The Cholera Epidemics of 1850 and 1854
Manitowoc, 1855 artist rendering
As the current Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic spreads and impacts lives, behavior and livelihoods around the world, readers may not realize it is not the first time a deadly disease has affected local residents.
In the History of Manitowoc County, published in 1912, local historian Dr. Louis Falge chronicles two disastrous cholera epidemics in 1850 and 1854 which affected the lives of early settlers.
The first cholera outbreak began in New Orleans in 1848 and spread rapidly along the Mississippi River, reaching Chicago and Milwaukee the following year and Two Rivers in August 1850. Indians living north of Two Rivers were the first ones stricken. Within two days, twelve died. Within a week, out of 300 residents, 50 died, while many more were taken ill. Pioneer businessman Hezekiah H. Smith, considered the “father of Two Rivers,” was himself stricken and a son died, as well as eight mill hands at Mr. Smith’s sawmill. Many workers sought refuge in Sheboygan after a boat arrived, which caused a stampede to occur at the dock.
The disease spread to Manitowoc, where 22 settlers and two Indians living near the Rapids died. Falge notes it was several years before the villages recovered from this staggering blow.
The second cholera outbreak occurred in 1854 when a boat arrived in Manitowoc with the whole crew and several Norwegian immigrants sick. During those few terrible weeks, many graves were dug in Evergreen Cemetery, opened in 1852. Among the victims were County Judge Ezekiel Ricker, carpenter John Plumb, District Attorney James L. Kyle and Rev. George W. Thompson, rector at St. James Episcopal church. The first village board of health was organized at this time, but was unable to do much to combat the disease, then known as ship fever, until the advent of cold weather. The dreadful disease spread to many inland parts of the county, particularly the towns of Kossuth and Rockland.
Today, cholera is rare in the developed world, thanks to prevention methods such as improved sanitation and access to clean drinking water and treatment with oral vaccines, intravenous fluids, antibiotics and testing. However, according to Doctors Without Borders, it remains a highly contagious disease in settings without clean water and proper sanitation – from poor, remote villages to overcrowded cities, refugee camps and conflict zones. It causes profuse diarrhea and vomiting which can lead to death by intense dehydration, sometimes within hours. In recent years massive epidemics have occurred in post-earthquake Haiti and war-torn Yemen.
In these uncertain times, to stop the spread of a disease, it is important to remain calm, practice proper hygiene, stay home when sick and safely keep social distances – customary health practices unknown to our forefathers.