Many times of tragedy have hit our country including Kentucky. Many of us have heard of the devastating cholera epidemic that visited KY in 1854 after the circus came to various towns. This disease which raged for many months, wrought destruction on not only Glasgow (who reportedly lost 50% of its population), but followed the circus from Tennessee, through Kentucky and into Missouri and Illinois. Due to the lack of knowledge of how to treat cholera at the time, and the confusion of why the epidemic lasted so long here, it was a fearful time. But, this was not the first time that cholera struck Kentucky and involved the south central portion of the state. In India, 1826, the epidemic began. By 1831, due to the early travels of citizens, it reached the British Isles and soon found its way across the Atlantic Ocean. Finding New York City as a lucrative home away from home, the city was soon to be experiencing many deaths from the deadly disease, Asiatic Cholera. By 1832, this dread disease was moving ever so slowly westward and Kentucky braced for the first report. It was said that Kentucky doctors were telling the people to have no fear since they believed the disease to be non-fatal if treated promptly. The physicians held to the theory of the day that cholera was caused by poisonous gases produced by rotting vegetable matter. So they told the people to just avoid these gases, stay out of the mid-day sun, don’t become chilled, don’t eat indigestible foods and avoid “ardent spirits.” Cholera was a painful way to die. It was spread through drinking water contaminated by fecal discharges of other cholera patients and caused copius and purging diarrhea, vomiting, muscle cramps and general prostration. The patient rapidly became dehydrated, weak, had below normal temperatures and many other horrid symptoms. But, the general population trusted their doctors and just avoided rotting vegetables! In October 1832, cholera reached Kentucky. It is reported to have come from a cook who worked between Cincinnati and Louisville. By early November 122 fatalities had been reported. Next came Henderson, Maysville, Frankfort, Bardstown and Lexington. 10% of the population of Henderson died. But then an early frost seemed to arrest the spread of cholera and everyone thought the worst was over. The people went about their lives and started the new year of 1833 with great optimism. But with the renewal of spring came the cholera. It began again in May of that year and panic ensued. People fled the town in great numbers and by mid June 60 people had died. 1 Wherever the people fled, they took the Asiatic Cholera with them. People along the Maysville-Lexington Road were infected, it followed them through Flemingsburg (1/6th died who remained). Elizaville was wiped off the map. Those in Shebourne fled to the mountains for safety; Blue Lick and Harrodsburg were hit hard. Lexington didn’t worry – it had been billed as the healthiest town in the state. But shortly after a torrential rain storm there, 50 people died in one day and 1/3rd of the population of 6,000 fled. And again, the trail of death followed them. Versailles and Nicholasville were spared. Frankfort had over 100 deaths in the country. Lancaster lost 116; Somerset 34; Danville, 55. Centre College in Danville closed and the students ran out in a panic. Richmond lost 17; Winchester, 25. And then there was Louisville. While the newspapers only reported 15-20 deaths, the citizenry reported many more. But, Louisville was not panicked. They felt they were safe because the cholera had not originated in their city and that offered them protection. 2 The epidemic was getting closer by the day to south central Kentucky. By Spring 1834, it had made its way to Bowling Green, KY and was reported that the town had expected to be spared. But, Bowling Green, Glasgow and Greensburg all suffered from the cholera. Russellville, in Logan County, took the brunt of the epidemic. In 1835, during a three-week period, 147 people died and most of the other residents fled. 3 Life changed drastically for the towns infected. It was noted that wills were drawn up, medications purchased, farewell letters written to loved ones. People who had been living a sinful life fled to the church for confessions and prayers. Towns were vacant, business was stopped, fields were left to grow with weeds. Steamboats were docked, stores, taverns and hotels were closed. Police stopped walking the beat, many physicians fled in terror and left their patients unattended. Those remaining were in a state of physical and emotional exhaustion. Newspapers were seldom printed except to list the latest fatalities. Coffin making was so in demand that many people were buried in trunks and boxes, or wrapped in the bed linens upon which they had died. Special carts made the rounds of the city streets to try to collect the coffins or enshrouded bodies. No clergy performed the funeral, and it was reported that at one town cemetery, the coffins, boxes or bodies were dropped inside the cemetery gate and just left for fear of contamination. Many in the south central KY area were just pushed into a shallow trench and the decaying flesh could be smelled for miles. 4 Since cholera lowered the heart beat and body temperature, it is feared that many people were buried prematurely. Theories as to the cause of cholera continued for many years. Some blamed it on God’s judgment. Others who died were accused of being wicked or of possessing a secret vice. Filth, poverty and vice were blamed in Louisville. Family traits and genes were blamed – the “lower life” were said to get cholera. Fresh fruits and vegetables were still suspect thus most people didn’t eat these during the epidemics. Treatments to the infected were pathetically ineffective. In the later Glasgow epidemic, drinking water with pine tar was the hopeful cure. When medicines were prescribed, the majority contained calomel, opium and performing a lancet. Calomel was a mercuric chloride compound used to treat other diseases. Opium was added to relieve muscle spasms and cramps and to calm the stomach. Lancet was what is also known as bleeding the victim that they believed would reduce the congestion in the blood vessels. Hot packs were used to retain the body heat since body temperatures dropped drastically. Some physicians prescribed the following: 1 ounce opium 1 oz. gum of myrrh 2 scruples of camphire [a scruple is approximately 20 grains] 60 gr of musk 2 scruples of flower of Benzoin 1 scruple of Incense of Irodine [iodine] 5 pints of French Brandy One teaspoon was to be taken 2-3 times a day as a preventative. This was followed by a ½ glass of wine every 15 minutes. 5 With that much alcohol, at least they didn’t suffer as much! The epidemic finally came to a close in the fall of 1835 when Kentucky experienced a cold fall. Cholera was never totally eradicated from the United States, and various cases were experienced yearly. But the Trail of Death finally was stopped. ______ 1 “History of Maysville and Mason County, Kentucky (Lexington, 1936), pp. 178-179, a quote from the Lexington Observer of June 1, 1833. 2 Lexington Observer, Juy 7, 183; William R. Finn to Felix G Hansford, June 17, 1833, Felix G Hansford Collection (West Virginia University, Morgantown). 3 Kentucky Gazette, July 20, 1834; Jacob Wythe Walker to David Walker, Aug. 1, 1835, W. Lemke, ed. Most of the deaths in Russellville included in the papers of the Rev. David Norton and housed in the Filson Club. 4 Charles Short to William Short, June 16, 1833, Short Papers. 5 Dr Potter’s recipe, 1833, found among the Clark Papers (Kentucky Historical Society, Frankfort.) Information also found in “A Kentucky Sampler”, Essays from the Filson Club Quarterly, 1826-1976, Edited by Lowell Harrison & Nelson L. Dawson, University Press of Kentucky, (c) 1977) in an article by Nancy D Baird, Filson Club Quarterly July 1974, vol. 48, pp. 228-40. (c) Copyright 20 September 2001, Sandra K.Gorin, All Rights Reserved. sgorin@glasgow-ky.com