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From: Memoirs of Milwaukee County Lieut. Col. Jerome A. Watrous, Editor Volume I Madison, Wis., Western Historical Association, 1909 Pages 501-502 "Cholera made its appearance in some parts of the United States in 1848, but it did not reach Milwaukee until the following year, when, owing to the absence of effectual quarantine regulations, it was brought in by immigrants. The first case was in July, 1849, and within a week six deaths from cholera were reported. Then the authorities undertook to do what they should have done before. The common council passed an ordinance prohibiting persons from landing from the passenger boats until after a strict examination into their health, and all physicians were required to report promptly every case of cholera, under penalty of a fine of $50 or thirty days in jail. By the middle of August the deaths numbered from five to ten daily, and of the 209 cases reported, 104 resulted in death. Again the Sisters of Charity did a good work, many of those who fell victims to the pestilence being cared for in the infirmary at the corner of Jackson and Oneida streets. In 1850 the city council conferred on the board of health power 'to employ physicians, abate nuisances, and take all necessary measures to prevent a recurrence of the cholera epidemic.' "But all these precautions were unavailing, as the epidemic of 1850 was more general than that of the preceding year, and the disease assumed a more malignant form. The first case of this year presented itself on July 4, and the pestilence spread with startling rapidity. Men left their homes in their usual state of health in the morning and before nightfall were cold in death. A number of persons were attacked while walking along the streets and died where they fell. From the fact that at that time there was no regularly organized health department, no reliable statistics of the epidemic have been preserved, but it is certain that 300 or more died of cholera this year. Physicians generally remained at their posts of duty, doing all in their power to relieve the sufferers and check the progress of the awful malady. One of the doctors of that day, in describing the situation that prevailed during the scourage, said: 'The disease assumed its most terrible aspect during August and September, when it was difficult to provide for the living orproperly bury the dead. At one time there were eighteen bodies awaiting burial at the Catholic cemetery; and in one house seven dead bodies were found. The whole epidemic formed a chapter of horrors.'" |