On Aug 6, 1879 – 30,000 people from Memphis fled from an epidemic – some were put off in the woods rather than allow entrance into Alabama

Thank you so much! I love this story, and the pictures are wonderful!

I know a Yellow Fever cemetary where many died and were buried within a short time. I spoke with a 98yr. old woman 40 years ago who told me that during an epidemic, a wagon would come around to pick up the dead to bury them, They also picked up their waste left in a bucket to bury it. When people took food to the home of the sick, they would leave it on the front porch, yell, and run away in fear. She told me that one time her child was sick, & when she saw dark circles under the child’s eyes, she knew that meant death, so she walked 10 miles down the road carrying the child to get to the doctor. Another lady told me if you put sliced potatoes on the bottom of your feet, it will take away any fever. Another put cedar branches on her front steps to keep fleas out of her house. Another said wet,warm, peach tree leaves on the breast will make the milk go away when you quit nursing your baby. Another said sliced onions around the room will keep disease from spreading. Another told me at age 89 that she was told by her mother, a slave, to never put anything on your face but water. She must have inherited that beautiful complexion she had? Another who was a mid-wife for many years said she had to cut a baby into to get it out of the mother or the mother would have died. Never heard of C-sections back then. So sad. So many old remedies, wives tales, and lost ways of doing things!

The folks from Miss were at a loss on how to move Tenn State and leave Memphis behind.

No one else read that part?