The following excerpt is Part II from Fanny Crosby’s autobiography:
Fanny Crosby’s Life-Story, 1905 edition,
Everywhere Publishing Company, NY
PANDEMIC REACHES NEW YORK
"…..It is a problem, and no doubt always will be among physicians and other scientists, as o how much the matter of fear has to do with the incuring of epidemic diseases. But one thing is certain: New York and its kindred American cities stood for months in dread of the terrible visitation, and tremblingly expected it from day to day, and so to speak, were all ready to take it when it came.
As for the teachers and students in the Institution for the Blind, we of course had our fears, but we were taught that the same good Friend above that had been so merciful thus far would not desert us now; that He would do all things best for us, both in this world and the next. We rested secure in His promise that we should all be held in the hollow of His hand. And so we prayed and waited.
We had not long to wait! On the first of December, 1848, the packet-ship New York landed at Staten Island. She was from Havre and brought with her several persons who were suffering cholera. Soon three deaths occurred in our city, and the dread disease was fighting the preliminary skirmish of its conquering march.
Everything possible in those days was done to keep the contagion down and stamp it out, and for several months it looked as if this might be accomplished. But we were attacked from other directions.
On the 10th of December, an emigrant ship arrived at New Orleans, having also come from Havre, leaving a few days before the New York ship, and this vessel, upon sailing into port, had already buried at sea seventeen who died of cholera. It was thought at first that there were no more cases on board, and the queen city of the South congratulated itself on having escaped. But one poor sick woman, having been sent to the Charity Hospital, was soon found to be afflicted with the terrible disease, and in a few days it spread over all New Orleans, causing 3,500 deaths.
This thriving city of the South was then a great center of travel; sailing-vessels, flatboats, and steamers were constantly leaving in all directions. Frequently, after a steamboat started up the river there would be discovered on board her, several cases of cholera, and these would be hustled ashore at the first convenient landing and left to the care of the hospitals or of the people generally.
Cholera soon reached Memphis, then St. Louis, then Cincinnati, Chicago, etc., and on the 10th of May, 1849, New York had to acknowledge that the terrible pestilence was at last with her to stay for a time, having obtained a firm foothold within her streets. "
……..to be continued