Yellow Fever, Health Commissioner’s Report, 1879-1880
The Health Commissioner of St. Louis City issued his annual report for the fiscal year, 1879–1880. Included in this report were names of citizens who died from yellow fever.
“During the past year three deaths occurred from yellow fever, the victims being fugitives from Memphis, Tennessee. Quarantine, but only in a limited way, and in no way to be compared with the stringency exercised and demanded in 1878, was established, being a welcome refuge to the unfortunate sick that came up from the South on boats. The sanitary condition of Quarantine Hospital has been wonderfully improved by you; new, spacious, well lighted and ventilated, and, above all, properly drained wards have taken the place of the old, dilapidated and disagreeable structures, that were fraught with infection stored up in the late unprecedented visitation of yellow fever, and during all the years that these unsightly buildings harbored the chronic sick of this city. Fire was regarded as the only means to effect eradication of the baneful influences exercised by these old wards, and was promptly applied. The improved general health the year around of the employees of the grounds evidences the wisdom of this step.”
The three deaths were Julius Seales, W. A. J. Slaughter, and Samuel Grimes. The original annual report is available at Missouri Historical Society Library.
With the suggestion of Dennis Northcott, Audrey Flavin transcribed and contributed this information for publication in the 1999 St. Louis Genealogical Society Quarterly, volume 32, number 4, pages 145–148.
Deaths Resulting from Yellow Fever
Last modified: 06-Jul-2016 11:00