Sickness Ravages Harpers Ferry

As certainly as one season of the year is less favorable to health than another, we must expect, during the present month, to hear of much sickness and increased mortality. Of one who is taken sick you hear more than of twenty who are well, and reports of the sickliness, where it prevails, are therefore generally exaggerated. It is certain, however, that, for several weeks past, the country has been unusually sickly, not on tide water only, but as high up as the Blue Ridge, and beyond it. In some neighborhoods, there is scarcely a family that has not one or more persons in it confined by illness. Harper’s Ferry has suffered as much as any town we know of. A number of persons have died there, and many more yet sick. The publication of the newspaper lately established there has been suspended for four or five weeks, from the death of one of the proprietors, and the severe illness of the other. This town being situated on the point formed by the confluence of Potoamc and Shenandoah rivers, the cause of the unusual sickness is generally referred to the low water in the Potomac, laying bare, in many places, great part of the bed of the river, leaving much vegetable matter exposed to putrefaction, and stagnant water in the clefts of the rocks. These causes, however, do not exist along the mountain country generally, and we should rather suppose the germ of disease to be more general, and, to arise more from the common course of nature, which gives to our August and September sun an influence prejudicial to health.

From Norfolk, we are sorry to learn that the mortality there increases, instead of diminishing. Great alarm generally prevails, and the population is at length rapidly removing. Within the pale of the infected district, the Herald of Monday says, “the mortality has been very great for several days past.” The disease, however, is said not to be incurable, one of the physicians having cured 16 patients out of 27. The Herald advises, however, all persons feeling themselves in danger to remove instantly: we wish it had advised all others too, for none are more likely to suffer than those who brave the danger. The deaths announced by name in Monday’s paper, are Mr. John Perry, formerly of the firm of Perry & Boush, a gentleman greatly respected; James L. Piercy, shipwright; Amizi Meshural, of Southington, Connecticut; and a Mr. Gray, of Boston, who had lately arrived there, and was collecting subscriptions to Biglow’s Botanical works.

From Wilmington, in the State of North Carolina, our accounts are yet more gloomy. […]