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HIST 6216/MLIS 7886 Student Guide 9: Typhoid

Christopher Skipper W.W. Knight Collection

Typhoid Info

Typhoid is a bacterial disease that is caused by Salmonella bacteria. This disease is transmitted through contaminated food and water sources, or through close contact with someone else with the disease.

 

Symptoms:

  • fever/chills
  • sore throat
  • headache
  • backache
  • constipation or diarrhea
  • abdominal pain and tenderness
  • rose-colored spots appear on torso within 7-10 days 

 

 

 

Many sick, none very serious, except one with typhoid - June 26, 1862
 

William mentions an individual that has typhoid and is not likely to recover. He thanks his wife for sending socks because the marshes that the soldiers wade through are destroying their socks. 

 

Transcription:
We have a great many sick, none very serious, in our company, except William Sirmans. He has tiphoid[sic] fever and is very low. There is very little chance for him to recover. His father is here with him. Mary, I thought I wrote you that I had got the socks you sent when I wrote about the other things. You know they are better than thin bought socks that would not last over one week the way we have to walk, for we often have [to] wade [through] the marshes in going and coming from picket.

Page 1 of June 26, 1862 letter from W.W. Knight to his wife Mary Knight

 

 

 

 

Mary, we have a great deal of sickness in our camp - July 5, 1862
 

This letter was written only nine days after Knight wrote to Mary about there being many sick people, but only one person was that in critical condition due to typhoid. This letter is written more frantically. Knight lists at least 38 people that are sick and there are more sick individuals every day. Typhoid has spread to multiple individuals and other infectious diseases such as mumps have spread through the camp. It is unknown how many individuals have the specific diseases since most of these diseases share symptoms.

 

Transcription:
 Mary, we have a great deal of sickness in our camp. We have in our own company two lieutenants, five non commission[sic] officers and thirty one private[s] sick now, and the boys get sick every day. Two taken sick to day[sic], some with Typoid[sic] fever, some with chills and fever, some with diarrhea, others with mumps, some very sick, others not so sick. Mr. Millican is sick with Typhoid fever, he will go home the sixteenth if he is able to go at that time. I would rather any other man in the company would leave than him, he has been my mess mate all the time we have been in the service. I will be left with none but William Carroll in my company when Millican leaves for home.