320
HISTORY
OF MIDDLEBURY
CHAPTER
XVII.
HEALTH-DISEASES-MORTALITY.
FEW places, we think, have been more healthful than Middlebury,
with few exceptions, through its whole history. At the time of its first settlement,
the fevers and chills, which are so common in new countries, prevailed here to
a very limited extent, and were scarcely known. There have been occasional epidemics,
to which we shall refer. But the general healthfulness of the town is proved,
as well by the protracted ages of many of the first settlers, who remained in
town, and whose ages we have recorded, as by the bills of mortality. A very destructive
epidemic commenced in the fall of 1812, and continued to rage fearfully through
the year 1813, and extended into 1814. It was a fever, which commenced and rapidly
progressed, with symptoms new to the physicians, and beyond their control. It
is commonly designated as the fever of 1813. It was confined principally to persons
of adult age, and an unusual number of heads of families were removed by it. The
number of deaths, in proportion to the population, was greater than in any other
epidemic in Middlebury. In some of the neighboring towns it was still greater.
Some have supposed, that the disease originated from the troops, employed in the
war, while stationed here or passing through the country. There is however reason
to doubt this supposition. There was a recruiting station here, but the number
of troops collected here, at any one time, was small, and there were none, so
far as we know, in the neighboring towns, where the disease most prevailed. The
troops, which passed through were not delayed in this neighborhood. However that
may be, the mortality was very great for a few months. Dr. Merrill says, "the
deaths in Middlebury, during the months of January, February and March, with a
population of about 2300, was forty-seven."
321
HISTORY
OF MIDDLEBURY.
The
erysipelatous fever prevailed to a fatal extent in 1826. It was particularly destructive
by inducing puerperal fever, which proved fatal in almost every case, and many
of the most respectable females were removed by it. Of this epidemic, Dr. Merrill
says, "The number of deaths, between January 1st, and April 1st, was thirty-five,
nine of them by puerperal fever. Population 3000."
In
the fall of 1841, and winter and spring following, the erysipelatous fever again
prevailed very extensively, as an epidemic, as the writer of this sketch has painful
occasion to recollect. The mortality was large in both these years. According
to the record of the late Dr. J. A. Allen, the whole number of deaths from November
8th to May 9th was fifty; of the epidemic 34, of other diseases 16. In several
other years, of which we are not able to fix the exact date, the typhus fever
has prevailed, so as to increase the average mortality, as has also the dysentery,
especially among children. And in some cases, where no particular disease prevailed
as an epidemic, the number of deaths from old age and chronic diseases has been
above the average. Such was the fact in 1829.
A
remarkable mortality, among prominent citizens in the village, occurred in 1855,
when no epidemic prevailed. The following six gentlemen died of the diseases mentioned
within six months, and the first five within less than four months. Hon. Dorastus,
Wooster of "Fatty degeneration of the heart," January 11; Hon. Ira Stewart of
dropsy in the chest, February 13; Hon. Samuel S. Phelps, of syncopy, induced by
a prostrated condition of his system, March 25; Rev. Thomas A. Merrill, D. D.,
of ossification of the valves of the heart, April 29; Jonathan Hagar, Esq., softening
of the brain, April 20; Hon. Horace Eaton, of inflammation of the bowels, July
4-all except the last of chronic diseases.
The
small pox has several times shown itself here. In January 1802, it prevailed to
such extent, that the town meeting, on the first of February, "Voted that the
selectmen and civil authority of the town of Middlebury be, and they hereby are,
authorized to permit inoculation for the small pox in the town, under such regulations
and restrictions as they may judge prudent, and prohibit at their discretion;"
and a hospital was accordingly established, remote
322
HISTORY
OF MIDDLEBURY.
from the
residences and thoroughfares of the inhabitants. In the spring of 1810, Luke
Wheelock, a partner of David Page in the mercantile business, and brother of
the late Josephus Wheelock, having occasion to visit Montreal in the prosecution
of his business, took the small pox, at that place, of which he died soon after
his return. At this time vaccination had been introduced to some extent. But
so much alarm prevailed, that some of the citizens, not quite satisfied of the
efficacy of that preventive, made application for a town meeting which was held
on the 14th of April, and it was "Voted that the selectmen be authorized to
allow, at their discretion, persons who have been inoculated for the kind pock,
to be inoculated for the small pox, under the direction of experienced physicians,
to be licensed by said selectmen, and to license houses for the purpose, if
necessary. In the spring of 1820, some cases of small pox occurred, and the
patients were removed to a hospital provided for that purpose. Tatnai Prince,
a colored man, who had had the small pox, when young, and had been accustomed
to attend, as a nurse, upon persons having that disease, was employed to take
care of the patients, and from them took the disease and died.
In
January 1832, Miss Church, a young lady in the Female Seminary was attacked with
the small pox and died. One or more others died of the disease, and several, who
had been exposed, narrowly escaped, by being vaccinated, in season to anticipate
the symptoms of the small pox; and some, who had been previously vaccinated, had
severe attacks of the varioloid.
Rev.
Dr. Merrill, when pastor of the Congregational Church, kept a record of the deaths
in town from 1806 to 1842 inclusive, and Dr. Charles L. Allen, a similar record
from 1849 to 1859; Dr. Allen, from these, at our request, has furnished us the
following estimates of the mortality and diseases during those periods.
323
HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY.
Mortality
of Middlebury.
|
RECORDS
|
from
|
1806
|
to
|
1842
|
inclusive
-
|
37
|
years,
|
by
|
T.A. MERRILL.,
D.D.
|
|
"
|
"
|
1840
|
"
|
1859
|
"
|
10
|
"
|
"
|
C.L. ALLEN,
M.D.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
____
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
47
|
"
|
|
|
|
Total number of
deaths recorded, - - - - - 1660
|
|
Annual average, -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 36
|
|
Annual per cent..
1 2-10-one death in 83 persons.
|
Add 25 per cent. as the
probable number omitted-
Total number of deaths (probably) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -2075
Annual average, (probably)- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- -44
Annual per cent. 1 -47-100-one death in 70 persons.
The most fatal years were-
|
1818,
|
Spotted Fever.
|
Mortality
|
3 per cent
|
-one in
|
33 persons.
|
|
1826,
|
Erysipelas.
|
"
|
2 35-100 per cent
|
-one in
|
42 persons.
|
|
1842,
|
"
|
"
|
1 9-10 per cent
|
-one in
|
52 persons.
|
The least mortality occurred
in the years-
|
1817,
|
mortality
|
54-100
|
per cent
|
-one in
|
186
|
persons.
|
|
1824,
|
"
|
65-100
|
"
|
-one in
|
153
|
"
|
The deaths were distributed
among the months as follows:
|
March
|
173
|
February
|
157
|
October
|
135
|
June
|
104
|
|
August
|
170
|
January
|
144
|
May
|
121
|
July
|
102
|
|
September
|
150
|
April
|
135
|
Nov'r
|
107
|
December
|
100
|
The
ages at death were ascertained in 1573 instances. Of these 560, or 35 66-100
per cent, were of children under five.
More
females than males died, the ratio being 46 35-100 males to 53 65-100 females.
Only
during the last ten years have the causes of death been given sufficiently often
to be of practical value.
The
epidemic, endemic and contagious diseases, including scarlet fever, dysentery,
&c., have carried off about one-fifth of the cases, more than half of these
being under five years of age. The constitutional diseases, such as consumption,
dropsy, cancer, &c., comprise nearly one-third of the deaths. Consumption
alone swept off more than one-fifth of those dying in the last ten years, more
than one-half of these being between the ages of fifteen and forty, during the
periods of development and early adult life. Of those thus taken away at the commencement
of active life, there were more than twice as many males as females.
Not
quite four per cent of the deaths were from accidents.
324
HISTORY
OF MIDDLEBURY.
About eight per cent of the deaths,
were from old age, or the natural decay of the body.*
The remaining deaths were mainly of local origin, such as diseases of the brain
and heart, pneumonia, &c. Pneumonia, comprising about seven per cent of the
deaths, has been fatal mainly at the two extremes of life, among young children
and the aged.
----------
*Between one-fifth and one-quarter of the deaths were of persons
over seventy years of age.