The following excerpt is Part III from Fanny Crosby’s autobiography:
Fanny Crosby’s Life-Story, 1905 edition,
Everywhere Publishing Company, NY
SURVIVING THE CHOLERA
“….Before the month was out, Albany, Philadelphia, and Boston were all similarly afflicted; and soon a reign of terror was at hand.
Our summer vacation began unusually early, that year, and the students were sent to their homes as soon as possible: but several stayed long enough to suffer from the scourge.
Some of us remained all summer, from choice: being convinced that God would take care of us, and that we could be of some help. Our faithful nurse, who had always been so kind whenever we were ailing, refused to leave her post; and we felt that we could afford to run equal risks with her.
I never shall forget the terrors of that summer, in which there were, during six months, over 5,000 deaths in New York City alone. The harsh cry of the truckman, ‘Bring out your dead!’ sometimes rings in my ears to this day.
Our Institution furnished some of these: several sickened and died almost before we could raise a hand to help them. Often the vital power seemed to ebb all at once, as soon as the victim was attacked. If we could get our patients into a state of perspiration, there was hope; and we used to rub them vigorously with salt in order to accomplish this.
Dr. J.W. Clements, who was our physician at that time, was often busy making ‘cholera pills’ – and many a time I assisted him in their manufacture. They were of two-thirds calomel, and one-third opium – rather a ‘strenuous’ sort of medicine for these days, it would be considered: but the necessity at that time seemed to justify the means.
One morning, I was quite sure that the dread disease had come upon me: indeed, I really had the premonitory symptoms. But I was bound that I would not yield to them: and the amount of calomel and opium that went into my stomach during those few hours, appals me as I think of it now.
All day long I kept exercising, as briskly and vigorously as I could; and when six o’ clock came, I went to be and to sleep, after having prayed to the great Physician of all, to watch over my slumber, and do with me as seemed best to Him.
In the morning, after a good night’s rest, I awoke, as well as ever: and did not have any more trouble of that kind…..”