discipline would be beneficial, determined to try the experiment of leaving

the prisoners out of their cells. Many feared that unpleasant consequences

would result from   this course and predicted insubordination, mutiny and

revolt.  But these fears were not realized.   The prisoners seemed to be

deeply grateful for the forbearance shown them and the interest taken in

their welfare. They rendered very efficient aid when help was so much

needed, and, in many cases, were bold and unflinching in administering to

the relief of the sick.

For 16 days and nights, no key was turned upon a prisoner.       Yet,

during all that time, perfect order and due subordination prevailed, Over

these days and nights were a veritable reign of terror. Many of the con-

victs were pardoned by the Governor, but it was soon found that the pris-

oners were safer within the walls than on the exterior.     Their presence

outside created a panic, people shunning a pardoned convict as a walking

pestilence and, if attacked by the cholera, lie was almost certain to perish

for want of care.4

The epidemic climaxed with a burst of 22 deaths.              At the

end of this day, the two physicians went home never to return,

for both were stricken with the disease which they had fought so

valiantly.   Dr. Gard5 succumbed to the severe ailment within 24

hours, while Dr. Lathrop fought on for 4 days and nights. The

memory of these two physicians, their bravery, professional zeal.

and devotion to duty should command respect.               Deaths in the

prison gradually subsided until on July 30 the last one occurred.

So the epidemic within the prison walls lasted           just one month

to the day.6

 

4 Ohio State Journal, July 13, 1849, stated:  "MELANCHOLY  DEATH--We

learn from a gentleman in this city, that a convict, whose pardon was obtained on

Wednesday, died of cholera last night, in the woods, two miles from beyond New

Albany, a village in the northeastern part of this county. He had passed a part of the

first night on the porch of a tavern in the village. Some good assurance should

certainly be given by parties who procure these pardons, that they will not abandon

the pardoned convict to so dreadful a fate. We shall undoubtedly hear of more

instances of this kind."

5 Dr. B. F. Card was seized with the cholera at I I P. AM. and died the next

day at 1:30. He was a native of Washington County, had practiced previously about

12 miles from Columbus in Pickaway County, where he had served in the Ohio

legislature. He was one of the Directors of the Ohio Penitentiary.

6 The Louisville Journal is quoted in the Ohio State Journal of June 20 as follows:

"The PICAYUNE says, medical students in New Orleans were the first to take alarm

on the appearance of cholera, in that city and that 'They fled, many of them, like

wild deer, startled by the woodmen's bugle.' We are happy to state that such cannot

be said of the medical students in this city." Unfortunately the students at the Star-

ling Medical College had no opportunity to exhibit their bravery along with that

of their teachers, because their term had ended long before the epidemic began and

was over well before they returned. A few who were resident in the city did volunteer

to serve as nurses in the Penitentiary.

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310     OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

There are many amusing accounts mixed by the tragedy and

pain throughout the summer--Welch and Delevan's Circus arrived

in town on July 30 but gave up the idea of setting up for the

advertised exhibit and went into quarters in Columbus because

of the country-wide spread of the cholera.

The telegraph was young in those days. The first wire into

Columbus was from Pittsburgh and its first message came in on

the evening of August 11, 1847.                    By 1849, there were 2 lines

to Cincinnati and one to Chillicothe.              The first notable false dis-

patch, which added a good deal to the anxiety of our cholera-rid-

den city was one which announced the death of President Taylor

of cholera.

Also belonging to the variety of curiosa was the appearance

of a great number of quacks with many means of cure and pre-

vention. The best of these claimed to be a Moroccan who ped-

dled highly aromatic amulets made of "a berry that grows upon

a tree on Mount Lebanon, and a botanical garden near Jerusalem."

He was able to sell a good many of these trinkets at from one to

four dollars each.

Under the striking title of "PANIC--STAMPEDE--ROLL

ING TEN PINS--CHOLERA" the Ohio State Journal of June

26 ran a most amusing story about the epidemic. It seemed to

be a matter of editorial policy on the part of both papers to claim

that the health of the community, aside from the cholera, was

good and to gather as many funny stories about cholera and its

victims as they could. Apparently this was an attempt to make

light of the dreaded disease. The story of Mr. Brown s prob-

ably the best of the series.

Mr. Brown, on Public Lane, by profession a mason, who was (by

mistake) reported in the city papers of yesterday, as nearly dead with

cholera, is still alive, to the joy of his friends and the happiness of his

family. Mr. Brown is, on ordinary occasions, a sober, temperate, laborious

citizen, but he has his weaknesses--so has everybody, even if his name

ain't Brown. Mr. Brown had a felon on his finger. And he couldn't sleep

o'nights or work o'days. Mr. Brown took to rolling tenpins and, as he

was a little afraid of the cholera, took the antidote occasionally, say a dram

between each two games. Mr. Brown became, strangely affected thereby.

He was afraid that he was suffering under the premonitories, he doubled

the dose, found the weakness in his legs and the disturbance of his stomach

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OHIO MEDICAL HISTORY--PRE-CIVIL WAR          311

 

on the increase, went home, embraced his wife, sent a boy posthaste for all

the doctors in town, casted up his accounts and went into a collapse, . . .

under the advice of a German physician who dropped in opportunely with

his acet. and plumb. and capsicumi, Red Hot for the occasion.

On the promulgation of the intelligence, of the attack, a general

stampede commenced in the neighborhood. Pots, kettles, beds, and bedding.

chairs, and children, bedsteads and babies, were hurriedly bundled into all

the extemporary vehicles of the vicinage and a general flight commenced.

So frightened was one poor fellow, the father of the boy, who went

to rally the medical faculty, that he refused to check his retreat to take up

his son in the street, but heroically abandoned him to the underwriters.

He dashed ahead to save the rest of the family from the contagion,

which he believed to be at his heels in hot pursuit.  On the arrival

of the medical gentleman, he found the patient daubed from   head to

foot with capsicum and sinapisms, while his stomach was still supposed to

contain a pretty general assortment of drugs and medicines, portions of

which in a state of compound unknown to the dispensatory were occasionally

conveyed to the light, mingled with a pretty strong suspicion of the fumes

of cognac and Maglory. Mr. Brown recovered as was to be expected. The

cause of his disease, is supposed to be a pretty free indulgence in ten pins

upon an empty stomach. The unfortunate operation of the medicine--similis

simlilibus instead of contraria contrariis, as was his intention in taking it.

The disease in the city continued on through the summer,

pretty much confined during the last four weeks to the German

immigrant population of the south end. It was about the middle

of September when the disease abated in the city, although there

were no deaths in the Ohio Penitentiary after July 30.          The

Board reported 162 deaths in the city from       cholera.  This, of

course, did not include the 116 deaths in the Penitentiary, which

made the total deaths in Columbus, during the second visitation.

number 272.    Among the victims were Drs. Gard, Lathrop and

Isaac F. Taylor.7

In the development of culture, we are the resultant of our

resources divided by the number of our population. Ohio, at

one time, according to Dr. Paul Sears, was more overcrowded

by its 12,000 Indians than it is now by its 7,000,000 inhabitants.

In the evolution of this culture we have passed through a

series of steps beginning with the primitive pioneer existence

only slightly above that of the native Indian. The transition to an

 

7 Alfred     E. Lee. History of the City of Columbus, the Capital of Ohio (New York).

1892), 2               vols.

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312  OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

industrial civilization, with its attendant curse, the city, brought

overcrowding and congestion.  We first acquired a backyard

privy which had few advantages over no privy at all. These

privies were undoubtedly the means of spreading epidemics such

as cholera. Progress and fewer epidemics came with the indoor

toilet, or at least with one attached to the city sewers, with its

plumbing. Though the sewerage system has resulted in depriv-

ing our soil of vital minerals and someday soon we must learn

to recover and return to the soil all these vital minerals that

sanitation has taught us to dispose of in sewerage, yet with the

installation of sewerage, cholera retreated to the tropics, where

it still remains endemic.

Thus ended Columbus' second experience with the dreaded

Asiatic cholera, but the demon's appetite was not yet satiated,

for the disease returned the next year. That year, it began with

the death of Mrs. Robert Russell in the United States Hotel on

the northwest corner of Town and High streets and raged until

about the middle of September with the same virulence and fatality

as in the preceding year. The population of the city was then

17,882. As usual about one-fourth fled from the city. There

were 225 deaths among those who stayed and faced it. There was

no cholera in 1851; a few cases appeared in 1852 and in 1854: but

this was the last sizable visitation.

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