Back to Home Page

Letter from Henry Rose Carter to Emma Coleman Carter, August 27, 1890

printer-friendly version
 
MARINE HOSPITAL SERVICE
1798 * U. S. * 1871
U. S. Marine-Hospital Service,
DISTRICT OF THE GULF,

Port of US. Gulf Quarantine Surgeon's Office,
Aug 27, 1890.
My Dear Mother:

    The "August storm" is on us & is
not so far a bad one, this is the end of the 2d day.
I put 4 oars in the whale-boat & went out this
morning to the Brandon - she has had 12 men out
of 18 in am - sick since Sunday - but it was a
rough pull. Coming back we rode one breaker
I think 400 yards & in about 2 1/2 minutes. Two
of the men fell off the seats & it was all I could
do to hold the tiller bearing my breast a-
gainst it & pushing with both hands.
The Brandon men have cholera-Morbis with ex-
treme depression - due I find now to rotten
grain in her timbers. I have one of the ap-
prentices - 16 years old - a nice little fellow
ashore now & I almost wish Katie were here to
entertain him. He has such a nice uniform & cap,

 
I spent my birthday out on the ships, not doing a
great deal, but it was calm & the distances are
considerable so much time is taken in going
from one to the other.

    I am entirely passed any risk from the
Castilla & I think there is none now from the Brandon
Had quite a dysentery yesterday - from the Brandon's grain
I think - but am all well now - All of her cares too were slight,
Had the vessel become infected with Yellow Fever It had been im-
possible to clean her save by a northern winter.

    As to my old Yankee Italian who thought his vessel heal-
thy when she had had 6 cases of fever out of a possible 7
I have not begun on him; but apprehend no trouble, as I feel
pretty sure the other man is insusceptible to contagion
& I have done a precautionary fumigation on her.
I am going to try to use the steam chamber I have on the
flat this week, with what result I cannot yet say.
There is but little to tell this time mother only
things are going fairly smoothly & satisfactorily & I have only
one & a half vessels here to disinfect & two [& 1/2] others lay-
ing quarantine-

    I see by L's letter Ed is all right again. Well the summer
is passing, although it has been slow, & in 5 weeks but little trou-
blesome quarantine will be left. I have certainly had a hard
2 months (not quite) of it & it seems like 4 months.

    Love to all

Your affec'ate son

H. R. Carter
 
Aug 28:
Storm over & no damage done. My boy is well a-
gain a nice little fellow. Bannerman by name,
wanted a sheet of paper to write to his mother by this mail
(as I am doing) said he wanted to see her dreadfully
when he thought he was going to die aboard ship.
Have had a pretty full day - tomorrow I think
will not be - & all a little tired but well, &
every thing going on satisfactorily
H. R. Carter